HELENA — Welcome to the first Saturday of college football’s return to the Treasure State.

Fans received a hearty appetizer Thursday with a top-15-ranked Frontier Conference matchup in Butte , where East Division favorite and No. 11 Montana Tech toppled presumed West Division champion and No. 5 Montana Western 38-27.

Saturday, however begins the full course that extends into mid-November, and for NAIA Football Championship Series hopefuls, closer to December.

The Frontier is 14 teams deep this season, split into a pair of seven-team divisions. Champions of each earn automatic playoff berths. Division contests begin Oct. 4, but playoff resumes begin being built the final days of August.

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