| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MONT | 18 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 27 |
| WIU | 14 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
McGuire with 3 TDs leads W. Illinois past Montana 31-27
MACOMB, Ill. -- Sean McGuire threw for three touchdowns and Eric Carrera's late interception preserved the lead as Western Illinois edged Montana 31-27 on Saturday.
The Leathernecks (1-2) were trailing 27-17 late in the fourth quarter when Steve McShane took a punt return 58 yards for a score, cutting it to 27-24. Zach Muniz recovered a Montana fumble on the next exchange, setting up an 11-yard scoring pass from McGuire to McShane six plays later, giving Western Illinois a 31-27 lead with 2:39 to play. Carrera's interception of Dalton Sneed ended Montana's final drive.
McGuire threw a 71-yard touchdown to John Brunner on the game's second play and then, following a fumble recovery by Quentin Moon, a 37-yard strike again to Brunner to make it 14-0 with 12:47 left in the first quarter.
McGuire finished with 360 yards. Brunner had 180 yards receiving.
Sneed threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns for the Grizzles (2-1).
Game Information
2024 Big Sky Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Montana State | 8-0 | 12-0 |
| UC Davis | 7-1 | 10-2 |
| Idaho | 6-2 | 9-3 |
| Northern Arizona | 6-2 | 8-4 |
| Montana | 5-3 | 8-4 |
| Idaho State | 3-5 | 5-7 |
| Eastern Washington | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Weber State | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Portland State | 3-5 | 3-8 |
| Cal Poly | 2-6 | 3-8 |
| Sacramento State | 1-7 | 3-9 |
| Northern Colorado | 1-7 | 1-11 |
2024 Big South-OVC Association Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Missouri State | 6-2 | 9-3 |
| Tennessee Tech | 6-2 | 7-5 |
| UT Martin | 6-2 | 8-4 |
| Tennessee State | 6-2 | 9-3 |
| Lindenwood | 4-4 | 5-7 |
| Western Illinois | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Gardner-Webb | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Eastern Illinois | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| Charleston Southern | 0-8 | 1-11 |
NCAAF News