MISSOULA, Mont. (Interstat) — In a raucous environment at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, the undefeated Montana Grizzlies weathered a relentless aerial assault from Eastern Washington quarterback Jake Schakel to secure a 29-24 victory on Saturday, preserving their perfect season.

The Grizzlies, now 10-0 and firmly in control of their conference destiny, had to fend off a last-ditch drive by the Eagles in the final minute to escape with the win. Eastern Washington, which fell to 4-6, amassed 451 passing yards from Schakel but could not overcome a slow start and a handful of critical mistakes.

Montana set the tone early, capitalizing on a short field after a 60-yard punt return by Drew Deck. The Grizzlies needed just six plays to find the end zone, with quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat connecting with versatile playmaker Michael Wortham on a 12-yard touchdown pass.

After forcing an Eastern Washington punt, Montana’s offense marched down the field again. This time, Ah Yat found Korbin Hendrix for a 29-yard scoring strike, capping a drive that was keyed by a 37-yard run from Eli Gillman. The Grizzlies led 14-0 before many in the sellout crowd had settled into their seats.

Eastern Washington finally found its footing in the second quarter. Schakel engineered a swift 69-yard drive, finishing it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Kevin Allen III. The Eagles’ defense then forced a Montana punt, and Schakel went back to work. He methodically moved the Eagles 80 yards, with Allen III plunging in from 10 yards out to tie the game at 14-14.

Montana responded immediately. Ah Yat orchestrated a 75-yard touchdown drive, culminating in his own 3-yard scramble into the end zone. The Grizzlies then successfully executed a two-point conversion, with Brooks Davis taking a direct snap into the end zone to give Montana a 22-14 lead.

The Eagles managed a field goal from Soren McKee just before halftime, sending the teams to the locker room with Montana leading 22-17.

The momentum swung decisively back to Montana early in the third quarter. On Eastern Washington’s first offensive play of the half, Schakel’s pass was intercepted by Montana cornerback Kenzel Lawler. Two plays later, Gillman broke free for a 25-yard touchdown run, extending the Grizzlies’ lead to 29-17.

From there, the game became a defensive struggle, with Montana’s unit bending but repeatedly making crucial plays to avoid breaking. Eastern Washington drove deep into Montana territory on its next possession but had to settle for a 24-yard McKee field goal, making it 29-20.

The fourth quarter was a testament to Montana’s defensive resilience. The Eagles drove to the Montana 7-yard line late in the period, but on third down, Schakel’s pass was intercepted by defensive lineman Hayden Schwartz in the end zone, snuffing out Eastern Washington’s best chance to take the lead.

Eastern Washington finally broke through again with just over a minute remaining, as Schakel hit Cole Pruett on an 8-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 29-24. The Eagles recovered the ensuing onside kick, giving Schakel one final chance from his own 46-yard line with 51 seconds left.

Schakel quickly moved the Eagles to the Montana 9-yard line. But with eight seconds on the clock, his final pass attempt into the end zone fell incomplete, sealing the victory for the Grizzlies.

Schakel, the quarterback from Puyallup, Washington, finished with prolific numbers, completing 43 of 63 passes for 451 yards and two touchdowns, but the two interceptions proved costly. His top targets were Miles Williams, who caught 11 passes for 136 yards, and Cole Pruett, who had 10 receptions for 133 yards and a score.

For Montana, Ah Yat was efficient, completing 22 of 30 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns while adding another on the ground. Gillman was the workhorse in the backfield, rushing for 83 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. The Grizzlies’ special teams and defense also made significant contributions, with punter Ty Morrison averaging 41.4 yards on seven punts and the defense coming up with two pivotal takeaways.

The win keeps Montana on track for a high seed in the FCS playoffs, while Eastern Washington’s postseason hopes were effectively ended with the loss. The Grizzlies will look to continue their perfect season next week on the road at Portland State, while the Eagles return home to host Northern Colorado.