I go back and forth about the subject. I think a move to the WAC or MWC would be cool and I think most of our fans would be really excited about it. I seeing the same crap-ass schools come to Missoula and leave with a loss. The Big Sky conf. is home to two of the worst schools in 1-AA football, Sacramento State and Northern Colorado. Northern Colorado took a BRUTAL loss to Chadron State this year, Montana State lost to them last year. So in some aspects I'd love to move up just to see better competition.
A lot of people feel that a bowl game is kind of a slap in the face because any swinging dick of a team can play them.. 6-5? No problem, come play in the HolidayInn.com Bowl sponsored by [Insert internet company here]. 6-5 wouldn't get you into the 1-AA playoffs. 7-4 doesn't usually get you into the playoffs. I love how 1-AA football decides its champion on the field.. the best team wins. Last year's Boise State fiasco is the reason I wouldn't want the Griz to move up. Anyone else know of a sport where an undefeated team doesn't win the championship? Anyone? Me either. It's .
If Montana were to move up it would go one of two ways: Boise State or Idaho. Montana has better facilities, recruiting, prestige, and fan support than Idaho did when they moved up. Idaho was coming off of some nice Big Sky conf. titles and a national championship, but after Dave Dickensen bitch slapped them in the 1995 semi finals game, they went to pot shortly afterward. Their Sun Belt and WAC games have been less than memorable. Boise State on the other hand has had much success, and to a lesser extent, Nevada. Boise had all of the factors that Montana has, except Boise has corporate backing.. people to finance and boost the program. Montana does not have that. Boise State has several LARGE companies in their area who help the program (not just football).. Montana really only has St. Patrick Hospital, Washington Corp., and that's about it. That's what makes me think Montana would go the way of Idaho.. we don't have the big money backers to help the programs out in their initial years.
The facilities at Montana are great.. football stadium is top notch and probably outdraws some MWC/WAC teams in terms of attendance. The Adams Center is pretty decent, seats about 8000 or so. In terms of student population we're right about the same as Wyoming. One thing that would disappear is Cat/Griz.. one of the oldest college football rivalries in the game today. 104th (??) meeting is this year.. that's a lot of damn football between the two schools! If Montana moved up, the game with MSU would go away.. unless the Montana Board of Regents (the ones in charge of the MT university system) decided that we had to bring our bratty little sister with us, in that case the Cats would be f'ed.
In 10 years I'd like to see Montana move up.. I think if we continue to see the success that we have, coupled with some national titles, and increased fan support that would require ANOTHER addition be built onto the stadium (this year it's being expanded to 25,000+), then I'd say the time is right. Missoula is growing economically, the support reaches all over Montana, Northern Idaho, Eastern Washington, and a little into Northern Wyoming.. I'd say that's a big enough fan base to move up. If we start drawing 25-27K every game, I think they'll pull the trigger, assuming the WAC and MWC would want us. However, there's a moratorium for moving up until 2011, so it'll be at least then until you see Montana with the big boys.
