By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
For more than 12 decades, college football teams from Bozeman and Missoula have squared off in a fierce rivalry that divides Montana families, if only for a few days.
In a state with no major professional sports teams but many avid football fans, many Montanans hold their Bobcat or Grizzly allegiance in the highest regard.
“This is kind of like our Super Bowl here, in Montana,” said Jackson Callahan, a Montana State student and Bozeman resident, originally from Seattle. “And it’s a big deal. It’s like the one day… if you don’t care about football at all, and you live in either town, like, you care about it today.”
His friend Ian Sobol moved from Seattle 12 years ago and attended MSU.
“When I first moved here, I had no idea that this was the biggest event that happened ever single year in Montana. But it’s the biggest confluence of everyone coming together, because we all love one thing: it’s football,” Sobol said.
Callahan—who betrayed his Grizzly parents by attending the rival of their alma mater—offered up a prediction.
“I’m feelin’ good man, we’re gonna come out, we’re gonna kick some Griz butt, and we’re not gonna look back… It’s gonna be an absolute massacre out there,” Callahan said.
A few hours later, the Bobcats proved Callahan right, defeating the Grizzlies 34-11. A small group of students delivered the boom after every score.
Of all the military ROTC students across the nation, few are lucky to fire a howitzer cannon for 22,000 roaring football fans. Montana State juniors Colin Briggs and Quinn Coffey, sophomore Kelli Schellenberg and freshman Colin Carberry share that distinction among a group of army ROTC students.
The Vietnam War era cannon was donated by a retired lieutenant colonel who graduated from Montana State.
“The cannon’s been here for quite a long time,” Briggs said. “It’s a howitzer cannon that we modified with a blank adapter, so we fire off blank shells for 12 gauge… for kickoffs, extra points, touchdowns.”
“Can’t really beat it,” Coffey said. “You know we’re on the field, get the crowd involved. And a lot of the guys who have been here a long time just expect the cannon to go off, so it’s fun to be able to give that to them every Saturday.”
“It’s definitely an honor,” Briggs said.
Schellenberg said it’s crazy as a first-year student to be a part of the Bobcats’ undefeated season and continue the cannon tradition. “It’s like, part of a tradition that’s been here for a while,” she said.
Carberry said it’s his first time doing “cannon crew” but he loves football. “I’m really excited because it’s a great part of the community, part of the team, part of the college,” he said.
‘Bragging rights for each side’
Jon Holm wore a dazzling jacket Saturday, originally purchased for a trip to Las Vegas, and a large yellow hat.
A lifelong resident of the Bozeman area, he said he’s been to about 15 Cat-Griz games. He has some friends on the Griz side, and joked that he might not hang out with them in the days leading up to the game.
“It’s just a great thing for the whole state. It’s great for the economy and… just bragging rights for each side,” he said. “It’s unbelievable to be able to do this, and come be a part of something like this. Even win or lose, just something to be a part of, it’s awesome.”
Bob Morrison earned his bachelor’s degree in 1977 from Montana State. His son gifted on-field passes as a Christmas gift, and he invited his lifelong friend and college roommate, Dan Wetstein.
His favorite Bobcat memory is the Miracle in Missoula—he was with his two sons on the sideline for the Bobcats’ improbable 22-point comeback in 2018.
Dan shares a fond memory of attending school during the Sonny Holland era, when the winningest coach in Bobcat football history earned a 1976 Division II national championship and two Big Sky conference titles.
Morrison arrived to Bobcat Stadium two days early to shovel snow from their tailgate spot. It’s a serious affair.
Sipping beers in a different section of the tailgate, and dressed in the unfriendly maroon, Jami Van Gorden and Brad Pfeiffer said they arrived Thursday.
“We’ve been to every Cat-Griz since 2001,” Van Gorden said. Although neither he nor Pfeiffer attended UM, they grew up in Havre and sided with the Griz.
They showed up two days early for two reasons: first, to party; second, to catch up with friends in the Bozeman area.
As Van Gorden and Pfeiffer spoke with EBS, one blue-and-gold-clad friend jabbed from the background, asking how long they went to college for.
“I went to college at your mom’s house,” Van Gorden responded.
“And I got a master’s,” Pfeiffer added.
Friendly banter on rivalry day.
Nearby, a group of women arrived to the tailgate about two hours before kickoff. Preslie Neil attends Montana State, but she and her sister, Landyn, grew up in Missoula.
“Our dad played football for the Griz, so we’ve always been Griz fans, but had to convert,” Preslie said.
“I mean, I had to convert to ‘Cats for the weekend, but go Griz,” Landyn said, drawing criticism from nearby friends. She said Cat-Griz is huge for such a small state, and even her college friends in San Diego know about the rivalry. “This game is huge for everyone, and everyone is die-hard fans.”
The rivalry splits many families, like Jessica Tucker and her son Dalton.
“Well, my mom, she went to Griz. So her and my brother are Griz, and me and my dad are the Bobcats,” Dalton said. His favorite players are “Touchdown Tommy” Mellott and Taco Dowler, and he said he was thrilled to see his first live Montana State game.
“Yeah, we’re a house divided for sure,” Jessica said. “… I get poked at a lot this weekend.”
Jessica and her husband have been attending Cat-Griz for 25 years straight. The Tuckers attend with two other families—one including a former Griz player, and the other a former Bobcat. They drove from Whitefish for Saturday’s game.
“It’s like a holiday weekend in our house,” Jessica said. “… I think it’s the best thing for the state. I mean, it’s so fun. The people are… I mean, yes, it’s a huge, bitter rivalry, but deep down, we’re all Montanans, and one team being good makes the other team better.”
“It’s like the Super Bowl for Montana,” Dalton said. A common comparison, and perhaps an understatement.
