Montana defeated top-ranked James Madison 35-27 on its own field Friday night before a national television audience to advance to the FCS title game next Friday in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The victory was doubly sweet as it avenged UM's 31-21 loss to the Dukes in the 2004 championship.
“It's unbelievable,” said longtime Griz fan Joe Howard, who watched the game with a large group of friends in Lolo. “At the start of the year, I honestly didn't expect this team to make it this far. But they showed what Griz pride and Griz tradition are all about.
“They played incredible tonight.”
At the Inn on Broadway, a packed crowd roared their approval as Montana took a 14-10 lead into halftime. Members of the UM Dance Team and the marching band were on hand to entertain fans during timeouts.
Like at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, every Montana first down was greeted with a loud “first down Montana!”
The Press Box was full by 5:15 p.m., according to manager Paul Maki.
Virtually all of the restaurant's 34 televisions were tuned into the Grizzly game, though Maki said he did have one request to watch the Boston Celtics game.
“He may ask me to put the Celtics (game) on one (TV),” Maki said. “I haven't figured that out yet, you know. Obviously, the vast majority of them will be all Grizzly TVs.”
On the field in Harrisonburg, Va., UM gave up yards, but forced four monster turnovers to help build and then secure the victory.
The offense, meanwhile, did not turn the ball over, and gashed the Dukes for 298 yards. Running back Chase Reynolds was the star, rushing for two touchdowns and catching another.
After James Madison scored a field goal on its opening possession, the fifth-ranked Grizzlies responded by tallying two straight TDs, both on runs by Reynolds. The sophomore from Drummond finished with 123 yards on the ground and 50 yards receiving.
The second TD was set up by the first of the Dukes' turnovers - a fumbled kickoff that the Grizzlies recovered at the 15.
Montana opened up the second half with a 27-yard hookup between senior quarterback Cole Bergquist and Reynolds.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Fetherston forced and recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Five plays later, Bergquist hit Frenchtown standout Steven Pfahler from 16 yards out to extend the Grizzly lead to 28-10.
Montana held on from there, with Andrew Swink batting down a fourth-down pass on James Madison's final drive to secure the victory.
Montana will play the winner of the Northern Iowa-Richmond game, which is Saturday afternoon in Cedar Falls, Iowa. That semifinal game will be televised on ESPN at 2 p.m.
Grizzly fans wanting to travel to Chattanooga for the championship can contact Davidson Travel and AAA Travel of Missoula, which are planning travel packages for Dec. 18-20 to the game. The packages will include a chartered flight from Missoula direct to Chattanooga, tickets to the game, ground transportation and lodging.
The companies say they expect to be able to accommodate 150 to 200 passengers each on the flights. Fans can call AAA Travel at 829-5500 or Davidson Travel at 721-5100. You can also check www.davidsontravel.com for more information.
Montana last won the national championship in 2001, defeating Furman 13-6 in Chattanooga.
Missoulian reporter Keila Szpaller contributed to this story.
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Joe wrote on Dec 13, 2008 1:25 AM:
" Here's reality: The fact that JMU was a touchdown and two point conversion away from tying the game is sad! JMU had FOUR turnovers (two, right before they were about to score) and their starting quarterback (and star player) got hurt and had to be replaced early in the game. So, the Griz more or less squeaked by in a situation where most teams would dominate. "
fran sedgwick wrote on Dec 13, 2008 8:33 AM:
" Go Griz, Some of us in bozeman are big Griz fans....... So proud. so happy :) just wanted to spread some cheer. and No 3 of the Griz, I hope got the game ball. good job "
Scott wrote on Dec 13, 2008 9:25 AM:
" Jake and Joe.....when the last whistle blows the team with the most points wins. Plus added the incredible effort on the part of the refs to give the goal line score (very questionable) to JMI and then take a long pass reception away from Mariani (definitely a catch), UPON REVIEW....plus constantly re-setting the clock to make sure JMI had every opportunity............score should have been more like 42-10. You should quit whining. The best team DEFINITELY won. "
GrizSaint Fan wrote on Dec 13, 2008 9:29 AM:
" Grizzly fans can fly from Helena to Chattanooga next week with the Carroll College Saints fans on either a Wednesday charter or a Thursday charter that are very reasonably priced. You could even travel to Rome, GA the day after the Griz game to watch the Saints vie for their 6th NAIA National Championship in 7 years. Call the Carroll College PE Center at 406-447-4480 to inquire. GO GRIZ, GO SAINTS!! "
BigSki wrote on Dec 13, 2008 10:25 AM:
" Say it ain't so Joe: I guess your reality is another man's myth. Squeak by? Duke's were playing catch-up all night long. As I recall, Landers wasn't hurt "early in the game"....but late in the first half...after which the Griz lead 14-10. The four turnovers produced what they were supposed to...no points for the other team. Lastly, you are conveniently leaving out a couple of bogus reviews by the booth. Those are supposed to only happen when there exists clear proof that the call on the field was wrong....which was not true in either case. Why don't you instead give credit to a talented offense of JM. Either way a great effort by the Griz, in a hostile environ, against the #1 ranked team (albeit a team with a suspect defense the Griz exploited). Good luck in the Chipper Griz. And I'm not even a Griz fan per se. Go Saints!! Ciao. "
dontomato wrote on Dec 13, 2008 10:26 AM:
" Let's hear it for the worst snap in the history of college football. Was that not 6 feet to high and 8 feet to the right of the punter or did I have a bad angle? "
Bucky Nash wrote on Dec 13, 2008 11:27 AM:
" Joe, "most teams would dominate the #1 team in the country" if said team gave up four turn overs. JMC was the #1 team, a complete team, a team that finished the season ranked #1 and grabbed the #1 seed in the playoffs and what, you expected them to roll over and play dead after giving up turn overs? No question the Griz hung on to win but to suggest that the Griz are less than any of the teams left in the playoffs requires a little more thought and less time behind a keyboard. "
Rudi wrote on Dec 13, 2008 12:44 PM:
" Go Grizzlies!
http://wcforum.blogspot.com/2008/12/big-sky-conference-football-season-aint.html "
http://wcforum.blogspot.com/2008/12/big-sky-conference-football-season-aint.html "
Griz Fan wrote on Dec 13, 2008 1:35 PM:
" Give me a break Joe. That was one of the best games the Griz had played to date. They beat JMU up, even with the Refs on their side. Joe needs to go home (probably from Bozeman). The Griz beat them in every aspect of the game. Could you have imagined if they would have played us here? Griz rule!!! "
osodoko wrote on Dec 13, 2008 1:36 PM:
" Watched the Griz thump JMU Friday night. Awesome game - awesome team - awesome fans!! Good luck in the title game. We'll all be watching and rooting for the Griz.
By the way, Montana should swap conferences with Idaho!! You'd be a great addition to the WAC.
-Griz fan in Boise
-Go Broncos "
By the way, Montana should swap conferences with Idaho!! You'd be a great addition to the WAC.
-Griz fan in Boise
-Go Broncos "
missoulianbrasilian wrote on Dec 13, 2008 2:10 PM:
" teams don't make it to the playoffs, usually ranked better than #5 or less because they "squeak by". in football, a win is a win. by one point, or one play. "
GeauxGriz wrote on Dec 13, 2008 2:29 PM:
" Watching from Houston, TX it was a hard pill to swallow - the blatant bias of ESPN2 before and during most of the game. And the booth reviewers were from the ACC... last time I checked Virginia (JMU) was on the Atlantic Coast. No way in hell can the booth call a "braking the plane." Especially with a ref clearly positioned to make that call. Everything against them, yet the GRIZ rose to the occasion!!! Oh yea - Joe, "most teams" were at home watching 2 of the final 4 teams play last night... maybe YOUR ISU Bengals can win more than a game next year. GEAUX GRIZ!!! "
Texas for the Griz wrote on Dec 13, 2008 2:55 PM:
" Joe, I am guessing since your post was at 1:25 AM you were drunk. You must be to think that your idiotic thoughts made any sense. JMU got lucky in 2004 on a sloppy field that ruined UM's running game, BUT you didn't get lucky this time. Finally, the best team prevailed. Maybe you should've tried to ruin your field before the game and you would've had a slight chance. Your team was #1 just like Oklahoma is #1...and we in Texas know that isn't true. "
Joe wrote on Dec 13, 2008 4:48 PM:
" Here's (some more) reality: If the Griz had to play some of the (actually talented) teams that JMU had to play the Griz wouldn't be as successful as they are. The Griz got to the championship by beating teams such as Weber State (Whoa!) and some 8-4 scrub team from down south. Face it, the Big Sky Conference is a joke and everyone except for the Griz Zombies from Missoula realize that. "
Texas for the Griz wrote on Dec 13, 2008 5:33 PM:
" Joe, Joe, Joe. You are so bitter. Can you spell - L-O-S-T? You lost. Get over it. The best team one. We beat you. You beat Richmond. We'll beat you both and then what stupid reasoning will you have to say your JMU losers are better? You LOST. Get over it. WWW.JOE'STEAMLOST.COM, ZIPIT. "
Scott wrote on Dec 13, 2008 6:04 PM:
" Joe,
The fact is that JMU got their helmets handed to them by a far superior team fro the University of MT. Quit the clowning. If you can't say something nice then just shut your yap and say nothing at all. If it weren't for the constant help of the referees JMU woulda been outta the game early. Score shoulda been 42-10 or something like that. JMU plays hard but they are a single dimension offensively and they have virtually no defense at all. "
The fact is that JMU got their helmets handed to them by a far superior team fro the University of MT. Quit the clowning. If you can't say something nice then just shut your yap and say nothing at all. If it weren't for the constant help of the referees JMU woulda been outta the game early. Score shoulda been 42-10 or something like that. JMU plays hard but they are a single dimension offensively and they have virtually no defense at all. "
TB wrote on Dec 13, 2008 6:22 PM:
" Joe, Come on man. JMU got beat by themselves. 4 Turnovers, 2 of which gave the griz incredible field position. JMU Also had a huge holding penalty on the last drive that brought up a 4th and 20 which they failed to convert. I understand that your bitter, and I'm also aware that besides the Griz (13 straight years of playoff appearances) That the Big Sky is a joke. JMU is going to have a rough year next year, losing alot of their "Stars"
The Better Team Won. Plain and Simple. "
The Better Team Won. Plain and Simple. "
Rob wrote on Dec 13, 2008 8:05 PM:
" Joe, com'on... coming from a fellow Bengal fan you got to give these guys their props. Trolling on a hometown paper website does nothing but annoy most people, and for what? We're already the team that most people feel sorry for in the Big Sky, we don't need their hate too. They played a great football team on their home turf and won. Hats off to the Griz. Good luck in the championship game! "
becki fermon wrote on Dec 13, 2008 8:40 PM:
" I am so proud of the Griz, and even prouder of my nephew Andrew Swink # 3. GO ALL THE WAY GRIZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
Tom Mitchell wrote on Dec 13, 2008 9:51 PM:
" I congratulate the Grizzlies on a most impressive performance in our stadium.
They certainly showed us in Harrisonburg why Montana is a perennial power in the FCS. "
They certainly showed us in Harrisonburg why Montana is a perennial power in the FCS. "
Brian wrote on Dec 14, 2008 11:01 AM:
" Hey Joe, Your team got beat....PERIOD!! There is a reason your team had so many fumbles. There is a reason your quarterback was unable to play the second half. The reason is you played a physically superior team that handed it to you in a very dominating way. Your defense was MARGINAL at best! You should be happy you didn't play us in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The North Endzone Crazy's, (do your own homework), would have shut down JMU in the first quarter!! Your team is good, but not that good and certainly NOT better than the Griz! "
jake army wrote on Dec 13, 2008 12:58 AM: