Montana dominates North Dakota in Badlands Bowl

MILES CITY — Montana has ruled the annual Knights of Columbus Badlands Bowl against North Dakota of late, having won five of the past six matchups entering this year’s game.

But at no point in the entire series history, which dates back to 1994, has either side dominated the other like the all-stars from Montana did Saturday evening.

Montana jumped out to a 38-0 lead at halftime and continued the pounding during a second half in a 65-0 thrashing of North Dakota that set records for points and margin of victory in the Badlands Bowl.

The Flathead Valley was represented by nine players on the Montana roster, and a pair of those representatives made noticeable contributions in the blowout victory.

Glacier’s Patrick O’Connell recovered an errant lateral early in the second quarter to set up the Montana offense at the North Dakota 37. Shortly thereafter, Bozeman’s Callahan O’Reilly broke free for a 29-yard touchdown run that gave the Treasure State a 21-0 lead.

Taden Gilman, O’Connell’s fellow Glacier star and Montana State commit, intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter, but the offense failed to capitalize.

Montana scored 14 points in the first quarter, 24 in the second and 27 in the third. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, which was played with a running clock following a request from the North Dakota coaching staff, according to the Billings Gazette.

The win gave Montana an 18-6 all-time series lead over North Dakota and an 11-2 record in Badlands Bowl games played in Miles City.

Montana has won the past two games by a combined score of 101-7.

The last all-star game of the summer, the Montana East-West Shrine Game, will be played July 15.

Montana 65, North Dakota 0

North Dakota 0 0 0 0 — 0

Montana 14 24 27 0 — 65

First quarter

MT: Dawson McGlothlin 53 interception return (Keaton Anderson kick) 9:13

MT: Lance McCutcheon 40 pass from Nate Dick (Anderson kick) 1:33

Second quarter

MT: Callahan O’Reilly 29 run (Anderson kick) 12:21

MT: Dick 1 run (Anderson kick) 7:11

MT: Anderson 35 field goal 1:33

MT: McCutcheon 23 pass from O’Reilly (Anderson kick) 0:25

Third quarter

MT: Mitch Roberts 32 pass from Dick (Anderson kick)

MT: Marcus Welnel 62 interception return (kick failed) 9:21

MT: Troy Andersen 2 run (Anderson kick) 3:24

MT: Andersen 43 interception return (Anderson kick) 1:35