How is this team 7-2??

[AZGrizFan]

Our 7-2 Griz Team Remembered

The dull, dark days of November descended on Missoula, and the first Saturday of the 11th month yielded up a victory. The Montana Grizzlies sat at a respectable 7-2, but not looking like the power they wanted to be, not looking like the power their fans wanted them to be. The week before, they had been thumped by the conference power, tagged for 55 points and lost by 12.

One last major test lay before them: Playing the Bobcats in Bozeman to end regulation play. Losing there would put them at 8-3 and very likely get them at least one playoff game. As fate would have it, they won a tough game in Bozeman, and then went on to destroy teams in the playoffs en route to the National Championship. The year was 1995.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :thumb:

The parallels are indeed scary. :shock:

 

[oGriz]

A little more hindsight.

1995: Appalachian State went undefeated in the regular season, including defeating Wake Forest on the road and Marshall in Huntington. After a 7-point win over JMU in the first round of the playoffs, they lost at home to SFA by 10 in the quarterfinals. That set Montana up for home field advantage through the playoffs. Some would call that luck. Some would call that football. At home in the playoffs, we averaged 54 points per game while holding our opponents to less than 5. We beat the team that beat Appy State, SFA, by 56 points.

1995 was a year we did not beat a team in our division until the fourth game!

In the championship game, the first drive by Marshall reached inside Montana territory, but they faced a 4th and 1. Similar to the naked bootleg that went for an untouched TD in this year's Sac State game, “The Montana defense, all eleven men, were packed inside to stop a dive or a draw up the middle. Marshall QB Chad Pennington (eventual 1st round draft pick and most accurate passer in NFL history) attempted to pitch to running back Chris Parker (currently Marshall's career all-time rushing yardage leader). Then, the pitch hit Parker's leg, and what likely would have been an untouched run for a TD down a wide open sideline turned into an eight-yard loss and a change of possession.”

Some would call that luck. Some would call that football.

In 2012, the "juggernaut" NDSU had a few close games: 3-point loss to Indiana St (WTF?), 6-point win over So Illinois, 4-point win over Mo State, 3-point win over SDSU, and 7-point win over Wofford (playoffs) and 3-point win over Ga Southern (playoffs). Very few people dwell on those close games. They remember the wins and the championship.