After completing an 11-0 regular season with a 33-19 beating of Montana State Saturday, the Montana Grizzlies officially became the team to beat in Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

On Sunday, the FCS playoff committee awarded the Griz the No. 1 seed into the 16-team tournament, which begins this week. Montana will face No. 11 South Dakota Saturday, most likely at 12:05 p.m. Mountain time in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

“It’s nice to be seeded No. 1,” said Montana coach Bobby Hauck, whose Griz are ranked first in the FCS Coaches’ Poll, but were still No. 3 in The Sports Network rankings released Sunday. “Number 1 in the national rankings shows we’re getting some respect from around the country, and it’s a privilege to be there.

“With that being said, you kind of have a target on your back. Numerous times in the last few years the No. 1 team’s been knocked out in the first round. We’d obviously like to try to avoid that.”

South Dakota State beat Western Illinois 27-7 Saturday to improve to 8-3. The Jackrabbits finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference to No. 1 Southern Illinois, which is the tournament’s third seed. The Salukis handed the Jacks their lone league loss by a 34-15 score.

South Dakota State is coming to Missoula for the third time in five years. Montana edged SDSU 7-0 in a 2005 non-league battle and beat the Jackrabbits 36-7 the next season.

The Griz are 6-0 against SDSU overall, including the 1993 classic: Dave Dickenson led the Griz back from a 38-7 third-quarter deficit to a 52-48 win.

The Jackrabbits were Division II then; they moved up to the FCS in 2004. This is their first postseason berth at this level and just their second overall. They made the D-II playoffs in 1979.

Montana is gunning for a third national title, having won it all in 1995 and 2001. This is their record 17th straight FCS postseason appearance and 20th overall – another record. The Griz were runners-up in 1996, 2000, ’04 and last season.

In all those years except 2008, they had three home playoff games. As long as they keep winning, they won’t have to leave Missoula to make this year’s championship, Dec. 18 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Tickets go on sale Monday, with season-ticket holders having until 6 p.m. Tuesday to purchase their seats. Those seats not purchased by then will be released for sale to the general public Wednesday morning. Prices are $29 for the general public, $5 for UM students and $10 for a university student guest.

Other tickets can be purchased beginning at 7 a.m. Monday at The Source in the University Center – the only place university students can buy their $5 tickets — and 8:30 a.m. at the Adams Center Box office. The ticket office will be closed Thursday; The Source will be closed Thursday-Saturday.

Tickets may also be purchased on-line at Griztix.com, by fax (406-243-2514) or by phone (406-243-4051 and 888-666-8262), though callers can expect long waits. Tickets purchased on-line by 6 p.m. will be available for pick up the next business day.

Reporter Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 523-5247 or at fneighbor@missoulian.com.