The third-ranked Montana Grizzlies downed fifth-ranked Appalachian State 24-17 an an FCS semifinal playoff game on Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

The Griz (14-0) will face Villanova in Friday's FCS championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. The game will be televised by ESPN2 at 6 p.m. It will be Montana's sixth trip to the title game. The Griz came home with the national championship in 1995 and 2001.

The Griz struck first on a 39-yard TD burst by Chase Reynolds. After stopping the Mountaineers on fourth-and-5, the Griz drove 63 yards in seven plays to take the lead with 7:50 to play in the opening quarter.

Appalachian State, which finished its season at 11-3, tied the game at 7-7 by putting together an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive early in the second quarter. Under heavy pressure, App State quarterback Armanti Edwards got the ball to Brian Quick for a 34-yard gain to the UM 3-yard line. Devon Moore got the final 3 yards for the score.

Appalachian State took a 10-7 lead on a 46-yard field goal by Jason Vitaris with 5:16 to play before intermission. The field goal capped a 10-play, penalty-plagued drive.

Montana's first drive of the second half was all Reynolds. The Drummond product caught a swing pass for 24 yards and rushed for 24 more, getting the final 7 yards for the TD to put Montana ahead 14-10 with 13:22 to play in the third quarter.

The Mountaineers went back ahead following an interception by Jacque Roman, who returned the ball to the 50-yard line. Appalachian used nine plays to move 50 yards, capped by 1-yard run by Moore to put the Mountaineers on top 17-14 with 3:52 to play in the third quarter.

The Griz came right back to tie the game at 17-17 on a 32-yard field goal by Brody McKnight. Behind the hard running of Reynolds, the Griz drove the ball 61 yards before stalling on the App State 15-yard line.

After holding App State to a failed field goal attempt, the Griz drove 73 yards, capped by a 25-yard scoring pass from Selle to Jabin Sambrano to take a 24-17 lead with 1:30 to play. Sambrano made a spectacular grab along the sideline in the end zone.

App State's final drive ended on the UM 4-yard line. With one second left, Edwards threw to Quick, but the pass was broken up in the end zone by Trumaine Johnson.