Missouri State football scared FCS No. 3 Montana in opener but couldn't pull off upset

Missouri State football threatened to beat FCS No. 3 Montana throughout its season opener but made too many self-inflicted mistakes and was too banged up to hang on.

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

A win over the subdivision's No. 3 team would have tied the highest-ranked victory in the program's history. It wasn't meant to be.

More: Grading Missouri State football after almost shocking FCS No. 3 Montana in 2024 opener

Missouri State football had a chance but ...

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, putting the Grizzlies up by five with 1:38 remaining.

On the Bears' final drive, starting quarterback Jacob Clark took three sacks, including on fourth-and-15, giving Montana the ball back before kneeling out the clock.

More: Can Missouri State AD Patrick Ransdell get Mizzou to Springfield? What he said about scheduling.

Missouri State football offensive line injuries catch up with it late

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

Down two early in the fourth quarter, Missouri State drove to Montana's 42 but faced fourth-and-7. Head coach Ryan Beard elected to go for it which turned into an incompletion and the Grizzlies in good field position.

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

Injuries to starters Erick Cade , Cristian Loaiza and Hutson Lillibridge will be under a microscope for the weeks ahead.

More: New Missouri State AD Patrick Ransdell celebrated at introduction. 'This is a new day'

Missouri State football mistakes need to be cleaned up

Beard has talked at length this offseason about his team's improved maturity. It's going to be difficult for him to keep preaching that unless the Bears cut out some of their self-inflicted mistakes.

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

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

Added on to that, Clark cost the Bears points late in the first half when he could have easily run for a first down on third and instead elected to push the ball down the field. It fell incomplete, giving Montana the ball back. The Griz drove down the field and took a two-point halftime lead because of what was at least a six-point swing.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State football scared FCS No. 3 Montana in opener but couldn't pull off upset