LA GRANDE, Ore. — For the second straight year, the Montana Western football team emerged as outright Frontier Conference champions.
The No. 4 Bulldogs built a three-score lead over Eastern Oregon in the third quarter and then fended off the Mountaineers late to win 26-19 while seizing consecutive Frontier crowns.
Western concludes the regular season at 9-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play while EOU finished at
The Bulldogs are ensured a first-round bye and will host a second-round game in the upcoming playoffs.
Western built a sizable lead off a first-quarter 19-yard field goal from John Mears, an 11-yard touchdown pass from Braden Swank to Jon Kirkley in the second quarter and a 39-yard scoring pass from Michael Palandri to D'On Williams in the third quarter to go up 19-0.
The Mountaineers then scored on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Quincy Glasper to Jonah Lijewski to trim the deficit to 19-6 before Western responded with a 51-yard score from Palandri to Dylan Shipley to put Western up 26-7 late in the third quarter.
Eastern Oregon than scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to cut Western's lead to 26-19 late in the fourth. The Mountaineers forced Western to punt and marched downfield before the Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs to seal the game.
Western will learn its playoff fate on Sunday during the NAIA Football Selection Show which begins at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.
