# Little Brown Stein

The Little Brown Stein is a rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the college football game between the University of Idaho Vandals and the University of Montana Grizzlies, both members of the Big Sky Conference. The trophy is, as the name implies, a large stein mug with the results of all the games between the two painted on.
The game was not played for fourteen seasons (2004–2017), and Montana retained the trophy. The series resumed in 2018, when Idaho rejoined the Big Sky for football.

## History

Idaho and Montana first met in football 121 years ago in 1903 and have played 88 times; the stein was introduced 86 years ago in 1938 at the 25th meeting. Idaho has dominated the overall series at 56–31–2 (.640), which also includes two Division I-AA playoff wins at home in the 1980s. Montana has had the upper hand since 1991, winning twelve of the last fifteen (.800). While Idaho was in Division I-A (FBS), from 1996 through 2017, the teams met only five times, with Montana winning the last four.
The schools are about two hundred miles (320 km) apart; Moscow and Missoula are on opposite sides of the lower Idaho panhandle, separated by the Bitterroot Mountains over Lolo Pass (U.S. Route 12).
Idaho hosted the game in southern Idaho at Boise in 1961, and in nearby Pullman, Washington, in 1970 and 2000.

### Conferences

Both were members of the old Pacific Coast Conference (the forerunner of today's Pac-12); Montana departed after the 1949 season, and the PCC disbanded in the summer of 1959. In most years, the loser of the game was last in the PCC standings. Montana was in the Skyline Conference from 1951 through the 1961 season.
The universities were two of the six charter members of the Big Sky Conference in 1963, (although Idaho remained an independent in football until 1965) and their final season as conference opponents was in 1995. While Montana has been in the Big Sky since its inception, Idaho changed its conference affiliation multiple times from 1995 to 2018:
* Idaho moved to the Big West for all sports in 1996, returning to Division I-A after 18 years in I-AA.
* After the 2000 season, the Big West dropped football. Idaho became a football-only member of the Sun Belt Conference in 2001 while remaining a full Big West member.
* Idaho joined the WAC for all sports in 2005 as part of a major NCAA conference realignment.
* After the WAC experienced a near-complete membership turnover in the early 2010s, it dropped football after the 2012 season. Idaho football was an FBS independent for one season in 2013.
* Idaho returned to the Big Sky in 2014 except for football, which rejoined the Sun Belt.
* Idaho dropped back to FCS in 2018 and resumed football membership in the Big Sky.

## Results

| Idaho victories | Montana victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 1 | 1903 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 28–0 |
| 2 | October 17, 1914 | Moscow, ID | Tie | 0–0 |
| 3 | October 2, 1915 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 15–3 |
| 4 | November 18, 1916 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 20–13 |
| 5 | November 29, 1917 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 14–3 |
| 6 | November 8, 1919 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 7–0 |
| 7 | November 20, 1920 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 20–7 |
| 8 | November 5, 1921 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 35–7 |
| 9 | November 30, 1922 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 39–0 |
| 10 | October 12, 1923 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 40–0 |
| 11 | October 11, 1924 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 41–13 |
| 12 | November 7, 1925 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 20–14 |
| 13 | October 9, 1926 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 27–12 |
| 14 | October 22, 1927 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 42–6 |
| 15 | November 17, 1928 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 21–7 |
| 16 | October 12, 1929 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 19–0 |
| 17 | November 22, 1930 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 12–6 |
| 18 | October 10, 1931 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 21–19 |
| 19 | October 15, 1932 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 19–6 |
| 20 | October 28, 1933 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 12–6 |
| 21 | October 27, 1934 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 13–6 |
| 22 | October 26, 1935 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 14–7 |
| 23 | November 14, 1936 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 16–0 |
| 24 | November 20, 1937 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 6–0 |
| 25 | October 29, 1938 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 19–6 |
| 26 | October 28, 1939 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 13–0 |
| 27 | November 9, 1940 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 28–18 |
| 28 | November 15, 1941 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 16–0 |
| 29 | October 31, 1942 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 21–0 |
| 30 | October 20, 1945 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 46–0 |
| 31 | November 2, 1946 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 19–0 |
| 32 | November 7, 1947 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 21–0 |
| 33 | October 23, 1948 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 39–0 |
| 34 | October 22, 1949 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 47–19 |
| 35 | September 30, 1950 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 28–27 |
| 36 | October 13, 1951 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 12–9 |
| 37 | November 8, 1952 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 27–0 |
| 38 | October 3, 1953 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 20–12 |
| 39 | November 19, 1955 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 31–0 |
| 40 | November 22, 1956 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 14–0 |
| 41 | November 2, 1957 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 31–13 |
| 42 | November 8, 1958 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 14–6 |
| 43 | November 21, 1959 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 9–6 |
| 44 | October 1, 1960 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 18–14 |
| 45 | November 18, 1961 | Boise, ID | Idaho | 16–14 |
| 46 | October 6, 1962 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 22–16 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winner | Score |
| 47 | October 23, 1965 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 35–7 |
| 48 | November 12, 1966 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 40–6 |
| 49 | October 14, 1967 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 19–14 |
| 50 | October 12, 1968 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 56–45 |
| 51 | October 11, 1969 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 34–9 |
| 52 | October 10, 1970 | Pullman, WA | Montana | 44–26 |
| 53 | October 2, 1971 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 21–12 |
| 54 | November 11, 1972 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 31–17 |
| 55 | November 3, 1973 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 20–7 |
| 56 | October 19, 1974 | Moscow, ID | Tie | 35–35 |
| 57 | October 18, 1975 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 14–3 |
| 58 | November 13, 1976 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 28–19 |
| 59 | October 15, 1977 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 31–20 |
| 60 | October 14, 1978 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 34–30 |
| 61 | October 20, 1979 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 20–17 |
| 62 | September 27, 1980 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 42–0 |
| 63 | October 10, 1981 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 16–14 |
| 64 | October 16, 1982 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 40–16 |
| 65 | November 27, 1982$^A$ | Moscow, ID | #11 Idaho | 21–7 |
| 66 | October 22, 1983 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 45–24 |
| 67 | October 27, 1984 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 40–39 |
| 68 | October 19, 1985 | Moscow, ID | #4 Idaho | 38–0 |
| 69 | November 1, 1986 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 38–31 |
| 70 | October 10, 1987 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 31–25 |
| 71 | September 24, 1988 | Missoula, MT | #16 Montana | 26–17 |
| 72 | November 26, 1988$^A$ | Moscow, ID | #1 Idaho | 38–19 |
| 73 | September 28, 1989 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 30–24 |
| 74 | November 10, 1990 | Missoula, MT | #17 Idaho | 35–14 |
| 75 | November 16, 1991 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 35–34 |
| 76 | November 7, 1992 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 47–29 |
| 77 | November 6, 1993 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 54–34 |
| 78 | October 29, 1994 | Missoula, MT | Montana | 45–21 |
| 79 | October 21, 1995 | Moscow, ID | Idaho | 55–43 |
| 80 | November 13, 1999 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 33–30 |
| 81 | September 9, 2000 | Pullman, WA | #10 Montana | 45–38 |
| 82 | November 24, 2001 | Missoula, MT | #1 Montana | 33–27 |
| 83 | October 5, 2002 | Moscow, ID | #1 Montana | 38–31 |
| 84 | September 27, 2003 | Missoula, MT | #9 Montana | 41–28 |
| 85 | November 10, 2018 | Moscow, ID | Montana | 46–27 |
| 86 | November 9, 2019 | Missoula, MT | #6 Montana | 42–17 |
| 87 | October 23, 2021 | Moscow, ID | #11 Montana | 34–14 |
| 88 | October 15, 2022 | Missoula, MT | Idaho | 30–23 |
| 89 | October 14, 2023 | Moscow, ID | #10 Montana | 23–21 |
| Series: Idaho leads 56–31–2 |||||
| $^A$ Division I-AA playoff game |||||
* Years not played: 1904–13, 1918, 1943–44, 1954, 1963–64, 1996–98, 2004–17, 2020, 2024

## Coaching records

Since 1945; Idaho led the first 29 meetings (through 1942) at 20–8–1 (.707)).

### Idaho

| Head Coach | Team | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. |
| Babe Brown | Idaho | 2 | 1945–46 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Dixie Howell | Idaho | 4 | 1947–50 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 |
| Babe Curfman | Idaho | 3 | 1951–53 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Skip Stahley | Idaho | 7 | 1954–61 | 6 | 1 | 0 | .857 |
| Dee Andros | Idaho | 1 | 1962–64 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Steve Musseau | Idaho | 3 | 1965–67 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Y C McNease | Idaho | 2 | 1968–69 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Don Robbins | Idaho | 4 | 1970–73 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 |
| Ed Troxel | Idaho | 4 | 1974–77 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .625 |
| Jerry Davitch | Idaho | 4 | 1978–81 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 |
| Dennis Erickson (a) | Idaho | 5 | 1982–85 | 4 | 1 | | .800 |
| Keith Gilbertson | Idaho | 4 | 1986–88 | 3 | 1 | | .750 |
| John L. Smith | Idaho | 6 | 1989–94 | 2 | 4 | | .333 |
| Chris Tormey | Idaho | 2 | 1995–99 | 2 | 0 | | 1.000 |
| Tom Cable | Idaho | 4 | 2000–03 | 0 | 4 | | .000 |
| Nick Holt | Idaho | 0 | 2004–05 | | | | |
| Dennis Erickson (b) | Idaho | 0 | 2006 | | | | |
| Robb Akey | Idaho | 0 | 2007–12 | | | | |
| Paul Petrino | Idaho | 3 | 2013–21 | 0 | 3 | | .000 |
| Jason Eck | Idaho | 2 | 2022–23 | 1 | 1 | | .500 |
| Total | Idaho | 60 | 1945–2023 | 36 | 23 | 1 | .608 |

### Montana

| Head Coach | Team | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. |
| George Dahlberg | Montana | 1 | 1945 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Doug Fessenden | Montana | 3 | 1946–48 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 |
| Ted Shipkey | Montana | 3 | 1949–51 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 |
| Ed Chinske | Montana | 2 | 1952–54 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 |
| Jerry Williams | Montana | 3 | 1955–57 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .000 |
| Ray Jenkins | Montana | 5 | 1958–63 | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 |
| Hugh Davidson | Montana | 2 | 1964–66 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 |
| Jack Swarthout | Montana | 9 | 1967–75 | 3 | 5 | 1 | .389 |
| Gene Carlson | Montana | 4 | 1976–79 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 |
| Larry Donovan | Montana | 7 | 1980–85 | 2 | 5 | | .286 |
| Don Read | Montana | 11 | 1986–95 | 5 | 6 | | .455 |
| Mick Dennehy | Montana | 1 | 1996–99 | 0 | 1 | | .000 |
| Joe Glenn | Montana | 3 | 2000–02 | 3 | 0 | | 1.000 |
| Bobby Hauck (a) | Montana | 1 | 2003–09 | 1 | 0 | | 1.000 |
| Robin Pflugrad | Montana | 0 | 2010–11 | | | | |
| Mick Delaney | Montana | 0 | 2012–14 | | | | |
| Bob Stitt | Montana | 0 | 2015–17 | | | | |
| Bobby Hauck (b) | Montana | 5 | 2018–23 | 4 | 1 | | .800 |
| Total | Montana | 60 | 1945–2023 | 23 | 36 | 1 | .392 |
* Last tie was in 1974 and the Big Sky enacted overtime for conference games in 1980; all Division I games went to overtime in 1996.
* Two games in 1982 and 1988; regular season at Montana and playoff (I-AA) at Idaho: home teams won all four games
* No games in 1954, 1963, 1964, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2004–2017, 2020, 2024