FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 10, 2026) – Ty Pennington accounted for six touchdowns and No. 13/14 Northern Arizona dispatched No. 2/3 Montana, 49-44, on Saturday at Findlay Toyota Field at the Walkup Skydome.
 
The Lumberjacks (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky) notched their first win over a top five opponent since 2015, and their first over a top two opponent since 2014. Knocking Montana (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky) from the unbeaten ranks in conference play, NAU moved into a tie for first place in the Big Sky standings with the victory, while defeating Montana in the Skydome for the fourth time in the teams' last five meetings.
 
"What a day in NAU Football history," said head coach Brian Wright. "The resiliency of the players, coaches, administrators, everyone that touches the lives of our players played a role today. I'm proud of our organization and the growth that we've made. I watched our guys prepare to win all week and that is a testament to the character of our program."
 
The 49 points scored by NAU was the program's all-time in a single game versus Montana.
 
Pennington showed why he is the only FCS quarterback on the Panini Senior Bowl Top 300 list with his performance against the Grizzlies. Pennington threw for 322 yards and a touchdown, ran for 52 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, and caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Joey Stout. He is the first Lumberjack with four rushing touchdowns in a game since 2021.
 
"Ty is not only the toughest player in America, he is the best player in America," Wright said. "What that guy did today was amazing. That guy put us on our shoulders like I've never seen a football player do. He threw touchdowns, he ran for touchdowns, he caught a touchdown. I would hope after today, he gets the recognition he deserves around the country."
 
Pennington's star may have shined the brightest, but he was far from the only standout in NAU's biggest win in over a decade. Lindsey Graves returned his second kickoff for a touchdown this season early in the fourth quarter after Montana cut NAU's deficit to 35-32. Jon Wilson ran for 41 yards on five carries in his first significant action of his career. Deuce Zimmerman recorded a career-high seven receptions.
 
Jahaad Fort set a career-high with 11 tackles, while also playing a significant role in shutting down Montana's Brooks Davis – the FCS leader in receiving yards coming into the night – to only three receptions for 38 yards. Shahid Wilson picked up his first career interception as the list goes on and on.
 
"All the work we put in the spring, the summer, the winter, we trusted the process," Wilson said. "At the end of the day, this is a stepping stone. We have bigger goals to reach and bigger things we want to do." 
 
While the Lumberjacks amassed 418 yards of total offense, a number that would have been higher if NAU had not intentionally worked its way backwards in an effort to milk the game's final minute before a safety, their defense limited the explosive plays by the Grizzlies offense. In particular, NAU kept Eli Gillman in check as the FCS' third-leading rusher finished with 94 yards on the ground, nearly 40 yards below his season average.
 
Gillman scored the game's first touchdown, cashing in a Montana defensive fourth down stop on NAU's opening drive, but the Lumberjacks answered on their next drive, evening up the score at 7-7 with a 28-yard scoring strike from Pennington to Jeter Purdy.
 
After a Montana field goal to start the second quarter, NAU raced down the field behind long pass gains to Myseth Currie, Purdy and Stout. Pennington capped the drive with his first of four touchdown runs, giving NAU a 14-10 lead at the 12:45 mark of the quarter.
 
The Grizzlies needed just two plays to retake the lead as Keali'i Ah Yat hit Landon Ransom-Goelz for a 70-yard touchdown catch-and-run, but the pendulum swung back in the Lumberjacks' favor on the ensuing drive. Facing a fourth-and-inches at the Montana 11-yard line, Pennington gained six yards on a quarterback keeper. Pennington followed with three consecutive rushes inside the 5-yard line and finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown put NAU back in front, 21-17.
 
Montana eventually went into the half with a 24-21 lead following a 12-play, 75-yard drive with Gillman leaping over the line for his second 1-yard touchdown run, but NAU seized control in the third quarter.
 
NAU forced a Montana punt on the first drive of the second half and immediately went down the field for the go-ahead touchdown. After completing five passes on the drive, Pennington was the recipient of a toss from Stout from seven yards out to give NAU a 28-24 lead it would not relinquish with 6:49 left in the quarter.
 
Wilson gave the 'Jacks a short field with an interception on the ensuing drive, which set up a Pennington 1-yard touchdown to make it 14 unanswered points.
 
Montana went into the fourth quarter trailing 35-24, but scored less than two minutes in and converted a 2-point conversion to slice NAU's lead to 35-32. Sensing a slight shift in momentum, NAU stole it right back as Graves fielded a knuckler on the kickoff in the end zone, and broke through the coverage down the Montana sideline for a 100-yard return that pushed NAU's lead back out to 10 points.
 
"(Lindsey) is a special type of player," Pennington said. "He's got special speed. When the ball is in his hands, he's going to do something good with it. I love the energy he brings every day and I can't say enough good things about him."
 
The teams traded touchdowns on their next drives putting the score at 49-39 with three minutes remaining after Pennington's final touchdown rush of the night. Down two scores, Montana kicked a field goal with 1:34 remaining to make it a 49-42 game.
 
The 'Jacks were unable to run the clock all the way down as Pennington took a safety with six seconds left, but the Grizzlies' last ditch lateral on the kickoff resulted in a fumble as time expired.
 
"At halftime, we really collected ourselves," Pennington said. "We got away from our standard and had to remind ourselves what we're here to do and the kind of team we are. That allowed us to feed off each other's energy – offense, defense, special teams. We had each other's backs and we know what we're capable of."
 
NAU is back in the Walkup Skydome next Saturday for its Homecoming game against Portland State at 4 p.m. MST. Tickets can be purchased at this link.
 
Stay up to date with Northern Arizona football by following the Lumberjacks on X and Instagram.