HELENA, Mont. - There have been 134 Football games played between Carroll College and Montana Tech, yet for just third time, the pair will meet in postseason play with a spot in the NAIA Football Championship Quarterfinals up for grabs on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Coliseum in Butte.

In their first season split by the new Frontier Conference divisional format, the Fighting Saints (9-2) and Orediggers (11-0) found a way to wind up at the same spot they have for the better part of the last two decades - playing each other twice, this time with the season on the line.

Both sides enter Saturday's colossal clash in Butte with one postseason win over the other in their respective histories. Montana Tech won the first postseason game between the schools in 1996, a 49-28 win that sent them to the NAIA Championship game against Southwestern Oklahoma. Carroll won the last meeting in postseason play, a 24-0 drubbing of the Diggers at Nelson Stadium in the quarterfinal of their 2005 national championship run in which they captured their fourth-straight NAIA title.

While the Saints own a commanding lead in the all-time series between the two rivals (88-44-2), which dates back to 1920, it's Tech who has had an advantage in recent history. The Orediggers have won six of the last ten meetings, and are winners of four-straight in the series going back to 2023, including a 30-19 win in Helena on September 6. While the University of Montana and Montana have the longest in-state rivalry in terms of years played, it's Carroll and Tech who have the most games played in Montana.

History is just that, however - history. 

Carroll comes into the second round off the heels of a 42-35 win over St. Thomas last weekend in Helena - their first postseason victory, to the day, in 11 years. It was a true team effort, as Kaden Huot (Helena, Mont. / JR) accounted for 206 total yards and four passing TD's, Peter Minnaert (Boise, Idaho / SO) rushed for a career-high 115 yards, Connor Sullivan (Kalispell, Mont. / R-JR) set up a score with his 65-yard kick return, and the Carroll defense came away with four turnovers - including interceptions from Caden Hansen (Dillon, Mont. / R-SO), Eli Aby (Laurel, Mont. / R-SR), and Braeden Orlandi (Valley Springs, Calif. / R-SO).

The nation's No. 10 and 11 ranked defenses in terms of yards allowed will square off this afternoon, as Carroll comes into the week allowing just 280.1 ypg, and Tech right behind them at 285.3.

QB Kaden Huot needs just 319 yards to become the second player in Carroll history to throw for 3,000 or more yards in a season (Tyler Emmert - 3317, '05 | 3002, '04). His four TD performance last week made him the second Carroll QB to throw 30 or more TD passes in a season (Emmert), and he enters the week at No. 6 in the NAIA for season touchdown passes (32).

Carson Ochoa (Yorba Linda, Calif. / R-SR) is simply put - having one of the most prolific seasons by a Carroll tight end in program history. He leads the team with 59 receptions, and trails Chris Akulschin (Gig Harbor, Wash. / R-SR) for the team-lead in yards by just 10 (736). His eight TD receptions match the recorded best of any Carroll tight end, an 8 TD year by Casey Fitzsimmons in 2001. Looking around the country, Ochoa leads all tight ends in every receiving category - receptions, yards, and touchdowns.

Today's Second Round game will be broadcast locally on SWX throughout Montana, and nationally on the Urban Edge Network free of charge HERE.

Catch Voice of the Saints, Stewart Davis, and Carroll Hall of Famer, Gary Turcott, call the action live on Rewind 94.9 FM in Helena, or online HERE.

Live stats for the game can be followed HERE.

Be sure to 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.
FOLLOW THE FIGHTING SAINTS
Facebook: @carrollcollegeathletics
Instagram: @cc_saints
X: @CCsaints
#MarchOn
++