The previous 105 contests in what has come to be known as The Brawl of the Wild - the name coined by Missoulian reporter Kim Briggeman - have featured heapin' helpings of ecstasy and despair, and every emotion in between. What follows are some of my favorite nuggets from the rivalry's long and storied history, which dates back to 1897.
1902 - A Missoulian headline describes Montana State's 38-0 victory "Highly Interesting With No Fatalities in the Contest."
1922 - In what remains perhaps the series' most controversial finish, UM fullback "Bullet Joe" Kershner scores the tying touchdown at the final gun and Harvey Elliott kicks the extra-point for a 7-6 Griz victory. Supporters of the "Bobcats," the new nickname for the State College squad, storm Dorblaser Field in Missoula, convinced that time has expired before Kershner's score. "In the eyes of God and in 60 minutes of play, we won that game," says Montana State coach Ott Romney.
1932 - After losing watching Montana State whip his Griz 19-7, Montana coach Bernard "Bunny" Oakes says: "I think we ought to play our games from now on in Denmark, we're so rotten."
1958 - UM students park a trailer filled with manure above the east stands of Dornlaser Field, at the foot of Mount Sentinel, "in honor of their cousins from across the mountains." But the Bobcats win 20-6.
1968 - Paul Schafer carries the ball 58 times and scores the winning TD from a yard out with 12 seconds left as Montana State, exploding for 20 points in nine minutes, prevails 29-24.
1976 - The Grizzlies suit up four future NFL players - Doug Betters, Greg Anderson, Terry Falcon and Guy Bingham - and still lose 21-12.
1986 - In the second game played at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Montana rolls 59-28. It's start of a 16-game winning streak for the Griz over the Cats, the longest by either school.
1989 - Rain, hail and 40-mph winds make for miserable conditions, but the Griz win 17-2 despite passing for just 88 yards.
1997 - On the 100th anniversary, the Griz win the series' most dramatic game, 27-25. MSU takes a 25-24 lead with 22 seconds left, but Brian Ah Yat's 46-yard pass to Justin Olsen sets up Kris Heppner for a 37-yard field goal as time expires. Says Heppner: "I just got down on my knee for about five seconds and thanked God for putting me in this situation."
2002 - On the day Hellgate Canyon freezes over, the Cats, led by freshman QB Travis Lulay, end 16 years of frustration with a 10-7 victory.
Speaking of ecstasy and despair, Fritz Neighbor has once again bested me in our Big Sky picks contest. I have one final weekend to regain some shred of dignity. But I'm sure I'll find a way to avoid it.
The picks
• Montana State at Montana: The signs point to a Griz victory, if not by an overwhelming margin. UM has done a better job of protecting the ball, and has the edge in special teams. That'll be enough.
Rial: Griz 24, Cats 17. Fritz: Griz 28, Cats 10.
• Weber State at Idaho State: I've officially given up on the Bengals. So you know they'll win.
Rial: Weber 24, ISU 20. Fritz: Weber 23, ISU 20.
• Northern Arizona at Northern Colorado: NAU senior QB Jason Murrietta should go out with a blast.
Rial: NAU 42, UNC 24. Fritz: NAU 48, UNC 22.
• Sacramento State at UC Davis: The Aggies will win what should be a competitive Causeway Classic.
Rial: Davis 24, Sac 17. Fritz: Davis 31, Sac 21.
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