MISSOULA — Eli Gillman's incredible record-smashing year continues.
With an 84-yard touchdown run in the third quarter Saturday, Gillman, Montana's relentless running back, broke the Big Sky Conference record for career TDs. It was Gillman's 78th total touchdown — and his fourth of the day — which eclipsed the previous mark of 77 set by Cooper Kupp at Eastern Washington from 2013-16.
The record-breaking play was vintage Gillman. Taking a handoff from QB Keali'i Ah Yat, Gillman moved to his left, spun away from pursuing Portland State defenders, shifted to his right and exploded through a hole to race untouched all the way to the end zone. Gillman crossed the goal line and fell to his knees before being mobbed by his teammates.
The game was stopped to recognize Gillman to the home faithful with coach Bobby Kennedy on the field at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
It was all part of a blowout victory for the No. 12-ranked Grizzlies, who ran past Portland State 57-24. With the win, Montana improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the Big Sky Conference. Portland State, under first-year coach Chris Fisk, slipped to 2-8 and to 2-5 in the league.
Vintage Eli Gillman as he scores his 78th career touchdown to break the all-time @BigSKyFB record: https://t.co/IjSLOkszLR
— Montana Sports (@montanasports) November 7, 2026
An Ah Yat pass on the first play of the game should have been intercepted. It was dropped. And from there it was pretty much all downhill for the Vikings — and opened the door to a blowout.
Two plays after that near-miss, Gillman took a swing pass from Ah Yat and raced 48 yards, which eventually set up an 8-yard touchdown run by backup Hashim Jones to give Montana an early lead.
The Vikings' first drive consumed 85 yards in 9:35 over 20 plays, but they had to settle for a 25-yard field goal from Joshua Hossmann Lees. And that's when Gillman began to truly take over.
He soon broke away for a 45-yard touchdown run — getting a great block from brother Monte Gillman in the process — and the Griz led 15-3 after a successful two-point conversion. Gillman later added a 15-yard touchdown run, taking a direct center snap from shotgun, to give Montana a 22-3 advantage.
Just before halftime, after Portland State found the end zone, Ah Yat connected with Red Lodge product Chase Cook on a short scoring pass, and the Grizzlies went into halftime up 29-10.
Gillman's third touchdown was another big one, a 43-yard burst early in the third quarter, to put Montana ahead 36-10 and essentially put the game out of reach.
EXCEPTIONAL ELI: Gillman finished the game with 196 yards on just eight carries, an average of 24.5 yards per attempt. He now has 5,034 yards, an extension of his career school record. Gillman has now surpassed Yohance Humphery's actual career total of 4,972 yards (the NCAA did not include playoff statistics in a player's total until the 2002 season).
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He now has 68 rushing touchdowns among his 78 total TDs, and extended his career school records for all-purpose yards and total scoring.
Gillman has also now tied the school record for single-season touchdowns with 25, matching Marcus Knight's total from 2019. Additionally, Gillman now has 795 career rushing attempts, which is 11 shy of Lex Hilliard's career school record of 806.
A PAYTON IN HIS FUTURE?: Gillman, the reigning Big Sky offensive MVP, is a bona fide candidate to win the Walter Payton Award as the top offensive player in the FCS. He is in contention to become the first running back to win it since Colgate's Jamaal Branch in 2003. It should also be noted that the last non-quarterback to win the award was Kupp in 2015.
Gillman is also in the running to become just the third player to win both the Payton and the Jerry Rice Award (as the top freshman in the FCS) in a career. Kupp and former North Dakota State QB Trey Lance are the only players to do it so far. Lance is the only player to do it in the same season (2019).
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: It was another banner day for Montana's high-flying offense, but what else is new? Against Portland State, Montana finished with 644 yards of total offense — 363 rushing and 281 passing.
Ah Yat completed 19 of 28 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown without an interception. Brooks Davis caught eight passes on nine targets, finishing with 88 yards.
WIN NO. 250: It was a milestone day in other aspects, too. Not just for Gillman. With the win, UM claimed its 250th victory at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
The Griz are now 250-38 at their home stadium since moving over from the South Campus area at Dornblaser Field in October 1986. That is a winning percentage of .868, and represents one of the best home field advantages in all of college football.
WHAT'S NEXT: Montana, winners of two straight, will now prepare for a prime-time home game next week against Idaho State. The game is scheduled to kick off at 8:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN from Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.
Idaho State, under coach Cody Hawkins, came into its matchup this week at home against Montana State as the No. 22-ranked team in the latest Stats Perform FCS media top 25 poll.