From The Fringe....Griz, Cats in line for a very special month

The dust has settled on what was an epic buildup to the 2023 Brawl of the Wild. But, for the time, possibly ever, the buildup for another Cat-Griz game in the same calendar year is starting.

And make no mistake, a rematch in Missoula is highly possible.

If that happens, all that will be at stake is oh, just a trip to the FCS national championship game. Really, can you imagine a Cat-Griz game bigger than that?

To get there though, the No. 2 Griz and No. 6 Bobcats, both fresh off first-round byes in the FCS playoffs, must win twice, and that will be non easy feat for either.

Montana, which has reeled off seven straight wins, and a Big Sky championship after their historic win over MSU two weeks ago, is the No. 2 overall seed in the FCS, something that hasn't happened in more than a decade. That means, Griz, win in you get to stay home for the entire month.

First up for this Griz is Delaware. There was a time in 1-AA and FCS football that, the Blue Hens were one of the toughest programs in this level of college football. But, like many programs, things change, and Delaware has gone through some time times in recent years. Still, their first trip to Washington-Grizzly Stadium since their incredible upset of the Grizzlies in the 1993 playoffs, a wild, high-scoring game that featured a young Dave Dickenson, won't be an easy one for Montana. The Blue Hens will be a tough out no doubt, and to be honnest, no matter well the Griz have played the last two months, they're always a little vulnerable. It just feels that way with that team.

A win this Saturday night in Missoula however, would get the Griz into the FCS quarterfinals for just the third time in the last eight seasons. But unlike their last two trips to the quarters, the Griz would be at home for that game, where they would get either Furman, who was ranked No. 2 for much of the season, or a Chattanooga team enjoying great success recently. Neither team has ever come to Missoula, so the Griz would be favored against either, but again, it's the playoffs, and anything can happen.

That though, is the path for the Grizzlies to reach their first FCS semifinal since 2011.

MSU's path to join them there, is much tougher.

The Cats have been ranked as high as No. 2 this season, and their three losses are to three of the top four seeds in the playoffs, which is why, despite the loss to the Griz, the Cats full deserved a Top 8 seed in these playoffs.

MSU has also been a playoff juggernaut of late, and is looking to reach at least the semis for the fourth straight season.

To do it however, the Cats must do something they haven't done before, and that's beat North Dakota State. And while the Bison also have three losses and are unseeded for the first time in 11 years, they're still the Bison, and they're still really good. Yet, MSU is excited to get them back in Bobcat Stadium, and they want to a atone for a heartbreaking playoff loss to NDSU in 2010. Since then, the Cats have lost to the Bison in 2018l, 2019 and in the 2022 national championship game.

Now though, is the Cats' best chance to put all that losing to the Bison behind them in what is one of the biggest playoff games to hit Bozeman in a long time.

Should the Cats prevail Saturday afternoon, they'll face either third-seeded South Dakota, enojoing its best season in school history, or Big Sky rival Sacramneto State in the quarters. If MSU wins it will be rooting hard tor the Hornets because a Sac. State win would get the Cats the quarterfinals at home, and that, just like for the Grfz, would be huge in setting up another Cat-Griz game, something that has never happened since both teams starting competing in Division I football.

And that's probably what the fans would want the most. A rematch, probably at night, int he FCS semifinals on ESPN or ESPN2. That would be bigger than any Brawl we've ever seen, and, honestly, we just saw the biggest Brawl ever two weeks ago.

Yes, the Cats and Griz really could be on a semifinal collision course. It's been possible before, but this is the first time it's ever really felt like it almost should happen. With all due respect to those other teams, I just think both Montana teams this year are so good, and so dangerous, and, it just almost feels like fate to get a playoff Cat-Griz game.

Now, I know I literally could have just jinxed it all by writing that. But, nnah, cause I don't believe in that stuff, and never will. You win some, you lose some. I have been coaching and covering sports way too long to blame losing on mysterious jinxes, but the fact as, as likely as all this might be, and as exciting as it is to dream about, both teams could end up losing before it ever happens.

That's the beauty of football and it's the beauty of the playoffs.

But, the chances of a Cat-Griz rematch are indeed real and the road to that rematch starts on Saturday. And it's going to be a hell of a lot of fun to see how it all unfolds.

Note: Montana State hosts NDSU Saturday at 1 p.m. in Bozeman. The Grizzlies host Delaware Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Missoula. Both games can only be viewed via streaming on ESPN+.