Montana Grizzlies football The Montana Grizzlies football program ( or " Griz " ) represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision ( FCS ) of college football . The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference , where it is a founding member , since 1963 . They play their home games at Washington - Grizzly Stadium in Missoula , Montana where they had an average attendance of 25 , 448 in 2010 ( 2nd in FCS ) . The Grizzlies had a winning season from 1986 - 2011 . In Washington - Grizzly Stadium they have a winning percentage of 89 % including playoffs . They hold the records for most playoff appearances in a row ( 17 ) , Big Sky Conference titles in a row ( 12 ) , and overall playoff appearances ( 20 ) . Their success made them winningest program in all college football in the 2000s ( 119 wins ) and third winningest team in FCS in the 1990s ( 93 wins ) . History . Early years ( 1897 – 1934 ) . The University of Montana ' s first football season was in 1897 where they won a single game against future rival Montana State . The team played only schools from Montana until it helped found the Northwest Intercollegiate Athletic Association ( NWIAA ) in 1902 . In addition to Montana , this original Northwest Conference included Washington , Washington State , Oregon , Oregon State , Idaho , and Whitman College . Despite the association ' s stated goal of increasing intercollegiate athletics , Montana continued to play only the nearest teams . More unfortunate for the team , it would not win a game against a conference opponent until a 10 - 0 win over Washington State in 1914 . In 1915 , the Northwest Conference began to become superfluous with the creation of the Pacific Coast Conference which by 1924 already included the five public Northwest Conference schools from Washington , Oregon , and Idaho in addition to California and Stanford . Montana joined the conference in 1924 and would remain until 1949 . During this time , Montana would win only 9 conferences games ( 8 of them against Idaho ) , and would never play a home game against any California team . Doug Fessenden era ( 1935 – 1948 ) . " ( 46 - 40 - 4 ) Record , ( 9 - 1 ) vs . Cats " < br > Doug Fessenden was the first Montana coach to last more than five years and was the first to end his career with a winning record that coached more than two years . Mountain States ( Skyline ) Conference era ( 1951 – 1961 ) . In 1948 , the Montana board of education announced that it was de - emphasizing athletics at the state university . Key to the university ' s decision was the feeling that continued affiliation with the conference was incompatible with the goal to " keep intercollegiate athletics properly subordinated to the academic function " and they would " seek to develop competition in all sports with institutions similar in purpose , size , resources and academic standing . " The conference was only " preferable to having no conference affiliation . " In 1951 , Montana joined the Mountain States Conference , popularly known as the Skyline Conference . It would compete here until the conference dissolved in 1962 , never having a winning season and not winning more than three games until 1960 . In 1963 , Montana joined Gonzaga , Idaho , Idaho State , Weber State , and Montana State in forming the Big Sky Conference . Jack Swarthout era ( 1967 – 1975 ) . " ( 51 - 41 - 1 ) Record , ( 3 - 6 ) vs . Cats " < br > Montana ' s football struggles continued in the new Big Sky Conference , and the team had only won 9 games its first four years when school officials decided that coaching change was needed . In December 1966 , University of Montana president Robert T . Pantzer announced that Jack Swarthout , a former quarterback / halfback / end from Montana . Swarthout brought on Jack Elway as an assistant and together they took the Grizzlies from 1 - 9 to 7 - 3 the first season . Within two years Swarthout guided the team to back - to - back undefeated regular seasons in 1969 and 1970 and Montana ' s first Big Sky Conference titles . Both years they were defeated by the North Dakota State in the Camellia Bowl , which was part of a set of bowls that led up to a poll to determine the NCAA College Division national football championship , prior to the current College Division playoff structure . Continued success was expected , but a disappointing season in 1971 was followed by a work - study scandal that eventually led to Swarthout ' s resignation . In 1972 , a federal grand jury returned a 32 - count indictment charging five university officials and coaches ( including Swarthout ) with conspiring to illegally use federal - aid money by using some of the funds to pay for fictitious jobs for athletes . Though Swarthout was found innocent , the charges hurt recruiting and the student - body government decided to withdraw financial support for athletic programs . Despite the controversy and resultant performance decline , Swarthout is credited as being the coach that turned Montana into a winning football program . Don Read era ( 1986 – 1995 ) . " ( 85 - 36 ) Record , ( 10 - 0 ) vs . Cats " < br > After Swarthout ' s departure , Montana would register only one winning season over the next 10 years . In November 1985 , Montana fired coach Larry Donovan and replaced him with Portland State ' s head coach , Don Read . Over the next 10 years Montana would go 85 - 36 , have 10 straight winning seasons , and was undefeated against cross - state rival Montana State . Read would win 2 conference titles , make the playoffs 5 times and win Montana ' s first national championship . Mick Dennehy era ( 1996 – 1999 ) . " ( 39 - 12 ) Record , ( 4 - 0 ) vs . Cats " < br > Mick Dennehy had been the offensive coordinator under Don Read and was promoted to head coach when Read retired in 1995 . Dennehy continued Montana ' s success , making it to the national championship his first year for a rematch against Marshall University . This time however , Montana would lose 49 - 29 . Montana would make the playoffs every year under Dennehy and continue to beat Montana State , but they would not make it passed the First Round of the playoffs outside his first season . After the 1999 season , Dennehy accepted a head coaching position at Utah State Joe Glenn era ( 2000 – 2002 ) . " ( 39 - 6 ) Record , ( 2 - 1 ) vs . Cats " < br > The Joe Glenn era began with high hopes for the winner of two Division II champions at the University of Northern Colorado . He did not disappoint , making it to the national championship his first two seasons , winning the second . Unfortunately , during Glenn ' s third year Montana ' s win streak against Montana State finally came to end at 16 straight . Glenn left after the 2002 season to pursue the head coaching job at the University of Wyoming Bobby Hauck era ( 2003 – 2009 ) . " ( 80 - 17 ) Record , ( 5 - 2 ) vs . Cats " < br > Bobby Hauck began his tenure in 2003 and over the next 7 years would win a share of the Big Sky Conference title every year and make it to the national championship in 2004 , 2008 , and 2009 . Unfortunately , Montana would win none of those . After the 2009 season Hauck left to take the head coaching job at UNLV . Robin Pflugrad era ( 2010 – 2011 ) . " ( 18 - 7 ) Record , ( 1 - 1 ) vs . Cats " < br > In 2009 , Robin Pflugrad returned to Montana to become the wide receivers coach under Bobby Hauck . After that season , Hauck left Montana to become the head coach at UNLV , and Pflugrad was promoted to replace him . Pflugrad said after his hiring that Montana would be " very fast on offense , up - tempo and upbeat . " Pflugrad led Montana to a Big Sky Conference title a national semifinal appearance in 2011 . Mick Delaney era ( 2012 – Present ) . " ( 5 - 7 ) Record , ( 0 - 1 ) vs . Cats " < br > Mick Delaney is currently the head coach at the University of Montana . Delaney was hired July , 26 2012 , replacing former head coach Robin Pflugrad . Home venues . The Montana Grizzlies have played their home games in Washington – Grizzly Stadium since its construction in 1986 . The stadium has an official capacity , however , its record attendance is 26 , 066 set September 17 , 2011 . Construction of the stadium closely follows the Grizzlies recent success and since its construction the Grizzlies have a 163 - 21 win record ( 2010 ) . Before Washington - Grizzly Stadium , the Grizzlies played off - campus at " new " Dornblaser Field from 1968 to 1986 . Prior to 1968 , Montana played on - campus at " old " Dornblaser Field from 1920 to 1967 . Both stadiums were named for Paul Dornblaser , the team ' s captain in 1912 , who was killed in World War I . Prior to 1920 , Montana played its home games at a field in downtown Missoula , near the former " Missoulian " newspaper building . Rivalries . Montana State Bobcats . Montana ' s primary rivalry is the Brawl of the Wild ( AKA : " The Griz - Cat game " ) against Montana State University in Bozeman , played 112 times , which the Griz leads 70 - 37 - 5 . The series has three distinct periods . From 1897 to 1916 the teams didn ' t belong to a conference and at times would play twice per year . Early seasons had seven games or less with one season seeing the Grizzlies play just one game . Four of the five ties in the series came during this era . Montana won 12 games to Montana State ' s 7 . In 1917 Montana State joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and in 1924 Montana joined what is now the PAC - 12 Conference when it entered the Pacific Coast Conference . The RMAC included several teams that would become Mountain West members . When MSU joined the RMAC included Colorado , Colorado State , Utah , Utah State , and Brigham Young . When UM joined the PCC included Stanford , California , UCLA , USC , Oregon , Oregon State , Washington , Washington State , and Idaho . The Bobcats remained in the RMAC through 1956 , while the Grizzlies remained in the PCC through 1949 and joined the Mountain States Conference from 1951 - 1961 . MSU was independent from 1957 - 1962 and UM was independent in 1950 and 1962 . During this period UM enjoyed a 30 - 8 - 1 edge in Cat - Griz games . Both schools entered the Big Sky Conference as charter members in 1963 with Montana holding a 42 - 15 - 2 series lead . From 1963 to 1985 Montana State enjoyed its most successful period of the Cat - Griz rivalry . MSU won 17 games to just six for UM . Following that Montana started " The Streak " when it won 16 straight games from 1986 to 2001 . MSU ended the drought by winning three of four , while UM holds a 6 - 4 edge after " The Streak " with Montana winning the most recent game 36 - 10 in Bozeman . The Big Sky era shows Montana with a 28 - 21 lead . Idaho Vandals . Montana formerly played a rivalry game against the Idaho Vandals for the Little Brown Stein . The Grizzlies trail in the 84 - game series 27 - 55 - 2 ( . 333 ) , but have won the last four meetings ( 2000 – 03 ) . ( Idaho moved up to Division I - A ( now FBS ) in 1996 . ) Eastern Washington Eagles . The Grizzlies also have an annual rivalry game in conference with the Eastern Washington Eagles , called the EWU – UM Governors Cup . Montana leads the series 25 - 11 - 1 Possible FBS membership . On November 10 , 2010 the Western Athletic Conference announced that it will be expanding its membership by adding three teams , UTSA , Texas State University , and the University of Denver . It was reported that the WAC also extended an invitation to Montana , but the university decided to decline . Uniforms . Colors . " ( 1893 – 1967 ) , ( 1997 - Present ) Maroon & Silver < br > ( 1968 – 1996 ) Copper & Gold " < br > The University of Montana ' s official colors are copper , silver and gold , and were chosen as such in recognition of the state of Montana ' s mining history . Contrary to popular perception , these colors have never changed with the confusion stemming from the University ' s decision to represent " copper " with either " maroon " or " Texas orange " at various times in its history . In 1893 when the University was founded and its colors chosen a lack of copper dye led the school to use maroon and occasionally other colors to represent the copper . This had the effect of having the schools athletic teams not always being represented across the board by the same uniform colors . In 1967 , then football coach and athletic director Jack Swarthout , who personally preferred the maroon and silver used by the football team , sought to make the schools colors more consistent and held a vote among UM coaches . They selected " Texas orange " ( to represent copper ) and gold to be used on the school ' s uniforms and it would remain so for the next 30 years . In 1993 , the maroon was brought back as part of the University ' s centennial celebrations and a student survey in 1995 showed support for a return to maroon and silver uniforms . Despite some vocal opposition , by 1997 the colors began to phase into the maroon and silver that continues to be used . # 37 Jersey . The # 37 Jersey is a tradition began in 1987 by then Running Back Kraig Paulson . The tradition holds that whomever wears the # 37 jersey selects a in - state recruit and leading defensive player to wear it next . Program achievements . The Grizzlies rank among the all time playoff appearance leaders , with appearances in 1982 , 1988 , 1989 , 1993 - 2009 and 2011 . The Grizzlies playoff streak of 17 in a row from 1993 - 2009 is a record at the I - AA level , now known as the NCAA Division I Championship Subdivision . The streak came to an end on November 21 , 2010 when the Grizzlies were not selected to the FCS playoffs following a loss to in - state rival Montana State . The Grizzlies won the national championship in 1995 under Don Read when Dave Dickenson led the team to a victory over Marshall University in the national championship game . In 2001 , coach Joe Glenn led the Montana Grizzlies to another national championship defeating Furman University by a score of 13 - 6 . The Grizzlies rank third in the state in National Football Championships , although they are fourth in Division I - AA ( FCS ) National Championships with two . They fall behind the Carroll College from Helena , MT and the Montana State Bobcats . The Saints have won six NAIA Football Championships while the Montana State Bobcats have won three national titles , although they only have one title as a Division I - AA ( FCS ) school .