From the Fringe… Now it's Montana State's turn to win on the road

The Montana Grizzlies did their job. Say what you want about winning ugly, but if you don’t believe a win is a win in football, or any sport for that matter, than you’re just letting idiotic bias get in the way of reality.

So I’ll say it again. The Griz did their job. They won their two hardest road games of the season when, in the last two weeks, they beat nationally ranked UC Davis and nationally ranked Idaho on the road.

And no, haters don’t have the right to call either team overrated. You can’t pick them to win on Monday, and then call them overrated on Saturday night. Well, you can, but that really makes you look like you basically have no clue of what you’re talking about.

Anyway, that’s not the point. 

The point is, the Grizzlies absolutely had to beat the Aggies, and really needed to beat Idaho to have any chance of even remotely staying in the Big Sky championship race, let alone, possibly even the playoff hunt. And they did just that. It wasn’t pretty at times but, in keeping pace with arch rival Montana State, the Griz did what they needed to do.

And now, it’s the Bobcats who must win two really daunting road games in order to keep pace, and likely secure a Big Sky title.

Let’s face it, Montana State is by far the best team in the Big Sky, with, or without Tommy Mellott at quarterback. The Big Sky title has been MSU’s to lose all season, and now, two really hard road games are all that really stand in the way of that happening.

It starts with a Saturday night ESPN game at Sacramento State this weekend. The Hornets, the defending Big Sky champs, are now ranked right behind MSU in the FCS Poll, as No. 3, so, Saturday night’s game is one of the biggest showdowns in recent Big Sky history. And honestly, I don’t think it will be close. Not because Sac. State is overrated either, but because MSU is that good.

Now, if MSU does do what I think they’ll do, then it comes down to a trip to the Kibbie Dome to close out October against Idaho. The Vandals are really good, and I’m sorry, folks but they’re not overrated. In fact, the Vandals will be a very tough out for the Bobcats.

However, MSU is just that much better than either Sac. State or Idaho and, while both games could be close, the Cats should return to Bozeman unscathed over the next weeks, and if they do then, thanks to Montana’s two huge road wins, we’re back on track for a possible massive showdown in Missoula next month.

Yes, it’s a long way still to Cat-Griz, but after what the Griz just did the last two weeks, and if the Cats take care of business on the road over the next two, things area really going to get interesting around here.

Editor’s Note: No. 2 MSU travels to No. 3 Sac. State Saturday at 8:30 p.m. The game will be on national TV on ESPN2. The No. 8 Grizzlies have a bye this week.