BUTTE -- The Montana Tech football team has its first perfect regular season since 1904. 

The No. 4-ranked Orediggers stormed by visiting Valley City State Saturday afternoon, 41-0, to cap an 11-0 regular season (6-0 in the Frontier Conference East Division) and lay claim to the outright Frontier championship. Montana Tech, by way of its East Division title, earned an automatic bid to the NAIA's Football Championship Series; the Orediggers will learn their postseason matchup Sunday evening when the bracket is announced. 

On Saturday, quarterback Jarrett Wilson threw four first-half touchdown passes -- two each to Nick Michelotti and Levi Torgerson -- to help the Orediggers take control early. Tech then added TDs by Christian Vetter and Jaxon Cotton in the second half to put the game away. 

Meanwhile, the defense was dominant. The Orediggers held VCSU (6-4, 3-3 Frontier East) to just 26 yards from scrimmage, including -2 yards on the ground. The Vikings converted just three first downs. 

Montana Tech established its dominance early. After the defense forced a three-and-out on Valley City State's opening possession, the Oredigger offense took over at its own 39-yard line. Wilson quickly hit Torgerson and Derek Pearse for first downs to get into Viking territory, and then the quarterback fired a strike to Torgerson for a 38-yard touchdown to open the scoring. 

The Oredigger defense again forced a quick Viking punt and took advantage of good field position, beginning its next drive at the Tech 40. Wykece Johnson rushed the Diggers across midfield, and Wilson found Michelotti for a pair of 18-yard completions, the second for a TD that put Tech ahead, 14-0. 

After both teams saw drives sputter, Tech took over again just before the quarter break and embarked on a long march downfield. Beginning at their own 20, Wilson engineered a 21-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with a Wilson-to-Michelotti six-yard touchdown. The Orediggers ate up 12:02 of clock on the drive. 

Tech forced another three-and-out to regain possession with 2:11 before halftime, and this time it didn't take the Orediggers long. Wilson's aerial attack featured completions to Dylan Snyder, Michelotti, and Torgerson as the Diggers went 45 yards in 1:40 to score on a Wilson-to-Torgerson 18-yard connection. 

The Orediggers carried a 27-0 lead into halftime. 

Montana Tech marched down the field again to start the third quarter, a 12-play, 76-yard drive that Christian Vetter polished off with a 1-yard TD plunge. That was the only scoring of the third quarter. 

Reserve quarterback Isaiah Claunch presided over the final Oredigger scoring drive of the day in the fourth, using strong runs from Vetter and Ikaika Ho to roll 61 yards in 10 plays. The junior found Jaxon Cotton for a 1-yard touchdown score that brought the tally to 41-0. 

On the defensive side, Anthony Okes led the way for the Orediggers. The sophomore made a team-high four tackles, three of which were sacks. He also earned a quarterback hurry and broke up a pass. Kellan Bellar and Jace Thompson were in on three tackles each. 

With its 11th win, Montana Tech broke the program's record for wins in a season. Tech won 10 games in 2016, 2015, and 1997, all seasons in which the Orediggers also qualified for the NAIA playoffs. 

Saturday was also a record-breaking day for Torgerson, who topped the Orediggers' single-season marks in both receptions and all-purpose yards in the game. His 83 catches bested Dion Williams' 2017 mark of 77, while his 1,888 all-purpose yards surpassed Nolan Saracini's record of 1,823, established in 2015. 

Montana Tech will now turn its attention toward the NAIA Football Championship Series. The Orediggers will learn their path to the national championship Sunday at 5 p.m. when the national office announces the bracket. 

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