George Ferguson Column: A visit to Huskerville opens my eyes wide

I’ve been a fan of the University of Montana football program for as long as I can remember. I’ve covered UM and Montana State football for more than a decade now. And for us, here in Montana, those two programs are big time.

But, every once in a while, when I get a chance to get out of Montana, and that doesn’t happen too often, I’m reminded of just how different college football is on our great state, and that things are a lot, lot bigger in lands that seem far, far away.

Now, I don’t necessarily need that reminder, as I watch big time college football every Saturday in the fall, and clearly I know the differences between the Big Sky Conference and say the SEC or Big 10.

But, when I see it up close and personal, it’s like a kick in the head.

I saw some of those differences up close and personal when I visited Lincoln, Nebraska, last week. And while the Nebraska Cornhuskers didn’t play last weekend, I was fortunate enough to see some of things that make them one of the most revered and historic programs in all of college football.

I visited Memorial Stadium. And while I’ve seen it hundreds of times on TV, it is mind-blowing just how huge it is. It holds over 90,000 fans, but the seating isn’t what really gets you. It’s the views of the stadium from outside, as it towers over the rest of campus and of downtown Lincoln. The stadium, where many of the greats of college football have played, and some of the greatest teams ever were born, is more like a cathedral than a football stadium, and it wasn’t just obvious to me.

The main reason I was in Lincoln was to see Pearl Jam, the greatest band in the world, and the football stadium even caught the attention of PJ front man Eddie Vedder. Now, Eddie has been all over the world, more times than he can probably count. He’s played Wembley Stadium in London and Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, and he’s seen about every famous sporting venue all around the world. Yet, he still commented to the crowd last Thursday night, calling Nebraska’s stadium “A castle” and saying “the mere sight of it made him wish he could play football.”

Now that’s bigtime.

But it wasn’t just the stadium itself that had me thinking. It was the weight room and training center, to which partial access is granted to fans and tourists. I don’t know, but I’m guessing those two sections of Memorial Stadium were worth at least $20 million, if not more. It was incredible to see the facilities that a team like Nebraska has at its disposal. The weight room alone was bigger than MSU-Northern’s Armory Gymnasium. Then there was the practice facility. Nebraska has an indoor practice facility which rivals any single sports arena in the entire state of Montana, in size and expense. Outside, there is one full length practice field with the exact artificial surface that is inside Memorial Stadium, and next to it, a full length grass practice field. And the entire outdoor complex is lighted.

And that’s only the parts of Nebraska’s facilities that fans, or in my case, a curious tourist, are allowed access to. I’m sure the splendor or the locker rooms, coach's offices and other parts of the football program were just as spectacular.

Now again, I already knew all of that was out there. And I already knew that Nebraska is just one of many big FBS schools who spend money like that on their football programs. But it sure did get me thinking, and in a way I’ve never thought before.

I thought, as I saw all of this football splendor, what if Montana only had one major college football program? What if the state only had the U of M or MSU? What if we didn’t have two? Where would that school fit in in the world of college football?

And while I’ll never know the answer to that question, and I’m sure many of you are thinking it’s a crazy thought because some of you hate the Griz and some of you hate the Bobcats. But honestly, I know this, if there was but one major football program in the state, there would be no sharing of state funds. Private donors and booster money would flow into one program and one alone. The entire state would be united behind one team, one program, on athletic department, and while I don’t know where that program would be in relation to the major powers of college football, I know that program wouldn’t be playing in the FCS today. That program would certainly be somewhere in the FBS, perhaps the Mountain West Conference, or maybe even the Pac 12. Who knows

Now, I know to some, that thought might be blasphemy. After all, we have one of the most revered and special college football rivalries in the country, at any level. And I wouldn’t trade the Grizzlies, or the Cat-Griz rivalry for anything in the world.

I’m just saying, what Nebraska has going on, where it is the only NCAA Division I football program in the state, where the Cornhuskers are an absolute way of life, where Saturdays are reserved for Husker football and nothing else matters, it’s pretty impressive. It’s impressive to see, and when you’re in Lincoln, even when it’s a bye week, you see it everywhere and at every turn.

Yes, we have that in Montana too, though on a much smaller scale. And yes, I do love it. But it’s sure interesting to get out and really see what college football is like away from Montana. It’s certainly interesting and impressive, and it was worth the 2,400-mile round trip to see it.

Well, that and Pearl Jam, of course.