Bergen comes up big as Montana beats North Dakota State 31-29 in 2 OTs to make FCS Championship game.

— Junior Bergen returned a fourth-quarter punt for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass in the first overtime and threw for a 2-point conversion on a trick play in the second overtime to put Montana in the FCS Championship game with a wild 31-29 semifinal win over North Dakota State 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.

Montana (13-1), the second seed with 10 straight wins, 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 win against Furman. “He's a special kid. Obviously his teammates work awfully hard for him.”

The game drew a Montana playoff record crowd of 26,544. The last time NDSU played in Missoula it was the nationally televised kickoff classic in 2015 and the Griz beat Carson Wentz and the Bison 38-35. NDSU won the rematch in the playoffs 37-6.

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.

Miller, who led the FCS with a 75% completion rate, was 9 of 22 for 157 yards. The Bison finished with 345 total yards. A team that had converted better than 50% of its third downs was 3 of 13.

McDowell was 16-of-30 passing for 160 yards and the Grizzlies had 284 total yards.

Montana won national titles in 1995 and 2001. The Bison reached the title game 10 of the previous 12 seasons, winning nine before losing 45-21 to South Dakota State last year.