I figured that the running backs with the carbon-copy stats would have the biggest impact on Saturday’s FCS playoff game between the Montana Grizzlies and South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Well, SDSU’s Kyle Minett had the better stats – 35 carries, 131 yards, two TDs – but UM’s Chase Reynolds (14 carries, 35 yards, 3 TDs) wound up with the wild win, by a 61-48 score.

Your eyes can deceive you when there are 109 points scored in one football game. Minett had 10 carries for 23 yards after halftime, which takes some luster off his afternoon. The Jacks averaged just 2.6 yards a carry; they had 17 carries for 21 yards in a second half that quickly, incredibly got away from them.

That’s what you might have overlooked. Here’s what I missed: Severin Campbell’s interception return to cap the scoring was made possible by safety Shann Schillinger, who blitzed and batted the Thomas O’Brien pass, and not Alex Shaw. Marc Mariani’s 98-yard kickoff return was keyed by a block from Jabin Sambrano, not Campbell.

I always get around to reviewing each game on my DVR, but today it seemed imperative. I mean, I saw the highlights on ESPN last night – how cool was that – and so I had every reason to believe what I’d seen and later written: That the Griz had scored 40 straight points to erase a 48-21 deficit.

But I thought I’d better make sure. So I got up, went to the “man cave” and fired up the DVR. Andrew Selle really did complete 21 of his final 29 passes for 241 yards and two TD passes to Marc Mariani (QB efficiency rating: 265.9).

SDSU coach John Stiegelmeier really did kick it to Mariani. Campbell really did pick off two passes. Schillinger and fellow safety Erik Stoll really were everywhere.

It really happened.

-Fritz Neighbor