No. 13 Northern Arizona Upsets No. 2 Montana in High-Scoring Football Clash

Billings, MT, October 10, 2026 — In a significant upset within the Big Sky Conference, the No. 13 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks defeated the No. 2 Montana Grizzlies in a thrilling, high-scoring football game. The matchup took place in Flagstaff, Arizona. The final score saw Northern Arizona emerge victorious with 49 points to Montana’s 44.

The performance of Northern Arizona quarterback Ty Pennington was central to the Lumberjacks’ success. Pennington was credited with accounting for a total of six touchdowns throughout the contest, a performance that proved decisive in securing the upset win over the highly ranked Grizzlies.

Details regarding the specific duration of each quarter, penalties, turnovers, or individual statistics beyond Pennington’s touchdown count were not provided in the summary. The specific date of the game was also not stated. The competitive nature of the game was highlighted by the combined point total of 93.

This victory marks a notable achievement for Northern Arizona against a top-tier opponent in the conference standings. The No. 2 ranking of Montana indicates a strong season prior to this conference game. The outcome will likely have implications for the Big Sky Conference standings.

Further details on the game’s progression, key plays, or other standout performers for either team were not available in the provided summary. The exact impact of this result on future rankings or playoff implications remains to be seen.

Information regarding the contractor, permit status, inspection outcomes, code violations, fine amounts, or any subsequent actions was not included in the summary.

The game was a conference football contest within the Big Sky Conference, a league known for its competitive collegiate athletics. The location of Flagstaff, Arizona, served as the backdrop for this notable upset. The point differential of five points underscores the close nature of the contest despite the final score.

The role of Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona’s quarterback, cannot be overstated given his direct contribution to six of the team’s scoring drives. This level of offensive production from a single player is often a determining factor in collegiate football outcomes, especially in games with high offensive totals.

No additional information was provided regarding the teams’ season records leading into this game, or their schedules following this matchup. The summary focuses solely on the result and the standout performance from Northern Arizona’s quarterback.

The final score of 49-44 indicates a game where both offenses were highly effective, and defensive stops may have been scarce. Such offensive shootouts can often be decided by critical plays or the sustained performance of key players like Pennington.

Montana, ranked No. 2 nationally, would have been expected to contend strongly, making this loss a significant event for their program. Northern Arizona, ranked No. 13, demonstrated their capability to compete with and defeat top-ranked teams.

No further context or background information regarding the teams’ historical performance against each other or their current season trajectories was present in the summary. The reporting is confined to the immediate outcome of this specific game.

Story summarized from the original created by Montana Sports on www.ktvq.com, see more information here.