MISSOULA — It was heartbreak at home for the No. 2 Montana Grizzlies as they dropped a thriller to No. 3 Montana State on Saturday.
But for Montana (11-1, 7-1 Big Sky), it's the lone loss of the regular season. And as the Grizzlies charge forward, there are still playoffs to look ahead to and an almost guaranteed top-four seed, which could potentially mean two home playoff games.
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In a game that had punch, counterpunch unlike most Brawls of late, the Griz had their moments, but a few swings proved to be the difference between a win and a loss.
"It's kind of funny how football goes," UM coach Bobby Hauck said. "We knock the ball out (of Julius Davis' hands) and there's nobody there to get on it, or the ball tips up in the air, we can't get to it. We tip the ball up in the air and there's a guy standing right where the ball happens to fly (on Caden Dowler's pick-6). So it's the way it goes in football.
"I thought both teams fought it out. Got some coaching buddies that have coached all over the place and they were impressed with the intensity of the rivalry."
The game's overall competitiveness was the story throughout as the 124th Brawl of the Wild was finally not determined by a blowout, but by two of the top teams in the FCS going blow for blow.
At times the Griz were in control, but in a competitive rivalry game, just a few more plays were needed to finish the job, and ultimately UM fell short.
"I thought we played well in all three phases," Hauck said. "It's two and three in the country, right? The defense gave up 24 points. Special teams were quite effective. And then offensively, we moved the ball well and scored 28. So, probably should have been enough, but it wasn't."
"We knew we were in for a game for 60 minutes straight," UM running back Eli Gillman said. "We prepared for it. We expected it."
It's a loss that stings for the Griz as the Bobcats paraded the Great Divide Trophy around Washington-Grizzly Stadium at its conclusion, but the season is far from over, as Montana will get a bye next week and then march on in the playoffs with eyes on now making a run to Nashville, Tenn., for the FCS championship game.
"It was a great football game. We need to focus in on what happened to Ohio State last year where they lost to Michigan, their rivalry game, and then they went and won, I think, four straight and won it all, certainly," Hauck said. "So that's what we're going to focus in on. And, hopefully we'll get the opportunity to play again. As I mentioned on Monday, I think there's a likelihood of that."
