Football | 11/11/23 | 9:43 AM

HELENA, Mont. - The No. 16 ranked Carroll College Football team will host the Orediggers of Montana Tech in a season-finale showdown at Nelson Stadium in Helena at 12 p.m.

The Fighting Saints (7-2, 5-2) will look to close out their ten-game slate with a second win over No. 22 Montana Tech (6-3, 5-2) on Saturday.

The two rivals have met a total of 130 times in their history, with the most recent battle having been won by the Purple and Gold in Butte to open the 2023 season, 21-19. The Saints hold an 88-40-2 all-time series lead over Montana Tech, and hope to add to that number today.

The season opener in Butte was a rare non-conference tilt, but Saturday's game will be a Frontier Conference matchup with mammoth ramifications.

A Carroll win would likely secure them a berth in the NAIA Football Championship Series, while a loss would end their season.

The Orediggers, with a win, would also be pushing for a spot in the postseason, but they would likely need a little help from teams in front of them to sneak in.

As has been the case many times in the long-standing rivalry, Saturday's top-25 showdown at Nelson Stadium will have huge postseason implications, regardless of the side.

Carroll will look to rebound from a 38-17 loss last weekend against now-ranked No. 10 Montana Western, a game in which they had four second-half turnovers.

Rest assured, the offense will be ready to go for this afternoon's game, and will look to keep pace with a Montana Tech offense that is currently No. 7 in the NAIA in yards per game (447.9).

The Saints defense has been great through nine games, entering as the No. 21 total defense in terms of yards allowed (291.9), and will look to shut down the Orediggers' potent attack.

Saturday's game is Carroll's annual Military Appreciation Day, and all service members who show a valid military ID will receive free entry to today's contest.

The game will be televised on SWX, and simulcast on the Fighting Saints Network- presented by Point S Tire & Auto Service.

Catch voice of the Saints, Nick Dietzen, and Gary Turcott call the action live on Rewind 94.9 FM or online HERE.

Live Stats can be followed HERE.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com this evening for a full recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.