HELENA, Mont. - The No. 15 Carroll College Football team picked up a win over No. 14 St. Thomas, 26-23, in a game that fans in attendance at Nelson Stadium on Saturday won't soon forget.

The Fighting Saints (2-0) made sure to reward those who stayed in their seats on Saturday, scoring with just over a minute remaining to topple No, 14 St. Thomas 26-23 in a raucous Nelson Stadium on Saturday.

Very few, if any, NAIA schools could boast as good a home-opening football game as the Carroll College Fighting Saints in 2023. 

Those of the 2,638 fans that stuck it out until the final whistle at Nelson Stadium were rewarded with one of the best victories that the storied facility has ever seen.

Carroll found the first big play of the game when Tug Smith (Newport, Wash. / SR) picked-off a Bobcat pass on St. Thomas' opening dive of the game. Carroll would not, however, cash in on the opportunity, as Spencer Berger's (Billings, Mont. / SO) field goal attempt on the ensuing possession would fall just left of the uprights.

St. Thomas would find the first points of the top-20 showdown, cashing-in off a big play in the special teams. Providing heavy pressure on a Carroll punt, The Bobcats would block a Berger punt attempt deep in Carroll territory, setting up a short field that they were able to take advantage of. Rontavious Farmer punched in a four-yard touchdown run to put St. Thomas on top, 7-0 late in the first frame.

While the second quarter wasn't exactly what the Saints were hoping for, Berger rebounded and provided two big-time field goals to bring Carroll within one-point at the half. Berger nailed a 26-yard attempt to start the second, and hit an extremely impressive 43-yard field goal to bring Carroll within one point at 7-6 heading into the break.

A Thomas McGree (Butte, Mont. / R-JR) interception on the first possession of the second half would lead to another Berger field goal, giving Carroll a 9-7 lead in the third.

After trading possessions, the Bobcats would partially block a lead-extending Berger 53-yard field goal attempt at the end of the third to stay withing striking distance. From that point on, chaos would ensue.

Keely Watson would connect with David Hayes for six, and then again with C'Quann Jnopierre on the two-point attempt to give St. Thomas the lead with just over four minutes remaining in the third,

A Tucker Jones (Homilton, Mont. / R-JR) fumble recovery led to a short field for the Saints nad Camron Rothie (Hamilton, Mont. / R-SR) caught his first touchdown of the year on the ensuing possession to give Carroll a 16-15 lead with 13 minutes remaining in the third.

St. Thomas responded with a drive and subsequent 25-yard touchdown connection between Watson and Khalitri Zow to put the Bobcats back in front, 23-16.

Carroll would embark on a 12-play 60-yard drive that ended on a Jack Prka (Couer d'Alene, Idaho / JR) interception at the four-yard line on a pass that was intended to be thrown away.

With just minutes remaining, the Bobcats would squander their shot at a ranked non-conference win away.

After forcing a three-and-out, the Carroll defense would force the Bobcat punter to take an, ultimately costly, safety.

Two penalties on the safety play resulted in St. Thomas kicking fom their own 10-yard line. The ensuing kickoff went out-of-bounds, and gave Carroll possession at the Bobcat 40-yard line.

Two plays later, Prka connected with Chirs Akulschin on a 26-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead with just around a minute remaining. The Saints would convert their two-point attempt to take a 26-23 lead with just under one minute on the clock.

Kaden Gardner (Spokane, Wash. / R-JR) picked off one final Keely Watson pass to secure the 26-23 win for the Fighting Saints.

The Carroll defense held All-American running back, Rontavious Farmer to just 53 yards rushing on the day, and shut down the Bobcats passing attack as well.

Prka finished 20-29 for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

Chirs Akulschin (Gig Harbor, Wash. / R-SO) finished with nine grabs for 167 yards to lead all players.

The Fighting Saints will shift focus towards a Saturday afternoon contest with Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont. next Saturday.

Visit www.carrollatheltics.com to see a preview of that game, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics