Will the Griz Win Their First Brawl of the Wild Since 2015?

The time has finally come… It’s the game we have all been waiting for… On Saturday, the 120th edition of the Brawl of the Wild returns after a two-year layoff. The game will be played in Missoula for the first time in three years and Washington-Grizzly stadium is going to be rockin’!

The long-awaited and much-anticipated grudge match features two bitter rivals with top-10 rankings. Our Montana Grizzlies are ranked No. 7 in the nation and the Montana State Bobcats are ranked No. 3. The Griz have an 8-2 record overall and are 5-2 in the Big Sky Conference. The Cats are 9-1 overall and are undefeated in the BSC with a 6-0 record. It has been six years since the Griz have beaten Cats.

Two Great Defenses Battle it Out

The Griz have not allowed a touchdown in over 10 quarters of play after shutting out Northern Colorado two weeks ago and keeping NAU out of the end zone. That is quite the accomplishment, but it isn’t even the first time Montana’s defense has done it this season.

Washington scored a touchdown against the Griz on their opening drive in the first game of the season. After that, Montana’s defense went 10 more quarters without allowing a touchdown until the fourth quarter of the Cal Poly game. The Griz defense ranks third nationally in rush defense, fifth nationally in scoring defense, and second nationally in red zone defense.

However, the Cats are no slouches on defense either. They are ranking second nationally in scoring defense and allow an average of just 11.6 points per game. Everyone in football knows the phrase “defense wins championships”. Well, both of these teams have great defenses and championship aspirations.

Game Wrecker

In big rivalry games like these, a star is always born. Players step up on both sides and someone becomes a Montana hero for eternity. The Griz have a star on defense that is looking to do just that. Griz cornerback Justin Ford has an interception in eight straight games. For those of you who don’t watch much football, that is unheard of and has only happened a handful of times in the history of the game.

Ford leads the nation in interceptions, and that includes all of D-I football. He also now holds the school record for most interceptions in a season by a cornerback. Keep your eyes on #21 on Saturday. If he can get his hands on a 9^th straight pick, the Griz might come away with a victory.

How to Watch and Listen

ROOT Sports will televise the game to a national audience. The game will be available on DirecTV and Spectrum Cable. In Missoula, ROOT is available on Spectrum cable channel 60 and HD channel 560, and on DIRECTV channel 687 and 688. DISH Network has made the decision to no longer carry ROOT Sports. Saturday's game will not be available on DISH.

ESPN+ will also stream the game in areas where ROOT Sports is unavailable. Streaming options are also available through fuboTV, but a subscription is required.

"Voice of the Griz" Riley Corcoran and analyst Greg Sundberg will bring you the action live from Missoula right here on KGVO, the flagship station of the Grizzly Sports Radio Network. You can listen to the game on 98.3 FM, AM 1290, online at newstalkkgvo.com, or on the FREE KGVO App.