BUTTE -- The Montana Tech football team's dream season ended in the NAIA Football Championship Series quarterfinals Saturday with a 41-26 loss to College of Idaho. 

The third-seeded Orediggers received the opening kickoff and completed passes on their first two plays from scrimmage, but a fumble gave College of Idaho the ball at Tech's own 45-yard line. The Yotes drove the distance in eight plays for the early lead on a Rylie Byington touchdown. 

Montana Tech (12-1) moved the ball well again on its second possession until the turnover bug bit again. CI's Mason Priddy picked off a pass in the red zone to stop the Tech drive, and the Yotes (11-1) again drove down the field for a Byington touchdown that made it 14-0 in the first. 

Tech broke through on its third possession, pushing 67 yards over 11 plays to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Jarrett Wilson capped the drive with a 1-yard plunge. 

After the Oredigger defense earned a three-and-out, Tech was on the march again. This time it took the home team only four plays to reach pay dirt, thanks to a pair of huge completions from Wilson to Levi Torgerson and a Wilson to Nick Michelotti strike for 30 yards that put the Diggers in the end zone. CI, the No. 8 seed, blocked the extra point to hang onto a 14-13 lead with 6:02 remaining in the first half. 

The Yotes threatened again, moving into Tech territory before Tyler Kovick's tackle stopped CI a yard short of the line to gain on fourth-and-11. The visitors held the 14-13 lead at the half. 

College of Idaho took the momentum back in the second half, scoring on all three third-quarter possessions. The Yotes led 34-13 as the game headed to the fourth. 

But Wilson and the Oredigger offense responded to open the final stanza, driving 68 yards over 12 plays to add to their tally. Wilson accounted for 28 of those yards on the ground and finding Torgerson for 25 more through the air. Nate Milanowski polished off the drive with a 3-yard run, and Casey Kautzman's PAT cut the score to 34-20. 

CI quickly responded, though, with a long touchdown run to reopen the margin. Tech added a late TD on a Wilson-to-Derek Pearse connection, but the Orediggers could not climb closer. 

Wilson completed 25 of 39 passes for a career-high 367 yards and the two touchdowns, and the QB was also Montana Tech's leading rusher with 62 yards on 15 carries. Torgerson caught 14 passes for 202 yards, breaking Lorenzo Snyder's single-season receiving yardage record from 1997 in the process. Torgerson wrapped up the year with 1,370 yards on 103 catches, also an Oredigger record. 

Tel Arthur led the Tech defense with 14 tackles, while Anthony Okes added nine, including one for a loss. 

For College of Idaho, Byington finished with 145 rushing yards on 25 carries. He found the end zone four times. 

The Orediggers finished the 2025 season with a program-record 12 victories and the team's first conference championship since 2016. 

Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X and Instagram at @DiggerAthletics.