2021 FCS Season Preview: Montana Grizzlies
Montana may have opted out of the spring season, but their two-game schedule of Central Washington and Portland State had tremendous results of 56 points and 41 points margins of victory. The powerhouse from Missoula is trying desperately to reclaim relevance and a conference title under Coach Hauck. Despite their best efforts, Weber State has found a way to block any outright claims for the past four seasons. In 2021 is Montana back?
Schedule
Montana
| Home | Away | Venue | Match Day | TV/Streaming | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montana  |  Washington | Husky Stadium (Washington) | Seattle, WA | - | - |
Western Illinois  | Montana | Washington-Grizzly Stadium | Missoula, MT | - | - |
Cal Poly  | Montana | Washington-Grizzly Stadium | Missoula, MT | - | - |
| Montana |  Eastern Washington | Roos Field | Cheney, WA | - | - |
Dixie State  | Montana | Washington-Grizzly Stadium | Missoula, MT | - | - |
Sacramento State  | Montana | Washington-Grizzly Stadium | Missoula, MT | - | - |
| Montana |  Idaho | Kibbie Dome | Moscow, ID | - | - |
Southern Utah  | Montana | Washington-Grizzly Stadium | Missoula, MT | - | - |
| Montana |  Northern Colorado | Nottingham Field | Greeley, CO | - | - |
| Montana |  Northern Arizona | Walkup Skydome | Flagstaff, AZ | - | - |
Montana State  | Montana | Washington-Grizzly Stadium | Missoula, MT | - | - |
Key Players
Cam Humphrey – Quarterback – 6’2″ 201 lbs. – RS-SR
Humphrey will be the life of the offense with rising star Marcus Knight on the injury list, Samori Toure transferred to Nebraska, and only having two games under the team’s belt since 2019. Without a strong performance from Humphrey Montana’s All-American receiver, Samuel Akem will have a hard time showing off his true talent.
Jace Lewis – Linebacker – 6’1″230 lbs. – RS-SR
Lewis is one of the most decorated preseason linebackers in the country. Even though Montana played only two games Lewis still ranks high among all the award lists. In 2019 Lewis had a tackle average of 9.4 over the span of 14 games played.
Predicted Finish
Second. This year will again be the year of the heavyweights as Montana, Montana State, Weber State, and Eastern Washington look to keep the titles between themselves. Montana State and Weber State’s schedules may hold them back as the Grizzlies and Eagles race to the title. While Samori Toure left for the red pastures of Nebraska, Montana still has a formidable team to be feared. The biggest problem is Montana will have to try to find a win in the Inferno which has plagued them in past seasons. Other than a loss to FBS Washington I do not see another loss outside of either Eastern Washington or Brawl of the Wild game.
Records
Best: 10-1
Worst: 7-4
Predicted: 9-2 (7-1)
My name is Ben Schleiger and I’m your representative for the Big Sky Conference. I have done work for multiple newspapers and sports blogs including The Johnstown Breeze, The University of Northern Colorado Mirror, and Mile High Maniac. I am a proud alumnus of the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Political Science. In my free time, I like watching sports, playing video games, and trying new foods.
