BOZEMAN — Montana State will face UT Martin in the second round of the FCS playoffs next week after the Skyhawks beat New Hampshire 41-10 in a first-round game Saturday.
The game will kick off at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Bobcat Stadium. Montana State (12-0) is the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. It will be a rematch of a 2021 second-round playoff matchup the Bobcats won 26-7 on their way to the FCS title game that season.
Quarterback Kinkead Dent threw for 246 yards and rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown as UT Martin knocked off 16th-seed New Hampshire in Durham, N.H.
The game was tied 7-7 after the first quarter, but UT Martin reeled off 20 consecutive points in the second quarter to take a three-possession lead into halftime. Touchdown runs by Dent and Patrick Smith and two field goals by Jaren Van Winkle put the Skyhawks ahead 27-7.
As a team, UT Martin rushed for 236 yards and five touchdowns. Smith had 71 yards on 15 carries while Glover Cook added 56 yards on 12 attempts.
The Skyhawks (9-4) compete in the Big South-OVC Football Association, and have won four consecutive conference titles. They earned an at-large berth to the postseason, their third FCS playoff appearance and their first since 2021.
