Tip o' the cap to the Griz football team

[TomCat88]

The Griz played with a lot of heart on Saturday, same as the regular season Cat-Griz game. The first game they proved they were a lot better than I thought they would be this season. I thought MSU would win the first game by a couple TDs and be in full control all game. I expected MSU to win the second game, but I thought UM would hang in there like the first game.

UM made a good comeback in the first game to get ahead 21-17 and a great comeback to get ahead 23-20 after trailing 20-3 in the second game. Both of those stretches were impressive and some of the best offensive football MSU has seen all year. UM became the FCS only team to score 20 unanswered points on MSU this season and was one of only three FCS teams (Poly and SFA) to score TDs on consecutive drives on MSU. That's saying something about their offense.

This last game reminded me a lot of the 2010 NDSU game where MSU took a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter, then allowed 28 unanswered in the fourth and lost 42-17. Neither game was anything like the final score indicated. Both good games that got out of hand down the stretch.

I started a thread about how MSU was in a league with NDSU and SDSU after the SDSU game this season. I still feel those are the three best teams in the FCS based on the recent past. MSU has played in 5 of the last 6 semifinals and 3 of the last 5 finals. SDSU and NDSU both missed the semis this year for the first time since 2020 for NDSU and 2019(?) for SDSU. So, 4 of 5 semis and 3 of 5 title games for NDSU, and 5 of 6 semis and 3 of 6 title games for SDSU. The Cats, obviously, haven't won a title in that stretch while, SDSU and NDSU each have two.

UM is on the cusp of joining that if they can continue to get to the semis (two semis and one final in the last three seasons) and an occasional final in the next 2-3 years. I'm not sure if the portal system that Hauck and Co. is going to continue to work or how they plan to attack this going forward. It was impressive this year, but they'll have to do it a couple more times to convince me that it's a solid routine.

[thefrank1]

Any time you have to work as hard as you did to find the slimmest of support for your position, you should have it peer reviewed before publishing. Your post is not worth a response.

[allcat]

Any time you have to work as hard as you did to find the slimmest of support for your position, you should have it peer reviewed before publishing. Your post is not worth a response.

You need to take off the blue and gold glasses, Hauck is a good coach, lousy human being. He always has good special teams and usually a very good defense. That being said, I would rather have Vigen by quite a margin.

[wbtfg]

I thought they tried really hard. Bless their hearts.

[thefrank1]

Any time you have to work as hard as you did to find the slimmest of support for your position, you should have it peer reviewed before publishing. Your post is not worth a response.

You need to take off the blue and gold glasses, Hauck is a good coach, lousy human being. He always has good special teams and usually a very good defense. That being said, I would rather have Vigen by quite a margin.

You may want to check your filter. My post was directed to Tom, not the opposing team.

[allcat]

Any time you have to work as hard as you did to find the slimmest of support for your position, you should have it peer reviewed before publishing. Your post is not worth a response.

You need to take off the blue and gold glasses, Hauck is a good coach, lousy human being. He always has good special teams and usually a very good defense. That being said, I would rather have Vigen by quite a margin.

You may want to check your filter. My post was directed to Tom, not the opposing team.

Maybe, but I thought it was a good post and we'll written. Tom does wear his journalist hat sometimes and his Cat hat others.

[PapaG]

Tom has professional reasons for this post. I have no such reasons.

Too bad the Bobcats didn’t beat them 110-0, and their players’ reactions to Taco being on the ground is as classless as it gets, and is a direct reflection on the program that Bobby runs.

I’m sure they are already on the phones trying to poach a roster of other Big Sky team’s stars for next year, too.

[liqud360]

My Uncle played for the Griz on the line back in 53,54, and 55. He had praise for me when I went to MSU camp and was proud of me for graduating from MSU. He was friends with Cliff Hysell, who would also tease me at times about Uncle's choice of school. I guess where I am going with this is that my Uncle would give me the beans at Thanksgiving, but it was never nasty, mean, just out of pity. Ha ha ha. Nahhh, I guess it was just a different time, no one got too worked up, just some good ol ribbing at times. Miss that man.

[allcat]

My Uncle played for the Griz on the line back in 53,54, and 55. He had praise for me when I went to MSU camp and was proud of me for graduating from MSU. He was friends with Cliff Hysell, who would also tease me at times about Uncle's choice of school. I guess where I am going with this is that my Uncle would give me the beans at Thanksgiving, but it was never nasty, mean, just out of pity. Ha ha ha. Nahhh, I guess it was just a different time, no one got too worked up, just some good ol ribbing at times. Miss that man.

I have quite a few gris friends and some family. To us it's all good natured. Personally I always have 2 favorite teams. The Cats and whoever plays the gris.

[Long Time Cat]

I ran into two griz fans at Target today. I of course was wearing my Bobcat sweatshirt. They were both very nice and seemed to sincerely hope the Cats would win the natty. Both were UM grads and Montana natives who, like me, live in Idaho now. The rivalry does become a little less intense when you live out of state but I could still never want the griz to win! Or even give them the Tip o' the cap!

[4KornerKat]

Didn't Idaho state score their two touchdowns in consecutive drives?

[GoldstoneCat]

I thought all year they were average. I think now they're better than that. Third best by seed and that's probably accurate. But there's a substantial gap between us and them. We are stronger, just as fast and athletic, and significantly deeper than them. We are better coached. And we're going to dunk a natty on their head.

[coloradocat]

Any time you have to work as hard as you did to find the slimmest of support for your position, you should have it peer reviewed before publishing. Your post is not worth a response.

He's been angling hard for an end of year bonus for the past week or so.

[kwcat]

The Griz played with a lot of heart on Saturday, same as the regular season Cat-Griz game. The first game they proved they were a lot better than I thought they would be this season. I thought MSU would win the first game by a couple TDs and be in full control all game. I expected MSU to win the second game, but I thought UM would hang in there like the first game.

UM made a good comeback in the first game to get ahead 21-17 and a great comeback to get ahead 23-20 after trailing 20-3 in the second game. Both of those stretches were impressive and some of the best offensive football MSU has seen all year. UM became the FCS only team to score 20 unanswered points on MSU this season and was one of only three FCS teams (Poly and SFA) to score TDs on consecutive drives on MSU. That's saying something about their offense.

This last game reminded me a lot of the 2010 NDSU game where MSU took a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter, then allowed 28 unanswered in the fourth and lost 42-17. Neither game was anything like the final score indicated. Both good games that got out of hand down the stretch.

I started a thread about how MSU was in a league with NDSU and SDSU after the SDSU game this season. I still feel those are the three best teams in the FCS based on the recent past. MSU has played in 5 of the last 6 semifinals and 3 of the last 5 finals. SDSU and NDSU both missed the semis this year for the first time since 2020 for NDSU and 2019(?) for SDSU. So, 4 of 5 semis and 3 of 5 title games for NDSU, and 5 of 6 semis and 3 of 6 title games for SDSU. The Cats, obviously, haven't won a title in that stretch while, SDSU and NDSU each have two.

UM is on the cusp of joining that if they can continue to get to the semis (two semis and one final in the last three seasons) and an occasional final in the next 2-3 years. I'm not sure if the portal system that Hauck and Co. is going to continue to work or how they plan to attack this going forward. It was impressive this year, but they'll have to do it a couple more times to convince me that it's a solid routine.

It was not as close as the score but closer than I thought

[luckyirishguy25]

My 8 year old niece thought it was brave of some griz fans wearing their gear after that butt-kicking. We walked passed some gris fans at a microbrewery and that was her unsolicited opinion.

[catatac]

My 8 year old niece thought it was brave of some griz fans wearing their gear after that butt-kicking. We walked passed some gris fans at a microbrewery and that was her unsolicited opinion.

We interacted with a few of them at the tailgates after the game that were good about taking their medicine and just hanging out drinking beer and talking football.

[Clinton T]

This self-serving thread serves no purpose to Cat fans. Sounds like an OpEd in the Missoulian. Not sure why it isn't on the College Athletics board.

[iaafan]

What’s the issue here?

I’m amazed that um was as good as they were this year vs us. I didn’t think they would be 11-1. I was expecting 9-3 8-4.

I thought we’d beat them by a 42-21 score in Missoula.

I agree that us, ndsu and sdsu are the three best teams in the fcs. Agreed with that after Gold Rush. And that if um can continue to get to the semis and finals then next three years they belong in the conversation.

I thought um was gonna fold down 17-7, 31-21 and 20-3 but they kept playing their way back into each game.

I agree that the super brawl was a lot like the 2010 game vs ndsu.

[AFCAT]

Yes, I will give the gris a tip of my FTG cap anytime.

[TomCat88]

What’s the issue here?

I’m amazed that um was as good as they were this year vs us. I didn’t think they would be 11-1. I was expecting 9-3 8-4.

I thought we’d beat them by a 42-21 score in Missoula.

I agree that us, ndsu and sdsu are the three best teams in the fcs. Agreed with that after Gold Rush. And that if um can continue to get to the semis and finals then next three years they belong in the conversation.

I thought um was gonna fold down 17-7, 31-21 and 20-3 but they kept playing their way back into each game.

I agree that the super brawl was a lot like the 2010 game vs ndsu.

The Griz main issue is in the trenches. That was immediately apparent in both games against MSU. MSU is also a better blocking and tackling team.

ISU also scored on consecutive drives vs MSU and the Bobcats responded by shutting them out the rest of the way. I also need to credit MSU’s offense after those lapses.

The drive after falling behind was one of the best of the season and has been overlooked. MSU converted on three fourth downs and ate up about 7 minutes on 14 plays. Lamson to Dowler was the play of the game but that drive was huge and really displayed what MSU is all about.