The Montana Grizzlies play the Montana State Bobcats in the FCS Playoffs on Saturday, Dec. 20. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on ABC.
Montana State is favored by 6 points on the spread with a moneyline of -210. Montana, meanwhile, enters as a +6 underdog and is +175 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 54 points.
Here’s my Montana vs Montana State prediction and college football picks for Saturday, December 20.
Montana Grizzlies vs Montana State Bobcats Prediction, Picks
- Montana vs Montana State Pick: Over 53.5 (Play to 56)
My Montana vs Montana State best bet is on both teams to go over the total. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Montana vs Montana State Odds, Line, Spread
| Montana Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 56.5 -110o / -110u | +190 |
| Montana State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 56.5 -110o / -110u | -235 |
- Montana vs Montana State Spread: Montana State -6.5, Montana +6.5
- Montana vs Montana State Over/Under: 56.5
- Montana vs Montana State Moneyline: Montana ML +190, Montana State ML -235
Montana vs Montana State College Football Betting Preview
Montana Grizzlies Betting Preview
Montana has been absolutely dominant during these 2025 FCS Playoffs.
The offense has been unstoppable, scoring 50 points in back-to-back games, led by dynamic sophomore quarterback Keali’I Ah Yat, who has thrown for 700 yards with seven scores in the two wins over South Dakota State and South Dakota.
Running back Eli Gillman has been running the ball well, averaging 6.1 yards per rush with 20 rushing scores this season.
Several receivers have also stepped up to complement the receiving of Michael Wortham, who has 1,139 yards with 10 touchdowns on 77 catches.
This is a dangerous unit.
The defense has played better in the playoffs and has made enough stops to keep opponents from getting back into these games after the Griz have built sizeable leads.
A lot of the points and yardage surrendered over the last couple of weeks have been late in the fourth quarter during garbage time of blowouts, but this defense is going to be up against it against a strong Montana State offense.
This will be a fun battle on Saturday.
Montana State Bobcats Betting Preview
Montana State built a commanding lead against Stephen F. Austin last week, and the offense looked much crisper than it did in its first postseason contest against Yale.
The Bobcats shredded SFA on the ground in the second half, and quarterback Justin Lamson threw the ball really well.
Running back Adam Jones was such a game-changer, racking up 160 all-purpose yards and three total touchdowns. His elusiveness created missed tackles and backbreaking highlight reel plays that were just too much for SFA to overcome.
This offense is humming on all cylinders right now, and I expect this team to pick up where it left off last week.
Defensively, Montana State allowed SFA to drive the field on several occasions in the first half, but the Bobcats made plays when they needed it most and kept the Lumberjacks off the scoreboard until the closing seconds of the first half.
This defense is carried by a strong defensive line that can get after the quarterback and create Havoc in the backfield better than anyone at the FCS level.
Stopping the Montana rushing attack will be critical, and getting Montana into passing downs will allow this defensive line to go to work and have a sizeable impact on this matchup.
Montana vs Montana State FCS Playoffs Pick to Bet
This is going to be an incredible heavyweight bout after the first matchup just a couple of weeks ago.
The line has bounced around this week and currently sits at Montana State -6, with a total set at 54. I like this game to go over the total.
This Montana offense has played significantly better during the playoffs than it did at times during the regular season.
Ah Yat has been sharp and played mostly mistake-free football, while receivers Brooks Davis and Drew Deck have really stepped up in the postseason. These receivers being reliable outlets for Ah Yat will really add an element to the offense.
If the ground game produces with Gillman, the Griz could score into the 30s in this matchup. I expect a sharp performance here from this Montana offense.
We're also going to see the Bobcats lean on their counterpart for a good majority of the first three quarters before busting the dam wide open in the fourth.
That's the saga of the Montana State offensive line, and with a dynamic duo of Jones and Julius Davis at running back, you often see fresh legs carrying the ball against tired defenders.
Lamson is throwing the ball well, completing 72% of his passes for 2,683 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also adds a significant running element.
Montana has a good defense, but it has had its struggles. This group allowed 400 yards per game this season, and the secondary can be had on the back end, as the Griz have surrendered 19 touchdown passes and 7.4 yards per pass.
With such a focus on the Bobs' ground attack, I expect Lamson to take some shots and find receivers in space on the back end. Taco Dowler is a name to watch as a guy who could really make some noise in the passing game.
Special teams will play a factor in this game.
Montana had a field goal blocked in the first Brawl of the Wild, and both of these squads have electric return units with Montana’s Deck and MSU’s Dowler both being able to house it at any given time.
I expect a couple of huge special teams plays, which will likely set up the benefiting team in excellent field position for quick scores.
This game — Brawl of the Wild 2.0 — is going to be an all-time. What more could you ask for in these wild 2025 FCS Playoffs, with a trip to the National Championship on the line?
I expect a tight game that goes down to the wire. We should see fireworks. I'll call for Montana State to eke out a gritty fourth-quarter win, 34-30. Go over.
Pick: Over 53.5 (Play to 56)
