Oh how it pains me to write this story, but I am a journalist and pride myself on objectivity and giving a fair shake even to the Cats.

Go Griz though... Ok, maybe not total objectivity.

Kudos to Montana State because they are one of a select few college football teams to run the gauntlet of the regular season and come out undefeated. There were only 13 teams across the entire college football landscape to close the season without a loss. This counts the NCAA Division I, II, and III and NAIA. That's a total of 943 college football programs and only 13 failed to lose.

 

Oregon Ducks
Montana State Bobcats
Valdosta State Blazers
North Central College Cardinals
Cortland Red Dragons
Hope Flying Dutchmen
Saint John's Johnnies
Springfield Pride
Salisbury University Sea Gulls
DePauw Tigers
Mount Union Raiders
Grand View Vikings
Keiser Seahawks

That's the list. Only two teams are Division 1 - Oregon (FBS) and Montana State (FCS), and they're both located in the Northwest-ish.

READ MORE: Watch The Cats Literally Drop The Great Divide Trophy

Montana State starts the playoffs this weekend against UT Martin.

The Montana Grizzlies Last 11 Playoff Games

11/30/2024: 41-27 Win VS Tennessee State Tigers (FCS Playoffs 1st Round)

You'll see this name quite a bit over the next BLANK entries: Junior Bergen. The all-world returner brought back two punts for his career's 7th and 8th career return touchdowns, tying the FCS record.

1/7/2024: 23-3 loss VS South Dakota State (FCS National Championship)

There is no shame in losing the national title game against one of the best FCS defenses of all time. Montana trailed by just 4 at halftime before SDSU scored 16 unanswered to pull away for their second consecutive natty.

12/16/2023: 31-29 (2OT) Win VS North Dakota State (FCS Semifinal)

Junior Bergen does it again, Eli Gillman scores two touchdowns and the defense forces a 2-point conversion failure in a Grizzly Football classic. The Griz were National Championship bound for the first time since 2009.

12/8/2023: 35-28 (OT) Win VS Furman (FCS Quarterfinal)

In a rematch of the 2001 FCS National Championship, the Grizzlies and the Furman Paladins put on another classic. Neither team led by multiple scores and Junior Bergen returned the opening kick 99 yards for a score and followed it up with a punt return score in the 4th quarter.

12/2/2023: 49-19 win VS Delaware (FCS 2nd Round)

I deem this the Snow Globe game. Snow dumped onto Washington-Grizzly Stadium for an entire quarter making for a magical Wa-Griz Saturday night. Quarterback Clifton McDowell was responsible for three touchdowns (two passing, one running).

12/3/2023: 49-26 Loss @ North Dakota State (FCS Quarterfinal)

Before the Griz got the best of NDSU in an all-time semifinal game, the Bison got the first laugh a year prior in Fargo. The Bison offense was dominant running for 453 yards. Meanwhile, the Griz offense used three quarterbacks: Daniel Britt, Lucas Johnson and Kris Brown.

11/26/2023: 34-24 Win VS Southeast Missouri State (FCS First Round)

Stop me if you've heard this one before: Junior Bergen returned a punt for a touchdown. Bergen scored a punt, and Malike Flowers returned an 80-yard kick return for a touchdown to ignite a Grizzly comeback. Montana trailed 24-3 with 8:41 left in the 3rd quarter and scored the final 31 points.

12/10/2021: 28-6 loss @ James Madison (FCS Quarterfinal)

We can easily forget about this game. At least I will choose to do so. The Grizzly offense mustered up just two field goals from Kevin Macias after Griz great Sammy Akem went down early in the game with an injury.

12/3/2021: 57-41 win VS Eastern Washington (FCS 2nd Round)

We go from a somber memory to an exhilarating one in the epic victory over Eastern Washington. Remember the trash-talking and lead-up to this smashing win? Of course, you do! Griz quarterback Cam Humphrey tossed 3 touchdowns, Sammy Akem hauled in two touchdowns and Justin Ford had a 55-yard pick-6.

12/13/2019: 17-10 L @ Weber State (FCS Quarterfinal)

Snow. Rain. Wind. Elements. Football weather. Weber State got the best of the Griz in this 2019 playoff rematch by picking off Griz quarterback Dalton Sneed 5 times in the quarterback's final game. 2019 was the first quarterfinal appearance since 2009, the last year under Coach Hauck.

12/7/2019: 73-28 win VS Southeastern Louisiana (FCS 2nd Round)

Samori Toure, Marcus Knight, Mitch Roberts, Malik Flowers, Dalont Sneed, Corbin Walker, Eli Alford and Brandon Purdy combined to produce 73 points against SELA back in 2019. Toure broke Randy Moss' record for most FCS playoff receiving yards in a single game with 303 yards. Woof!