Editor’s note: Chris Walterskichen is back with more Griz playoff trivia! The Griz beat Northern Iowa in Friday night’s FCS playoff game under the lights. Next, they head to Texas to take on Sam Houston State in the semifinal game. Our Griz photo caption contest continues: Check out the photo of Mo below and leave your captions in the comments to enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the Montana Club.
By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN
- For the 11th time in the last 23 seasons, the Montana Grizzly football team is in the FCS semifinals.
- This is only the fourth time the Griz have played a semifinal game on the road. In 1989 and 1994, the Grizzlies fell decisively in visits to Georgia Southern and Youngstown State. However, in 2008 the Griz scored an upset win over James Madison on the Dukes’ home field. The game at JMU was under the lights on a Friday just as this week’s game against Sam Houston State will be.
- The Griz will be making their first post-season appearance in Texas. The Lone Star State is the 11th state to host Montana for a playoff game.
- A win on Friday night will give the Griz 12 victories in a season for the ninth time overall and the fifth time in eight seasons.
- The biggest improvement for the Sam Houston Bearkats is on defense under new defensive coordinator Scott Stoker. Stoker is no stranger to facing Montana in the FCS playoffs. In eight seasons as an assistant at McNeese State, Stoker helped coach the Cowboys twice to narrow victories on their home field. As head coach at Northwestern State of Louisiana, Stoker’s Demons twice came to Washington Grizzly Stadium for opening round playoff games, in 2002 and 2004, only to get pounded by the Grizzlies.
- After facing a Montana State team with numerous Texas natives on their roster, Sam Houston State will face a Grizzly line-up without a single Texan.
- Here’s a very good omen for the Grizzlies and their fans: Friday marks the 16th anniversary of Montana’s 22-20 win over Marshall at Marshall for the 1995 1-AA national title.
- In answer to a reader’s question: Mo, Monte’s diminutive sidekick, is in his third season working Griz and Lady Griz basketball. Mo even ventured up in the press box, far above the playing field, last Friday night to say hi to the media and raid the food supply.
Little Mo, big tuba. Click to see photo larger.
Contest time!
Little Mo has grown into a big-time entertainer since he was introduced in 2009. Patrick Record got this smile-inducing snapshot of him at the quarterfinal game against Central Arkansas, and we think it deserves a caption.
Leave your caption in the comments and you’ll be entered to win a gift certificate to the Montana Club. Go Griz!
Here are the captions from last week:
- “And Moe the Baby Bear said, This one is just right! Then the Griz band played on into the night!” Manette Grant
- “Our cub reporter on the scene…” John Whistler
- “That reminds me of the place I once hibernated few winters back.” Gregg Bauer
- “Tuba, Tuba on the ground…..whose the cutest Griz around?” Miri Disney-Faller