It’s probably tough for the average person to view the state of Montana as a hotbed for college football. But football has always been a huge part of Big Sky Country, including the Montana Grizzlies. The Grizzlies have been playing college football since the 1890s, and all of these years later, last-minute Montana football tickets are still in high demand. But it’s not just about playing football at Montana; it’s about winning football. The Grizzlies have long been a successful FCS program, which can make cheap Montana football tickets hard to find sometimes.

Tasting Success

While Montana’s inaugural football season was in 1897, the Grizzlies didn’t start to find consistent success until joining the Big Sky Conference in the 1960s. The Grizzlies won their first conference championship in 1969, quickly establishing themselves as one of the marquee programs in the Big Sky Conference for decades to come.

Building a Dynasty

Eventually, Montana football became what can only be described as a dynasty. Don Read took over as head coach in 1986 and took Montana to the FCS Playoffs for the first time in 1988. By the early 90s, the Grizzlies became a regular in the Playoffs, ultimately winning a national championship at what was then known as the 1-AA level in 1995. Read left after winning the national title in 1995 but left the program to a string of coaches that continued to make the Grizzlies a powerhouse. Between 1986 and 2011, Montana enjoyed 25 straight winning seasons. That period also included 17 consecutive Playoff appearances, 12 straight Big Sky titles, and a second national championship in 2001.

Next Generation Grizzlies

Of course, Montana couldn’t keep that streak of winning seasons and conference championships going forever. However, the Grizzlies don’t stay down for long. They began the 2020s as one of the premier FCS programs in the country and are poised to remain a Big Sky powerhouse and a program with national championship aspirations for a long time to come.