MISSOULA — Never before has the loser of the Brawl of the Wild been offered an opportunity to get right and exact revenge in the playoffs.
But that scenario is exactly what the Montana Grizzlies have as they look to avenge November's loss to Montana State at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, this time over in Bozeman. Kickoff is Saturday at 2 p.m.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
And their stage? The biggest sporting event in the history of the state of Montana.
"I don't think that's ever happened," UM safety Tanner Huff said. "So to get to play them again, it'll be very special and playing them home this year and then having a shot at them again in the playoffs at their place. So It'll be very fun."
UM head coach Bobby Hauck said this rematch could happen before the first meeting.
"Didn't matter really who won that game, we'd probably be two and three in the seeding," Hauck recalled. "I made an assumption they were going to put North Dakota State first. I didn't think they should. I thought they should put one of us, whoever won our game, but that wasn't what they were going to do. And so it was logical we'd be playing."
So with just two games and not even a month in between the last time these rivals lined up, it's a rare situation as far as preparation against a familiar opponent.
Hauck also likened it to the NFL model where teams play opponents more than once every season.
"We weren't able to beat them three weeks ago," Hauck said. "And when you look at that as a head coach, you worry about the matchups. Is it a bad matchup for us? Is it a bad matchup schematically? Is it a bad matchup personnel-wise? It's unique to actually have the head-to-head competition."
It was a couple of swing plays that proved to be the difference in a classic when these two met in November.
Now, the gloves are off and everything is on the line as the Treasure State and the pride from every corner in Montana takes center stage once again, and Nashville awaits the winner.
"You grew up watching this game and it means a lot to a lot of people here," UM center Dillon Botner said. "It's our Super Bowl. So being able to, you know, play in that twice and have the opportunity to go play in it for your senior year, it's pretty special."
