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    • Missouri State football loses to Montana in week 1
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    Missouri State football loses to Montana in week 1

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    Missouri State football threatened to defeat FCS No. 3 Montana in the season opener, but made too many self-inflicted mistakes and was too battered to hold on.

    The Bears (0-1) lost 29-24 to Montana (1-0) on Saturday night at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana.

    A win over the No. 3 team in the subdivision would tie the highest-scoring win in program history. It was not to be.

    More: Missouri State Football Rating After Nearly Shocking FCS No. 3 Montana In 2024 Season Opener

    Missouri State football had a chance but got nowhere in its attempt to win the game

    Jmariyae Robinson scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 4:43 left in the game, bringing the Bears within two and needing a defensive stop. The Bears held Montana to a field goal, giving the Grizzlies a five-point lead with 1:38 left.

    On the Bears’ final drive, starting quarterback Jacob Clark collected three sacks, including on fourth-and-15, when he gave Montana the ball back before running out the clock.

    More: Can Missouri State AD Patrick Ransdell Get Mizzou to Springfield? What He Said About Scheduling.

    Injuries to the Missouri State football team’s offensive line are catching up late

    The Bears entered Saturday night without a starting offensive tackle and left the game without two more starters up front. While the line held up for most of the night, the group struggled late in the night and the Bears became desperate.

    Trailing by two points early in the fourth quarter, Missouri State drove to Montana’s 42 but faced fourth-and-7. Head coach Ryan Beard decided to go for it, resulting in an incomplete goal and the Grizzlies in good field position.

    Montana immediately struck with a 33-yard pass to the MSU 25. Four plays later, Eli Gillman drove in a two-yard touchdown, giving Montana a two-score lead.

    Injuries to regulars Erick Cade, Cristian Loaiza and Hutson Lillibridge will be closely monitored in the coming weeks.

    More: New Missouri State AD Patrick Ransdell celebrated orientation. ‘This is a new day’

    Missouri State football mistakes must be cleaned up

    Beard has spoken extensively this offseason about his team’s increased maturity, and it will be difficult for him to continue preaching that unless the Bears fix some of their own self-inflicted mistakes.

    After ranking near the bottom of the Missouri Valley Football Conference a year ago with 57 yards in penalties per game, the Bears finished the first half with 60 against them. Two were personal fouls and another wiped out a 57-yard touchdown run.

    Missouri State finished the game with 13 penalties for 112 yards.

    Additionally, Clark cost the Bears points late in the first half when he could have easily gotten a first down on third down but instead decided to push the ball downfield. The ball fell incomplete, giving Montana the ball back. The Griz raced downfield and took a two-point lead at halftime thanks to what was at least a six-point swing.

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