MISSOULA, MONT. – North Dakota State won't be playing for a 10th FCS national championship this season.
Junior Bergen returned a fourth-quarter punt for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass in the first overtime and threw for a two-point conversion on a trick play in the second overtime to put Montana in the FCS championship game with a wild 31-29 semifinal victory over the Bison on Saturday.
Bergen's toss to Keelan White on an end-around right was duplicated by the Bison after their score, but Corbin Walker intercepted RaJa Nelson, sending the Grizzlies to the final game for the first time since 2009.
Second-seeded Montana (13-1) will face top-seeded and defending champion South Dakota State (14-0), owner of a 28-game winning streak, in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 7.
"I'll have to get him rushing the passer next time," Montana coach Bobby Hauck joked about Bergan, who had kickoff- and punt-return touchdowns a week earlier in a 35-28 overtime victory over Furman. "He's a special kid."
Montana used three carries by Eli Gillman, the last covering 12 yards, before Bergen's conversion pass that came after he pulled out of a potential tackle as his facemask was grabbed.
Cole Payton ran for 12 yards before TK Marshall ran for 15 and then a 2-yard score for the Bison, but their trick play failed to end the game.
Payton went 25 yards untouched on the first snap of overtime and Bergen turned a short pass from Clifton McDowell into a 22-yard touchdown on the third snap to force a second OT.
It was the final game at North Dakota State (11-4) for coach Matt Entz, who is leaving to coach linebackers and be an assistant defensive coach at Southern California. Entz went 60-11 in five seasons in Fargo, with two national championships.
