BILLINGS, Mont.- The Battlin' Bears Football team will travel to Dickinson, North Dakota, to begin their season against the No. 15-ranked Blue Hawks on Thursday evening. 

Game Notes

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Starting Strong
The Battlin' Bears will kick off their 2024 campaign against the No. 15 ranked and 2023 NAIA Playoff Qualifier, Dickinson State, on the road. Rocky won an exciting matchup with the Blue Hawks at home to start 2023, stopping a last-second two-point conversion to squeeze out a 20-19 home win. 

Returning Starters
Rocky returns eight starters on the offensive side, eight on the defensive side, and two specialists. 

Last Time in Dickinson
The 2024 squad will look to replicate the success of Rocky's last trip to Dickinson, where the Battlin' Bears upset a No. 9 ranked DSU group 23-21 in Coach Stutzriem's first game as head coach, thanks to a game-winning field goal by then-freshman Wyatt Brusven. 

QB 1
After earning his first start of the season on October 14th of last season, senior Graedyn Buell flourished in the final four games of the season, helping Rocky go 3-1 over that stretch and earning NAIA National Player of the Week honors in an upset win over #16 ranked Montana Tech. He will begin the 2024 season as Rocky's starting quarterback. 

Defense Wins Championships
Rocky's defense was the best in the Frontier Conference in 2023, holding opponents to 18.3 points per game and less than 200 passing yards per game. Led by 2023 NAIA All-American Kaysan Barnett, the Battlin' Bears hope to replicate their defensive dominance to lead the group in 2024. 

Challenging Path Ahead
As is the case with every year in the Frontier Conference, Rocky Football's schedule is loaded with top NAIA opponents. Thursday's matchup with Dickinson State is the first of four teams that start the season inside of the NAIA Top 25, with two more teams that received votes also on the schedule for the season.