Carroll Wins First Playoff Game Since 2014, Beats St. Thomas

Carroll College secured a hard fought 42 to 35 victory over No. 17 St. Thomas Florida at Nelson Stadium on November 22, marking the program's first NAIA Football Championship Series playoff win since 2014. The Fighting Saints built an early advantage and withstood a late comeback by the visitors to preserve the margin and advance in the postseason.

Quarterback Kaden Huot was central to the win, connecting on multiple scoring passes and recording his 30th touchdown pass of the season. The game featured momentum swings that shaped the outcome. An early interception by Carroll led directly to points that helped the Saints open a lead. Before halftime a 65 yard kickoff return flipped momentum back to Carroll and energized the home crowd heading into the break.

St. Thomas mounted a comeback in the second half and pushed the contest to the final minutes. Carroll maintained composure, and after a frantic closing sequence the Fighting Saints recovered an onside kick in the closing seconds to secure the victory. The combination of timely defense, special teams impact, and Huot's passing production proved decisive in a high scoring contest that showcased both teams' offensive strengths.

The win delivers important context for Carroll's season and the local community. For players and alumni the victory breaks an 11 year playoff win drought and keeps the Saints competitive on the national stage. For Lewis and Clark County the game underscored Nelson Stadium's role as a regional host for postseason football and provided a rallying moment for local fans and businesses that support Carroll athletics.

Carroll now travels to face Frontier Conference rival and No. 3 Montana Tech in the NAIA second round. The matchup brings a conference rivalry into the national bracket and will test Carroll against one of the tournament's highest ranked teams. The outcome will determine whether the Saints can sustain their postseason run and deliver further wins that deepen engagement across the Helena community.