The Retort

The Sports Corner: The Brawl of the Wild

November 18th, 2011 by Cory Lovec Of The Retort Staff

November 19, 2011 marks the 111th meeting between the Montana State University Bobcats and the University of Montana Grizzlies. Simply called “The Brawl of the Wild,” the annual Cat/Griz (or Griz/Cat, if you prefer) game is one of the most-anticipated Montana sporting events each year, with the winner taking the crown as the “best” football team in Montana and earning bragging rights until the next season. Plus, if we’re lucky, the game means more than just any other game - many times it has significant Big Sky and FCS playoff implications as well. Here are some stats from the Cat/Griz all-time series (and some other random facts as well):

• The “Brawl of the Wild” is the 4th oldest active rivalry in the FCS (and the oldest west of the Mississippi river)
• The rivalry started in 1897, with the Grizzlies winning the first three match-ups
• The winner of the annual match-up receives “The Great Divide Trophy”
• The Grizzlies lead the all-time Cat/Griz series 69-36-5. The scoring for the series is Grizzlies: 2094 (19.1 points per game), Bobcats: 1422 (12.9 points per game)
• The longest winning streak for the Bobcats in the Cat/Griz series was six straight (1963-1968 and 1972-1977).
• The Grizzlies have made the National Title Game seven times (‘95, ‘96, ‘00, ‘01, ‘04, ‘08, and ‘09), winning it all in 1995 and 2001
• The most-lopsided game in the all-time series was in 1904, where the Grizzlies “skinned” the Cats 79-0
• The Grizzlies were actually known as the “Bears” until 1923
• The Bobcats have won the National Championship (or at least a share of it) three times (’56, ’76, and ’84)
• During an eight-year stretch of the series (1933-1940), the Grizzlies shut out the Cats - winning all eight games for a combined score of 148-0.
• Over the last 25 years, the Bobcats have beat the Griz only three times, and have been outscored 405 (16 pts/g) to 782 (31 pts/g)
• The University of Montana was the winningest program in all college football in the 2000s (119 wins), and they were the third winningest team in FCS in the 1990’s (93 wins)
• The Bobcats have captured the Big Sky Conference Championship 14 times, including the last two
• The last time MSU was unanimously ranked above the Grizzlies was in 1984 (MSU is currently in the Top 10, and UM is just out - at 11-12)
• The most successful period of the Cat-Griz rivalry for Montana State was from 1963 to 1985. MSU won 17 games to just six for UM
• Following that last period, UM started “The Streak” when it won 16 straight games from 1986 to 2001. That streak was finally broken in 2002 when the Bobcats beat the Griz 10-7
• The Grizzlies have captured the Big Sky Conference Championship 18 times, including 12 in a row from 1998-2009
• Montana State has the distinction of having an alumni inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF). The Player: Jan Stenrud, a kicker for the Bobcats; Stenrud remains the only pure place-kicker inducted into the HOF
• They Grizzlies hold the records for most playoff appearances in a row (17), Big Sky Conference titles in a row (12), and overall playoff appearances (20)
• The Cat/Griz game has ended in a 0-0 tie three times (1908, 1910, and 1928)

Make sure to tune in to the Brawl of the Wild this Saturday, November 19. Whether you’re a Cats fan, a Griz fan, or neither, the excitement surrounding the game is certainly something that can’t be beat!