SACRAMENTO, Calif. — From the get-go, the war of words and verbal back and forth came out swinging as Montana and Sacramento State get set to line up Friday night in front of a national audience.
It all started Saturday at halftime of Sac State's game against Northern Colorado when university president Dr. Luke Wood set the stage for the week.
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"That's going to be great. I mean, we're looking forward to playing the Montana Pandas. I'm sorry. Montana Grizzlies. I think that's their name, right?" Wood said to play-by-play broadcaster Jason Ross on ESPN+. "So, you know, they're certainly a great team, but they haven't played nobody this season. I mean, let's just be real."
"You like to stir it up, don't you?" Ross responded.
"I like to stir it up, but I mean, in all fairness, we all appreciate Sacred Heart, but that was their last game, and they didn't do very good against them," Wood added. "So how are they going to come here into our territory onto Hornet turf and play us on a night that we're going to have some of our biggest turnout ever? You know, I'm looking forward to that game. I feel bad for their fans, you know, that have to experience a loss like that on the road, but you know, we'll see."
The Grizzlies (7-0, 3-0 Big Sky)defeated FCS independent Sacred Heart 43-21 last week.
Then on Monday, Montana head coach Bobby Hauck didn't mince words.
"Yeah, we saw it," Hauck said. "The guy's kind of a clown, right? Whatever."
Hauck then said he wanted the players to block it all out as they prepare.
"As outside noise, you know, that's how we approach it," Hauck said. "You know, if I was the president down there, I'd be more worried about the riot that happened in their stadium after the game than taunting Montana," he added in reference to a fight caught on camera during a post-game concert after the Hornets beat Northern Colorado.
Hauck was seemingly referencing the reports of chaos at Hornet Stadium last week during a Lil Yachty concert that was held after the football team's 40-35 victory over Northern Colorado.
It's the latest in what has been a whirlwind stretch run for Sac State (4-3, 2-1) and its president.
The Hornets are leaving the Big Sky Conference after this season in all sports, and in football have been vocal over a desired but as-of-now failed bid to move up to the FBS level among other claims around the athletic department regarding NIL, a new football stadium and more.
Over the summer, Wood called the FCS a "JV" league, something Hauck also addressed Monday.
"We're aware their president called us the JV, so we're aware," Hauck said. "We'll deal with that as need be on Friday night. So we will be ready to go. I think our guys will be excited to get back into conference play, and we'll see how it goes."
Under first-year coach Brennan Marion, the Hornets are 4-3 and 2-1 in Big Sky play with a high-powered offense and an under-the-radar defense leading the way as the program has found its footing after a rocky start to the season.
Sac State has won four of its past five games, its only loss in that stretch a 32-24 defeat to Cal Poly. The Mustangs are the lone common opponent between the two, and Montana beat Cal Poly 28-9 two weeks ago. The Hornets have won three of the past four meetings with the Griz. However, Montana won the most recent contest back in 2023.
It's a short week with plenty of eyes expected to be on the game, so the stage is set with plenty of drama leading into Friday Night Lights between the two programs where, regardless of the outcome, a statement will be made from both sides.
"Every game is important, but especially conference games, because it's one of our goals that we work on," UM linebacker Elijawah Tolbert said. "We just fully prepare. I don't treat really any game different. Every game is important to me."
