The Big Sky Conference President’s Council announced Wednesday it has approved moving the fall 2020 conference football schedule to the fall of 2021, restoring the slate of games that had previously been canceled.
The Grizzlies will now host Cal Poly to open conference play on September 25, 2021, and the regular season will commence with the 120th Brawl of the Wild game against Montana State in Missoula on November 20.
The Griz will also host Sacramento State on October 16 and Southern Utah on October 30 in league play. UM will travel to Eastern Washington on October 2, Idaho on October 23, Northern Colorado on November 6, and Northern Arizona on November 13 to round out the conference schedule.
Montana opens the 2021 season against the University of Washington on September 4 in Seattle, followed by the home-opener against the Missouri Valley Conference’s Western Illinois Leathernecks on September 11 in Missoula.
The Grizzlies complete the non-conference schedule on October 10 when it hosts Dixie State in the first of a four-game series with the Trailblazers, who are set to make the move to FCS football this year.
Montana’s bye week will come early in 2021, falling on September 18 during week three.
In conjunction with the University of Montana Alumni Association, the fall 2021 Homecoming weekend will now coincide with the Cal Poly game on September 25, with a host of events on campus throughout the weekend.
With Southern Utah announcing it will officially leave the Big Sky Conference, the previous 2021 season will not be pushed forward as the league re-draws the schedule matrix without the Thunderbirds in 2022.
Montana is currently scheduled to play one game during the NCAA-approved 2021 spring season when it hosts Central Washington on April 10 in Missoula.
Stadium capacity and ticketing details for fans inside Washington-Grizzly Stadium are yet to be determined and will be contingent on approval from the Missoula County Health Department. Broadcast details and kickoff time for the game will also be determined at a later date.
Fall 2021 ticketing, capacity, broadcast, and kickoff details will also be announced at a later date.
Montana Fall 2021 Schedule
9.4 @Washington
9.11 Western Illinois
9.18 Open
9.25 Cal Poly*^
10.2 @Eastern Washington*
10.9 Dixie State
10.16 Sacramento State*
10.23 @Idaho*
10.30 Southern Utah*
11.6 @Northern Colorado*
11.13 @Northern Arizona*
11.20 Montana State*
Home games in BOLD
* = Big Sky Conference Game
^ = Homecoming