Bulldogs land first round bye in NAIA postseason

HELENA, Mont. – The NAIA announced on Sunday that Montana Western, College of Idaho, and Montana Tech have each been selected for the 2023 NAIA Football Championship Series. It's the first time in conference history that three schools from the Frontier Conference have qualified for the tournament in the same season.

This year is the first time the field features 20 teams with 12 receiving a first round bye, the remaining eight teams will open the FCS on Saturday, November 18th at four campus sites across the country.

Frontier champion Montana Western received a bye into the second round and were guaranteed a home game on November 25 in Dillon. This is the fifth postseason bid in the Bulldogs history and they will play their first home game since 1994.

College of Idaho received an at-large berth into the field and a bye into the second round. They will play a road game and will learn their opponent and destination when the NAIA announces the second round matchups following the conclusion of all first round games. The Yotes will be making their second appearance in the FCS and first since 2019.

Montana Tech also received an at-large bid and will be one of four teams to host a first-round matchup on Saturday. The Orediggers drew North Star champion Dickinson State in the opener that will kickoff at 1 p.m. at Alumni Coliseum. Tech will be making its 10th appearance in the FCS and first since 2016.

The Frontier and the Great Plains Athletic Conference are the only conferences that had three teams make the field this season. This is the 12th time the Frontier has received multiple bids, but the first since 2016.

The 68th Annual NAIA Football National Championship will culminate on December 18th at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, N.C.