GALLERY: Recap Of 2023 Montana Grizzlies Football Season

What a season it was. The 2023 Montana Grizzlies will go down as an all-time run. After an early loss in Big Sky Conference play, the Griz rattled off 10 consecutive wins before dropping the FCS National Championship against powerhouse South Dakota State.

The journey featured incredible game after game that had Missoula and Montana buzzing for the Griz. Until the 2024 season kicks off on August 31 against Missouri State, all we can do is relive the beloved 2023 season.

READ MORE: Griz Football Season Tickets Update (2024)

In case, you need a refresher, here's a gallery and recap of all 15 games from last year.

Thank you to the University for providing photos and a special shoutout to Tommy Martino - the best photographer out there. 

Week 1: 35-20 Win VS Butler Bulldogs

It became dicey in the 3rd quarter when the non-scholarship Butler Bulldogs pulled within a point at 21-20, but the Griz pulled away late thanks to a breakout game from Freshman Eli Gillman. The Minnesotan finished with 119 yards and a rushing touchdown. His 119 yards were a season-best.

Week 2: 43-13 Win @ Utah Tech Trailblazers

It was a full-blown stomping in St. George, Utah. The Griz scored the first 36 points in the first half. Gillman and Nick Ostmo each finished with two scores, Trevin Gradney, Nash Fouch and TraJon Cotton each had a pick, but it was Junior Bergen who provided a prelude to his immaculate season returning a punt for six.

Week 3: 17-10 W VS Ferris State

Don't look past Division II's Ferris State. The Bulldogs gave Montana everything they could ask for in front of a record "Black Out" crowd (26,978) and Montana's own Suga Sean O'Malley.

Week 4: 28-14 L @ Northern Arizona

The lone blemish in the regular season was a headscratcher in Flagstaff. It was the only time Head Coach Bobby Hauck lost against the Lumberjacks that featured quarterback Sam Vidlak sacked 5 times. We can flush this game from memory.

Week 5: 28-20 W VS Idaho State

A rainy homecoming kickstarted the Griz' 10-game winning streak. Quarterback Clifton McDowell received his first start in a Griz uniform recording over 220 total yards with two touchdowns. The highlights, however, were a pair of trick plays. Punter Travis Benham slung a 4th down conversion and wide receiver Sawyer Racanelli THROWING for his first career Griz score to Evan Shafer.

Week 6: 31-23 W @ #18 UC Davis

The trip to Davis kicked off a gauntlet. Montana faced off against 8 ranked opponents in their final 10 weeks. It started in California where history was made when Eli Gillman scored a rushing touchdown from 85 yards out - the longest in school history.

Week 7: 23-21 W @ #3 Idaho

What. A. Game. A year after Idaho stole the Little Brown Stein from Missoula, the Griz returned the favor in Moscow with an epic 2-point win. Montana's offense jumped out to 1 a 20-0 lead but it was the defense that sealed it when Kale Edwards strip-sacked Idaho quarterback Gevani McCoy and Mr. 37 Levi Janacaro recovered.

Week 8: 40-0 W VS Northern Colorado

We've highlighted the offense a lot in this article, but the defense was the team's strongest, most consistent operation last year. Never was it more evident than when the Griz shut out Northern Colorado. Montana's defense actually outscored UNC altogether. Jaxon Lee and Braxton Hill nabbed rare defensive house calls.

Week 9: 34-10 W VS #7 Sacramento State

Another top-10 team to fall. The Griz fell behind 7-0 in the first half of the first quarter but proceeded to score 34 unanswered points. Remember when Gillman recorded the longest rush in UM history a few weeks ago? How about the longest play in Griz history? 97 yards from Clifton McDowell to Keelan White. Oh, and Coach Hauck became the all-time winningest Big Sky Conference Head Coach.

Week 10: 34-10 W @ Portland State

This was the father-son battle. Coach Hauck squared off against his son Robby Hauck (secondary & assistant special teams coach), while Griz linebacker Cooper Barnum went up against his dad and PSU Head Coach Bruce Barnum.

Week 11: 37-7 W VS #4 Montana State

It doesn't get much sweeter than crushing the little brothers over the hill for the 19th Big Sky Title in program history. Every facet of the game was dominated by the good guys. As fun as the season had been up to this point, the Cats game was what kickstarted the fairytale ride to come.

FCS Playoffs Round 2: 49-19 W VS #11 Delaware

The Snowglobe Game featured Montana stomping the FCS-departing Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. Coach Hauck gold gogriz.com "It was a really good night by our guys, offense, defense, kicking. It was good." The weather made this night special. Snow was falling so hard that it was difficult to see the action, and I was standing on the field.

FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals: 35-28 (OT) W VS #7 Furman

When the offense was struggling to find its footing, Griz legend Junior Bergen returned a punt 59 yards in the 4th quarter to provide a much-needed spark. Credit to Furman though, because the Paladins fought to their last breath. And that breath was ripped away when Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Alex Gubner got pressure on the final play of the game to force an errant throw to seal the win.

FCS Playoffs Semifinals: 31-29 (2OT) W VS #8 North Dakota State

I don't know where to begin. In a matchup of astronomical proportions, the Bison and Griz gave the national audience tuning in an absolute show. Junior. Freaking. Bergen. The legend returned another punt for a score, found the endzone in overtime and hit the game-deciding 2-point conversion on a trick play. The final play was NDSU's 2nd 2-point conversion. The Bison attempted a trick play of their own but Corbin Walker picked off the pass to seal the deal.

FCS National Championship Game: 23-3 L VS #1 South Dakota State

The euphoria from the semifinals was stomped out by the juggernaut SDSU Jackrabbits. It was destined to be the Rabbits' season, but that doesn't take away from the magical ride that was the 2023 season.