Why not take a look at the 2024 schedule just for the fun of it! With this schedule and assuming we don't have any major portal losses (which I don't think we will), I could see us definitely making it back to Frisco next year. We're back to a 12 game season next year for the first time since 2019, and how blessed are we to get 7 home games next year. In the non-conference, we get 2 MVFC opponents, 1 SOCON opponent, and 1 Pioneer League opponent. I like that a lot better than 2023. We will be better tested, but should win all 4 games. In conference play, we avoid both Idaho and Sac State for the first time since 2018, and our home games come against a plethora of teams we have not seen inside Wa-Griz in a long time. Our toughest road game is easily the cats. Eastern is always tricky too but they can't seem to pull themselves out of the mud right now. Let's look at the schedule:
August 31 vs. Missouri State: Awesome that the first home game this year falls in the month of August. The Bears are back to being perennial cellar dwellers in the Valley now that Bobby Petrino is gone. They went 4-7 this year with their wins coming against Utah Tech, UNI, Murray State, and Western Illinois (leaving the Valley this year). Interestingly enough, Iverson Young transferred from the Griz to Missouri State, so that'll be something to watch for in this game.
September 7 @ North Dakota: Our first game against UND since they've left the Big Sky. We last played them in 2018. UND went 7-5, they made the playoffs, but lost at home in the first round to Sac State. The Alerus Center has always been tricky to play in, but at least Tommy Schuster is finally gone, so we'll see a new QB for UND next season. Back to back Valley opponents to open the year, and both of which should give us a decent early test.
September 14 vs. Morehead State: A Pioneer League opponent that we were originally supposed to play in 2020, and this game was re-scheduled for next year. The Eagles went 4-7 this year, and I believe they have a new head coach next season if I'm not mistaken. Hopefully this is a chance to play a lot of the younger guys for a good portion of the game.
September 21 vs. Western Carolina: Our first non-conference game against a SOCON team since App State in 2013. I like that we're playing a SOCON team in the regular season as this will be good for us after seeing how close the Furman game was this year. The Catamounts finished 7-4 and were one of the first few teams to miss the playoff field this year. In October, they were ranked in the selection committee's top 10 rankings sitting at 6-2, before losing 2 of their last 3 games to miss the playoffs in their entirety. They're gonna have a good team next year though. They return a lot of talent, and they should be a playoff team and contend for the SOCON title. I think this is the marquee game of the non-conference slate. I would make this game the blackout game next season.
September 28 @ Eastern Washington: This feels like as good a chance as ever to get our first ever win on the red rug. Eastern has been massively in the slums the last 2 seasons. They do have a much easier schedule next year, but that seems to be the least of their problems. It's a contract year for Aaron Best next season, so if they don't make the playoffs next year, his time in Cheney will likely come to an end. I really don't wanna start conference play 0-1 again so we gotta win this game.
October 5 vs. Weber State: This will be Weber's first trip to Wa-Griz since 2019. I have no idea what kind of a team Weber is gonna have next year. They lost some guys to the portal and graduation so my hunch is they won't be very good. Who knows though. I think this game will be a contender for one of the 2 ESPN2 games next year.
October 12 vs. Northern Arizona: It has been a looooong time since we have played NAU in Wa-Griz. The last time we played them in Missoula was the infamous 2017 Case Cookus ejection game. Revenge will be on the mind of the Griz in this one next year, I can guarantee you that. Should be a fun game.
October 19 BYE: I've always favored having these in the middle of the year so this is a pretty good spot to have it.
October 26 @ Northern Colorado: Just like this year, we get UNC out of the bye week which is perfect as we have been known to come out of by weeks a little flat. It is not possible for UNC to be any worse than they were this year at 0-11. Now they could be just as bad, but they will not be worse lol.
November 2 @ Cal Poly: Our first trip to the beach since 2018. I may try to go to this game next year as I've heard San Luis Obispo is awesome. Curious to see if Cal Poly can take a step forward next year. I feel like they gotta be getting closer to putting it together.
November 9 vs. UC Davis: I guarantee you this game will be a night game. Tim Plough is the new head coach, but I think Davis is gonna have a good team next year. I'm gonna do a way too early power poll next week after our portal window closes, and I'm probably gonna have Davis 3rd in it. This will be their first trip to Missoula since 2018, so another team we haven't seen in Wa-Griz in a while.
November 16 vs. Portland State: I love getting 2 home games in a row before the Brawl. I don't think PSU will be much of a threat next year. This should just be a tune up for the Brawl and the playoffs.
November 23 @ Montana State: Right now on paper, I would say we're gonna have a better team than the cats next year but a lot can change between now and then. I haven't really paid attention to if they've brought in any guys from the portal to mitigate the damage from all the guys they lost to the portal, but there's till time if they haven't yet. As we've seen this decade, it's been really hard for the road team to even be competitive in this game, so what changes next year? IDK if anything does, but this will be a huge game for setting up the playoff picture so we better be on our A game!
August 31 vs. Missouri State: Awesome that the first home game this year falls in the month of August. The Bears are back to being perennial cellar dwellers in the Valley now that Bobby Petrino is gone. They went 4-7 this year with their wins coming against Utah Tech, UNI, Murray State, and Western Illinois (leaving the Valley this year). Interestingly enough, Iverson Young transferred from the Griz to Missouri State, so that'll be something to watch for in this game.
September 7 @ North Dakota: Our first game against UND since they've left the Big Sky. We last played them in 2018. UND went 7-5, they made the playoffs, but lost at home in the first round to Sac State. The Alerus Center has always been tricky to play in, but at least Tommy Schuster is finally gone, so we'll see a new QB for UND next season. Back to back Valley opponents to open the year, and both of which should give us a decent early test.
September 14 vs. Morehead State: A Pioneer League opponent that we were originally supposed to play in 2020, and this game was re-scheduled for next year. The Eagles went 4-7 this year, and I believe they have a new head coach next season if I'm not mistaken. Hopefully this is a chance to play a lot of the younger guys for a good portion of the game.
September 21 vs. Western Carolina: Our first non-conference game against a SOCON team since App State in 2013. I like that we're playing a SOCON team in the regular season as this will be good for us after seeing how close the Furman game was this year. The Catamounts finished 7-4 and were one of the first few teams to miss the playoff field this year. In October, they were ranked in the selection committee's top 10 rankings sitting at 6-2, before losing 2 of their last 3 games to miss the playoffs in their entirety. They're gonna have a good team next year though. They return a lot of talent, and they should be a playoff team and contend for the SOCON title. I think this is the marquee game of the non-conference slate. I would make this game the blackout game next season.
September 28 @ Eastern Washington: This feels like as good a chance as ever to get our first ever win on the red rug. Eastern has been massively in the slums the last 2 seasons. They do have a much easier schedule next year, but that seems to be the least of their problems. It's a contract year for Aaron Best next season, so if they don't make the playoffs next year, his time in Cheney will likely come to an end. I really don't wanna start conference play 0-1 again so we gotta win this game.
October 5 vs. Weber State: This will be Weber's first trip to Wa-Griz since 2019. I have no idea what kind of a team Weber is gonna have next year. They lost some guys to the portal and graduation so my hunch is they won't be very good. Who knows though. I think this game will be a contender for one of the 2 ESPN2 games next year.
October 12 vs. Northern Arizona: It has been a looooong time since we have played NAU in Wa-Griz. The last time we played them in Missoula was the infamous 2017 Case Cookus ejection game. Revenge will be on the mind of the Griz in this one next year, I can guarantee you that. Should be a fun game.
October 19 BYE: I've always favored having these in the middle of the year so this is a pretty good spot to have it.
October 26 @ Northern Colorado: Just like this year, we get UNC out of the bye week which is perfect as we have been known to come out of by weeks a little flat. It is not possible for UNC to be any worse than they were this year at 0-11. Now they could be just as bad, but they will not be worse lol.
November 2 @ Cal Poly: Our first trip to the beach since 2018. I may try to go to this game next year as I've heard San Luis Obispo is awesome. Curious to see if Cal Poly can take a step forward next year. I feel like they gotta be getting closer to putting it together.
November 9 vs. UC Davis: I guarantee you this game will be a night game. Tim Plough is the new head coach, but I think Davis is gonna have a good team next year. I'm gonna do a way too early power poll next week after our portal window closes, and I'm probably gonna have Davis 3rd in it. This will be their first trip to Missoula since 2018, so another team we haven't seen in Wa-Griz in a while.
November 16 vs. Portland State: I love getting 2 home games in a row before the Brawl. I don't think PSU will be much of a threat next year. This should just be a tune up for the Brawl and the playoffs.
November 23 @ Montana State: Right now on paper, I would say we're gonna have a better team than the cats next year but a lot can change between now and then. I haven't really paid attention to if they've brought in any guys from the portal to mitigate the damage from all the guys they lost to the portal, but there's till time if they haven't yet. As we've seen this decade, it's been really hard for the road team to even be competitive in this game, so what changes next year? IDK if anything does, but this will be a huge game for setting up the playoff picture so we better be on our A game!
