Montana Grizzlies 2025 Season Preview: Sky-High Expectations in Beautiful Missoula
The Montana Grizzlies went to the FCS playoffs and won a game a year ago—a season most programs would celebrate. But in beautiful Missoula, Montana, you’d have thought the sky was falling. Expectations are that high. Fast forward to 2025, and you have a Griz team with elite talent and a favorable schedule—including eight home games—that has a legitimate shot at a deep playoff run and, perhaps, a national championship.
Offensive Outlook: Stability Needed at QB, Gilman Leads a Loaded Backfield
On the offensive side of the ball, the Griz must commit to one quarterback for the season. Last year’s merry-go-round between Keali’i Ah Yat and Logan Fife stunted any real flow or consistency. Fife transferred to New Mexico State, but the Griz brought in Jake Jensen (USC). Ah Yat has the most in-game experience and currently holds the edge, but the battle isn’t over yet.
The running back room is stacked. Eli Gilman—arguably the best back in the FCS—returns after racking up 1,104 yards and 15 touchdowns on an impressive 6.6 yards per carry. Behind him is depth: Malae Fonoti and Arizona transfer Stevie Rocker Jr. provide a strong rotation.
At receiver, the Griz are in reload mode. The leading returning pass-catcher is Drew Deck, who had just seven receptions for 78 yards last year. But reinforcements are coming. Lekeldrick Bridges gained valuable experience last season, while Brooks Davis stood out this spring. Expect this group to bring more speed than Griz fans have seen in recent years.
Michael Wortham (Eastern Washington) is one of the most intriguing additions. A dynamic all-around athlete, he played receiver, running back, and quarterback for the Eagles. He’ll line up everywhere for Montana, and don’t be surprised if there’s a small package for him under center. He also brings serious juice to the return game, having totaled 1,829 return yards for EWU.
Blake Bohannon (Kennesaw State) is a sneaky-good pickup—he caught 43 passes over two seasons on a run-heavy team. Korbin Hendrix (Arizona State) also brings upside Griz fans haven’t seen in a while. Others to watch include Jordan Dever, Ian Finch, and Cameron Gurnsey, all of whom had solid springs.
Up front, the offensive line returns key pieces and adds transfer depth. Look for Cade Klimczak to start at center, with Patrick Matan and Cannon Panfiloff forming a strong tackle duo. Dillon Botner brings experience, rotating in after logging over 400 snaps last year. This unit should pave the way for a powerful ground game and give the eventual starting QB the time to gel with the offense.
Defensive Rebuild: Transfers Galore, But Talent Is Real
Last year, Montana’s defense didn’t meet its usual high standards. In 2025, the Griz lose their top 10 tacklers and bring in 12 transfers—eight of them on the defensive line alone. While some fans might be skeptical after last year’s portal additions underwhelmed, the influx of talent this time around looks different.
Linebacker Caleb Otlewski is the leading returning tackler. The coveted #37 jersey—Montana’s legacy number awarded to the top in-state defender—goes to sophomore Clay Oven, who had limited action last season but was a standout in spring ball.
In the secondary, safety TJ Rausch and cornerback Kyon Loud bring over 300 combined snaps and look to take the next step. There’s also excitement about Elijah Tolbert (Eastern Illinois), a two-time All-Conference defender—if he stays healthy, he could become a star. Peyton Wing (Portland State), an All-Big Sky second-team linebacker with 93 tackles, will make an instant impact. At safety, Micah Harper (BYU) is a great addition, while Solomon Tuliaupupu (USC), a former 4-star recruit, has the tools to dominate if he can stay healthy.
The defense will need time to gel, but don’t sleep on this group. With talent at every level, expect steady improvement as the season progresses.
Favorable Schedule and Magical Missoula
Montana has the roster and schedule to make a run. The Griz are projected to start inside or just outside the FCS Top 10 and are ranked second or third in the Big Sky depending on the poll. Montana State is the preseason favorite, while UC Davis is in the mix—but notably, Montana doesn’t face UC Davis this year.
What sets 2025 apart is the schedule: eight home games, including the first four and six of the first seven, all in the intimidating cauldron of Washington-Grizzly Stadium—widely regarded as the best home field in the FCS and one of the best in all of college football.
Montana opens with D-II Central Washington, followed by a North Dakota team that’s lost key pieces from last year’s upset win, and Indiana State, a bottom-feeder from the MVFC. This soft early slate gives the Griz time to build chemistry before a huge Week 4 showdown against Top 15 Idaho on ESPN2.
October opens with a road trip to struggling Idaho State, then two home games where Montana will be favored. All of it leads to a critical, nationally televised (ESPN2) matchup at Sacramento State—a team ranked in the national Top 20 but picked 7th in the Big Sky.
Outside of the Brawl of the Wild against #2 Montana State at home, the rest of the slate is manageable. Montana avoids UC Davis and will be favored in all four road games. The only real concern is the lack of a bye week—Montana plays 12 straight games starting September 6.
The Road to Nashville
The top 8 teams in the FCS playoffs earn a first-round bye, and the top 2 seeds are guaranteed to host through the semifinals. That matters—a lot. The Griz are 35–7 all-time at home in the playoffs. Washington-Grizzly Stadium isn’t just a venue; it’s a vortex where wild, wonderful things happen (just ask NDSU in 2023).
Montana has everything in place: elite talent, a favorable schedule, and one of the best home-field advantages in the country. If the Griz find their quarterback early, let the offense settle, and the defense comes together, don’t be surprised when you’re watching them play for a national title in Nashville at Vanderbilt Stadium.
There’s a lot of fun coming to beautiful Missoula, Montana this fall. The sky isn’t falling—it’s just the ceiling rising.