Tigers fall in stunning upset to #21 Montana Tech

Expectations were sky high for Georgetown Football entering Thursday night's opener after reaching the NAIA Semifinals in 2023. The Tigers began a 2024 gauntlet with #21 Montana Tech. Georgetown had its chances in the game, but 4 interceptions, 2 turnovers on downs inside the 2 and a stunning final 2 minutes, gave the Tigers a 29-22 loss in Butte, Montana.

The Tigers looked strong in the early going. After a quick defensive stop, Georgetown went big as Gehrig Slunaker hit a streaking Dillon Warren down the left sideline for a 67-yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. Montana Tech responded by turning to its workhorse running back, Landers Smith. He led the Diggers on a 15-play, 85-yard drive capped by Smith's 2-yard TD run to tie the game with just under 5 minutes left in the 1st. Smith carried the ball 9 times for 44 yards on the drive.

Georgetown's response carried into the 2nd quarter with a mix of the ground and aerial attacks. Jahmir Ackerson broke free up the middle for a 15-yard run to give Georgetown a 1st-and-goal from the Tech 2. After 3 runs that went nowhere, Georgetown elected to be aggressive and go for it on 4th down, but Gehrig Slunaker was flushed out of the pocket and a throw to the end zone was knocked away. The defense then rose up. John Carter Myers knocked the ball away from Landers Smith at the Tech 26 and fell on the ball to get it right back to the offense. On the 4th play of the drive, Ackerson took the ball 11 yards to the Tech 5. On 3rd and goal, Gehrig Slunaker took the ball forward but was stopped just outside the end zone. The Tigers again wanted the touchdown. Slunaker called his own number, but the Montana Tech line held its ground again to deny the Tigers any points and keep the game tied at 7 with just under 5 minutes to go in the 1st half. The defense forced a punt, but on Georgetown's 1st play from its own 41, Gehrig Slunaker was picked off on the right side to give Tech the ball right back. The Tigers' D stood tall again. With the ball at the 25, Tech QB Blake Thelen found WR Dylan Snyder over the middle inside the 15. Snyder was grabbed by Chad Holleran, who punched the ball out and sent it through the end zone for a touchback and the ball over to Georgetown.

The Tiger momentum was shortlived as on the 2nd play of the ensuing drive, Slunaker overshot his intended target and was picked off for the 2nd time by Jadyn Downs. Downs took the ball 37 yards for a pick-6 and a 14-7 Tech lead with 1:40 to go. The Tigers got to the Tech 39 but no further and the clock expired with GC down 7.

Georgetown started the 3rd with the ball and got near midfield before Jadyn Downs picked off Slunaker for the 3rd time in the game. Tech took over at the Georgetown 46 and proceeded on a 10-play drive capped off by a 1-yard TD plunge from Landers Smith. With 4:36 to go in the 3rd, Georgetown found itself in real trouble, down 21-7. The veteran-laden offense knew it needed to respond and it did. On a 3rd-&-7, Slunaker broke free from a sack attempt and scrambled for 19 yards to the Tech 38. The Tigers went quick to the line, and Slunaker lofted a long ball down the right sideline, where Matt Miller came up with a spectacular leaping catch at the 1. 2 plays later, Slunaker was able to get in via the sneak and Georgetown was right back in the game with just over 2 minutes left in the 3rd.

Montana Tech's next drive carried over to the 4th quarter, but Georgetown got the ball back. After 3 Darius Neal runs for 24 yards, Georgetown got aggressive and went for another long ball. Slunaker looked again for Dillon Warren down the left side, but the Diggers were ready for it as the pass was intercepted for the 4th time.

The teams traded punts with Montana Tech getting the ball back with 6:34 to go and aspirations of running the clock out. The drive was a heavy dose of Landers Smith, who finished the night with 201 yards and 2 TDs on 34 carries. Smith carried the ball 6 straight times for 58 yards and moving the ball to the Georgetown 9. He got the ball again but a stunning turn happened. Smith bounced out to the right with designs on the end zone, but Justin Richardson came down from his corner spot to strip the ball loose. Richardson picked up the ball on the 3 and sprinted 97 yards the other way for a shocking touchdown with 1:42 to go. Head Coach Chris Oliver then decided overtime was not an option and sent the offense out for a 2-point try. Dillon Warren took a sweep right side with the option to pass but had enough speed to cross the goal line. Georgetown had a stunning 22-21 lead in front of a stunned house.

All the Tigers needed was 1 more stop and the game was over. On a 2nd down from the Tech 39, Blake Thelen looked over the middle for a pass. The ball was batted in the air right back to Thelen, who was then hit hard by Brycen Huddleston. Just before 3rd down, a video review of the play was triggered. Huddleston was flagged for a controversial targeting penalty, which put the ball at the 50 with 26 seconds to go. On 2nd down, Thelen found Kyle Torgerson for 19 yards to the Georgetown 31. The pair nearly hooked up on the next play at the GC 14, but John Carter Myers punched the ball away from Torgerson as he was going to ground to force the incompletion. The Tigers caught a break, but the heart break came 2 plays later. Thelen broke away from pressure inside and found Wyatt Alexander in the back of the end zone for a leaping 31-yard touchdown. The 2-point try was good to give Montana Tech a shocking 29-22 lead with 12 seconds left. Georgetown's last hope was not to be and after all the twists and turns, the Tigers suffered a stunning defeat.

Gehrig Slunaker finished a tough night going 10-21 for 158 yards with 2 TD (1 rush) and 4 interceptions. Darius Neal found the ground tough to navigate as he finished with just 87 yards on 20 carries. Brycen Huddleston led the defense with 14 tackles. Chad Holleran tallied 11 with a forced fumble. Justin Richardson had 9 tackles and the 97-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

The Tigers will now take 9 days to regroup and prepare for a road trip to Pikeville on Saturday, September 7th. Kickoff is slated for 3:30pm.