The 2025 FCS championship has been set but the Montana Grizzlies will not be a part of it. After starting the season 11-0 and blowing out its first two playoff opponents, it seemed like Bobby Hauck and his Griz were on the fast track to a trip to Nashville and a more-than-legitimate shot at the program’s first national title since 2001. All of those hopes, however, went up in flames in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon thanks to the one team that could make a postseason loss hurt even more. While UM now enters offseason mode they will have to look on as their arch rivals in Montana State now have that chance.
Losing to the rivals in the semifinals is one thing but losing the way the way Montana did will sting for a while, especially after how dominant they looked over the past two weeks. The Bobcats rolled to a 25-point victory in a game that, in many ways, the Griz simply did not show up for; at least in the biggest moments. Between a defensive collapse on third and long while trailing by just three that resulted in an 87-yard touchdown, an inability to stop the run across the board and an overall lack of explosiveness on offense that featured All-American talent in several spot, Montana simply failed to deliver in arguably the biggest game and moment in school history.
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Understandably there is a deep discontent among fans and donors as is always the case following a loss of this magnitude. The Grizzlies are a proud team with a decorated history and the expectation is to win championships in Missoula. It always has been. Right now, however, it feels like the Grizzlies might be further from that ultimate goal than previously thought. A 13-2 record is good. A run to the semifinals is good. The standard in Montana, however, is great and great did not happen this year.
So now what?
Several folks are calling for Hauck’s head not even 24 hours after the loss but firing a coach with a pedigree like his is likely not the solution. While coaching changes may be coming down the pipe for UM at the coordinator and staff levels, Hauck is probably not going anywhere and that is ultimately most likely a good thing for the program. Stability, especially in this day and age of college football, at the head coaching position is rare and it’s even rarer in the FCS.
Hauck has not won a national title, though, and that fact is being thrown about again now that the Griz came up short. Most coaches, however, can say that. If Montana were to relieve Hauck of his duties, much bigger questions will arise about who to hire, where to look and what that unknown commodity might be. That opens up an entirely different challenge to throw into an offseason cycle. And it’s going to be an offseason that will be busy enough for a team trying to retain a bunch of its talent.
For one, the Grizzlies will be saying goodbye to one of their best players in senior receiver Michael Wortham. Wortham was a huge difference maker on the 2025 team since transferring in from Eastern Washington last year, bringing a dynamite big-play ability that the offense and special teams hasn’t seen in quite sometime. Wortham set the program’s single season all-purpose yardage record this year and accounted for 18 total touchdowns. Losing him is going to be a tough blow but not one that should set back the offense a ton either.
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What could really drop a hammer on the future, though, is the transfer portal. It’s an ongoing battle teams, especially at the lower level of college football, have to deal with come this time of year. When it opens next month, UM will be looking to hold on to some of its other big names like quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat and running back Eli Gillman. Gillman has proven his loyalty in years past, forgoing the portal and Ah Yat, being the son of a former Griz great, will probably not leave either. However, it is still a concern that the team needs to entertain.
The sky is not necessarily falling the way some might think it is and that clarity will come with time. What is clear, though, is that something needs to change but it may not necessarily be the wholesale change that many are demanding. Continuing to bolster and improve the offensive and defensive lines, for instance, is something that ought to be on the docket. It’s a tried and true formula in the FCS. To win championships a team needs elite trench play and North Dakota State has provided that example time and time again.
Montana is solid in that department but not stellar. Against Montana State they were pushed around on both sides for the majority of the game and therein lies the gap between the really good teams and the elite ones. Continuing to develop the lineman they have will likely be a point of focus but so too might be going after some big men in the portal. Hauck will not shy away from dipping into the portal to fill team needs. There is a good chance the Griz are active in that area too.
In all likelihood, Montana will still be a tough bunch in 2026. The Grizzlies always are in the competition for the Big Sky title and it would take a massive, unforeseen fall off to not make the playoffs again. But right now it has never been more evident that there is a wall that the program has to find a way to get through.
