Big brawl, again

On paper, it's not quite the showdown it was 365 days ago in Missoula. But what's on paper has never mattered much in the nail meeting between the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats.

So, it doesn't matter that the No. 2 Cats (11-0) are 16.5 point faviorites, or that somehow, the No. 9 Grizzlies (8-3) could still end up with a top eight seed in the FCS playoffs with a win over their hated rival. Stats don't matter, weather doesn't matter. Nothing really does.

All that matters is, the Bobcats and Grizzlies are meeting Saturday at high Noon inside Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, and for a state completely divided, that's all that really matters.

What has mattered in recent years is, the home team has won, and won a lot. The Grizzlies dominated the Cats last year in Bozeman in what was the Big Sky championship game. A visitor hasn't won in the series since 2019. However, none of that matters to Griz head coach Bobby Hauck, either.

"The home team has dominated this series recently," Hauck said at Monday's press conference in Missoula. "We're the road team this week, and they're rolling. They've had a great season. So I don't know if anybody gives us much of a chance to win this game. But we''re excited for the game and we're going down there and try our best to get our 75th win in this series."

The Griz have the lead in the all-time lead in the series, but Hauck said it best,. The Bobcats are rolling. They have already clinched the Big Sky championship and are playing for a potential No. 1 seed in the FCS playoffs.

Led by senior quarterback Tommy Mellott, a fierce running game and a massive offensive line, the Bobcats 42 points per game, while their defense, paced by ends Brody Grebe and Kenneth Eiden, are allowing just 17 points per game, both of which are tops in the Big Sky and Top 10 in the nation. The Bobcats run the ball for over 300 yards per outing and allow just 113 yards on the ground.

So, needless to say, MSU is having a season for the ages. And yet, MSU head coach Brent Vigen is making sure his team stays grounded and embraces the process that has gotten the Bobcats to their first 11-0 record ever.

"We don't have to change the script," Vigen said at Monday's press conference. "We get the opportunity to prepare the same way we have every week, the way it's gotten us to this point.

"We're not running away from the fact that this means more to those guys in that room, it means more to our fans. It's the game that's gonna get talked about way beyond this week. That's all great, but we have to do what we have to do to play good enough to win on Saturday."

The Ciats will play well. No one, including then No. 4 UC Davis last Saturday night in California has slowed them down just yet. Led by quarterback Logan Fife, running backs Eli Gilman and Nick Ostmo, star Junior Bergen and a bevy of wide recievers, Montana will challenge the MSU defense as the Griz are second in the Big Sky in scoring offense. But will an up and down Griz' defense led by players like linebacker Riley Wilson and Montana-born safety Ryder Meyer, be able to slow down one of the best offenses in the country?

That's a big question for Saturday, because of Montana can't slow down Mellott and that vaunted MSU rushing attack, it's going to be a long day for the Grizzlies.

Still, emotion will come into play this Saturday. It always does. Because like Vigen said, it just means so much to so many.

"I always tuned in to this game growing up," Montana senior Trevin Gradney, a Billings native said. "But ti's allot more fun playing in it then it is watching it, and I'm excited to go down there and try to get my third win inn the rivalry."

"It's my favorite week of the year," Missoula native Rylan Ortt, a Bobcat senior safety said. "Everyone looks forward to it. Its a big week, a big game, and I'm excited to be a part of it."

It is a huge game. For the third year in a row, both teams are ranked inside the Top 10. There's major playoff implications, and more. And yet, it's more than all that. It's about the state of Montana. It's about every fan, every player, every coach, past present and future. In the Treasure State, it's more than just a football game. It's everything.

"You can't make the Super Bowl every single year," former Grizzly Brock Coyle, who grew up in Bozeman said about the rivalry. "but that's really what makes this special is it's always a Super Bowl, a big-time game that you want to win. It's one of the best rivalries in sports."

And it will be again when No. 9 Montana visits No. 2 Montana State in the 123rd Brawl of the Wild. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. and will be broadcast on MTN affiliates statewide as well as ESPN+.