© Samuel Wilson/ Montana Kaimin
Peter Nguyen leaps over SUU’s Tommy Collett during the Grizzlies’ loss to the Thunderbirds Saturday, Oct. 13, at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
The last time the Grizzly football team traveled to Grand Forks, N.D., Richard Nixon was engulfed in the Watergate scandal, “The Exorcist” was released in theaters and North Dakota dominated the Griz in a 31-10 victory.
This year, things are a little different as the Montana Grizzlies (3-4 overall, 1-3 Big Sky Conference) take on North Dakota (3-4 overall, 1-3 BSC) in the Alerus Arena.
Their last meeting was in Missoula in 2010. The Griz won 27-17 and led the series 11-7-1. This is the first year that North Dakota is competing in the Big Sky Conference for football.
Last week Montana continued its season struggles, losing 30-20 at home to Southern Utah University. The Thunderbirds killed the possibility of a winning streak for the Griz after they outscored UM 17-3 in the second half.
Losing is not a pastime that Grizzly fans are accustomed to.
“It’s one of those situations that, man, to lose at home, particularly with the things that have happened here at Washington-Grizzly Stadium over the past several years since Washington-Grizzly Stadium opened, is really difficult,” head coach Mick Delaney said. “In both losses there was a point in each of those games that we had control.” Continue reading
