MISSOULA — The wins, the losses, the highs and the lows don't matter anymore. It's playoff time at the FCS level.
For the No. 14-seeded Montana Grizzlies (8-4), they'll host a first round game to open the bracket at Washington-Grizzly Stadium against Tennessee State on Saturday, as Montana begins its quest in what it hopes is a return journey to Frisco, Texas.
"We have high hopes for success in the playoffs," UM head coach Bobby Hauck said. "We sit exactly where North Dakota State did last year at this point, but in order to achieve we have to find a way to get past a very good, well coached, Tennessee State team. So that's where it sits."
The two foes will clash under the lights with a national TV audience on ESPN2 with kickoff slated for 8:15 p.m.
While this is the first time Montana and Tennessee State will line up, there's plenty of familiar faces on the Tigers. Tennessee State (9-3) is led by Ohio State Heisman winner and NFL Pro Bowler Eddie George, who guided the Tigers to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
At defensive coordinator, the Tigers are also led by former Griz linebacker Brandon Fisher — the son of former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher — who guides one of the stronger units on the team.
"He knows us well as he played here for us, and they're giving people a lot of problems with their defense," Hauck said of Fisher. "That's that's been rewarding to watch Brandon doing such a great job, except now we've got to try to move the ball against them."
Montana saw this scenario in 2022 playing out in the first round, and like South Dakota State in 2021 or NDSU last year, the Griz are hoping to find that late season magic that can spur a potential run. The two-time reigning national champion Jackrabbits, the No. 3 seed, await the winner of this game next week in Brookings, S.D.
Should they try and make a run, the Grizzlies are still looking for that complete game in all three phases that could spark this team in the playoffs.
"I think offense and defense, both are extremely dangerous, special teams as well," UM senior safety Jaxon Lee said. "If we all get firing at the same time, I think we could be a very good football team and hopefully make a run. But that's not always the way it goes, so we just got to hope and go get that done every week."
It's win or go home time for every team in the playoffs now, something Montana's seniors are well aware of heading into the stretch run.
"Just got to leave it all on the field," Lee said. "Every chance you get, every snap has to be your best snap from here on out, because, you know, you really don't know when it'll be your last snap, so we just got to take care of business every single play."
"I would just say to make the most of it," UM senior center Cade Klimczak added. "Every opportunity that we get, just got to make sure we lock in on it and execute the best we can."
