By Hope Good
The Brawl of the Wild with the Montana State Bobcats (then known primarily as the Montana Agricultural College or Montana A&M) and the Montana Grizzlies rivalry began on Thanksgiving Day November 25, 1897, in Missoula. For nearly three decades, the teams traded off hosting the matchup on their respective campus fields in Missoula and Bozeman. In 1904 the Grizzlies held a significant advantage in the series, including a massive 79–0 blowout victory, which remains the largest margin of victory in the rivalry’s history.
The early meetings between 1897 and 1925 saw competitive stretches from both sides, though Montana accumulated numerous victories, including early wins in 1897 and 1898, prior to Montana State putting together a strong run of shutouts in the early 1900s. The teams also played to several ties, including 1908, 1910, 1916, and 1919. Montana later controlled much of the 1910s and 1920s matchups leading up to 1925.
From 1926 to 1951 Montana- Montana State “Cat-Griz” football games were played in Butte (known then as the “Copper Bowl”) as a neutral-site marketing strategy to boost the local mining city’s economy and turn the contest into a massive statewide event. Butte possessed the largest football venues in the state at the time and was situated roughly halfway between Bozeman and Missoula. Butte served as a natural, easily accessible middle ground for fans traveling from both universities. The neutral-site showdown evolved into a major spectacle featuring downtown parades, marching bands, floats, and fan rivalries.
During this era, the rivalry was heavily lopsided. A total of 21 games were played in Butte, with the Montana Grizzlies dominant, winning 17 matchups. The Montana State Bobcats managed only 3 victories, and the teams tied once.
After World War II both universities expanded their own on-campus stadium capacities to accommodate larger audiences, making a neutral high school venue no longer financially or logistically practical compared to hosting games at home. Following the 1951 game, the match-up officially returned to the campus stadiums, alternating between Missoula and Bozeman as it does today.
Since 1952, the teams have met 75 times on the gridiron. Over this specific timeframe, Montana State holds a slight edge with 38 wins, Montana has 36 wins, and there was 1 tie.
While the modern era heavily favors the Bobcats, the all-time series record still belongs to Missoula. As of the conclusion of the 2025 season, the two teams have met 125 times since their first game. The overall series breakdown Wins: Montana (Griz) 75, Montana State (Bobcats) 45, Ties 5.