The University Of Montana Is A True Bucket List Destination For All Football Fans

A dive bar enthusiast’s dream, an outdoorsman’s eden & a football fan’s thunder dome. My thoughts on watching a college football game at The University of Montana for the first time

“I’m actually a Cats fan. I grew up in Missoula and my parents are both Griz alumni, but my uncle got in my ear at a young age and made me a Montana State fan.” - a wiry hotel shuttle driver states bashfully as two hungover podcast hosts enter the vehicle. He knows he’s outnumbered in Missoula & I know that everyone he meets lets him know about it.

Typically houses and states divided based on college sports fandoms are associated with Michigan-Michigan State, Auburn-Alabama & UNC-Duke. I wouldn’t take stock in one or two people telling me about their allegiances to either major school in the state of Montana. When nearly every person that you meet in restaurants, tailgates & dives expresses their love for their alma mater & disdain for the opposition, it makes an impression.

From broad-chested mustache-branding Montana men that have obviously worked real jobs their whole lives to regular college students that took a flyer and fell in love with the majesty of Missoula, the first thing you will know about a person in this state is whether they support the Montana State Bobcats or the Montana Grizzlies. It’s not hard to rationalize why people feel such a deep connection to either team. College football in Montana is the biggest show in the state. When fully occupied, Washington-Grizzly Stadium, home of the University of Montana Grizzlies, is the 5th biggest city in the state.

If you are one of the many attention-craving people who believes they were ‘born in the wrong generation’ consider moving to Montana. If you yearn for sprawling mountains and serene rivers, consider moving to Montana. If you like walking streets being deafened by your own stream of consciousness, you should consider moving to Montana. ‘How it used to be,’ still is, in a state where you feel as welcomed as you do powerless to the vast nature that surrounds you.

While I wasn’t brought to Montana on a whim, but rather a fan vote held by my show, Hack City, I regret not making the trip earlier on my own accord. The University of Montana is a legitimate college football bucket list destination. The air IS better. The handshakes from locals make you realize how soft you have let yourself become. If you fancy yourself a fighter, I wish you the best of luck. I don’t think I (6’6 3**lb former offensive lineman¹) had a chance in a scrap against more than 15% of the people I saw. The natural humility that overtakes you may be the reason why you may leave the city a better person.

“Sean, how could you feel this strongly about a state you were in for less than 30 hours?” I’ll tell you right now dumb-dumb. How do you get settled into an area? Maybe you walk around downtown and look into the windows of small businesses without buying anything. It’s possible you exchange pleasantries with a local barista and ask if they miss the big city. We at Hack City like to get to know a town by getting a proper drink on with the locals & the hungover state that takes over the next morning provides a good indicator of enjoyment had. Starting at a hotel bar, no bigger than the average parking spot, speaking with the bartender Cole, a former resident of California, who fell in love with the Montana pace. Cole was equipped with a California pace of conversational fluidity so we knew it would be a brief chat with this ‘fountain of conversation²’. On to the real dives.

Walking in the bitter cold to be met by warm bars filled with good light beer, seas of flannel shirts & burgers being cooked directly behind the bar was a unique comfort. Not typical creature comforts of the East Coast: espresso martinis, Uber Eats & ironic Carhartt jackets. This wasn’t going out of be seen, but going out to go out.

After an abundance of drinks, an underwhelming Mike Tyson - Jake Paul boxing match & a successful TouchTunes coup, it was time to retire for the evening. If we hadn’t I’m certain that I would have joined in on the poker game taking place in the back of the grimiest of dive bars that we attended that night. I either would have lost my $80 or won and had my head mounted next to the many deer and elk above the bar.

Game day. The Portland State Vikings are facing off against the FCS playoff hopeful Montana Grizzlies at 1:00pm MT. My broadcast partner and I wake up, apply our many layers of clothing and head out into the wild to tailgate with the Griz faithful. Crossing the scenic bridge over the Clark Fork river to the main tailgate we were met by a wave of maroon and silver.

We had the opportunity to meet up with some very kind listeners of the show who made sure we were well fed & refreshed. Watching people go on mid-day hikes 200 yards away from you while on your 3rd shot of Apple Pie moonshine would likely make some people re-evaluate their choices of the day. I figured that I was coming out on top.

After chatting with more fans that can open the hood of their car on the side of the highway & properly identify the issue instead of just staring at the alternator(?) it was time to head into the stadium for the first time. We walked past the many different Griz themed winnebagos and campers parked along the street and made our way to our seats. Cue the color guard. Cue the national anthem. Cue the awkward shuffle through the aisle towards our seats.

When seated at the Southwest side of the stadium it takes about 30 seconds to realize that you are in a truly special spot. The stands have the intimate vertical design so the sound carries much better. You have a perfect view of every corner of the football field. Most importantly, you have a view of the mountains that surround the stadium in every direction. The ‘L’ & ‘M’ mountains are the closest to the field and provide a backdrop like no other. Past them are snowcapped mountains flirting with the clouds above. It’s the perfect ensemble of sensory stimulation to make you feel like God himself is speaking to you. Telling you that you’re exactly where you should be in this moment. There’s no vanity or shame or ego. The glory of the moment will not allow it. There have only been a few times where I have felt divine intervention. 20 miles off shore tracking the gulls in the Florida Keys. On the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto. Running onto the field to Enter Sandman as Virginia Tech hosted URI & witnessing Julio Jones’ 300 yard game against the Carolina Panthers. Watching a college football game kick off at the University of Montana enters this *very* prestigious group.

“MON-TAN-A … GRIZZ-LIES” chants snap you out of your ethereal daze and you remember that you are about to watch the gladiators square off for seeding in the Big Sky conference. Individuals with internet brain rot can turn their eyes towards the M mountain and observe people who appear to be smaller than ants hiking to the peak all throughout the day. Passionate Montana football fans who brave the ‘dry cold’ (it’s freezing. Don’t let them trick you into thinking that it’s warmer than oceanfront windchills) are engaged, loud & very well-versed in the sport.

Montana beat Portland State after a big second half from QB Logan Fife, who is still in a QB battle 12 weeks into the season. The result of the game was secondary to me at that point. I was enjoying burnt end hot dogs & Cold Smokes while wondering how long it would take to learn how to fly fish.

After my first visit it’s not ‘if’, but ‘when’. When I go back to Montana I will hike the M. When I go back to Montana I will go trout fishing. When I go back to Montana I will bring long johns. If you care at all about college football I encourage you to take the trip. I’m lazy, cynical, & love sitting down, but I’m a football purist. In an age where it feels like football is becoming less and less like the football that I love, witnessing the sport in its purest form has healed (some of) me. Buy the flight, freeze your ass off, eat the burger at the Mo Club & brag to all your friends about it later.

& remember:

1. Don’t worry about it

2. In the cadence of Steve Buscemi, Fargo, 1996