As the snow finally begins to settle on the slopes of Mount Sentinel, Missoula is anything but winding down with the weather…for the first time in over a decade, the University of Montana Grizzlies are headed to the FCS national championship! Picture this: the semifinals game unfolded beneath an inversion enveloping the Washington Grizzly Stadium. During regulation play and the first overtime, Griz and North Dakota State Bison are on par with one another, each point is met with another from the opposition. We make it into a second OT - with the Griz bringing home the W! The rest of the team and Griz Nation flooded onto the Washington Grizzly field to celebrate a victory we’ve been chasing for the last 14 years. Excited yet?
The impressive victory landed the Griz a trip to the championships and are set to compete against the defending champions South Dakota State in Frisco, Texas on January 7th. Locals, alumni, the student body - just about anyone with ties to the Griz – rallied to support the team on their bid to take home the national title. Missoulians lined the streets Wednesday for a proper “We Believe” sendoff for the team’s trek down south – the Grizzlies were met with an enthusiastic maroon-clad crowd, flags, posters, and stuffed bears raised in support.
While the NCAA takes care of 145 individuals with the UM convoy – that didn’t quite cover the entirety of our marching band (impressive, we know). The University of Montana and the generosity of over 1,100 donors helped cover the cost to send the student musicians on the trip to Frisco! In the spirit of sportsmanship, Montana State University donated to the cause – “Our marching bands work tirelessly to cheer on our teams and fill our fans with spirit! We stand together as one Montana community.” Say it with us - up with Montana!
Whether you are wearing your maroon and silver here at home or making your way south to support the Griz – celebrate accordingly! Check out “Road to Frisco” for all happenings - both down in Texas and here on the home turf. Join the watch parties across the nation and join us in celebrating this historic season for the University of Montana football program – and as always – Go Griz!
