If you can’t play nice we will have to play the Cat-Griz game in Butte.

Ok kids, you are going to force me to do something drastic. IF you Grizzlies and Bobcats can’t just relax and enjoy the fact that College Gameday is FINALLY coming to Montana, I might be forced to take drastic measures. Like any parent, I will start by taking your football away for a day or 2 (though I know this won’t work) Or, maybe a stay in Timeout will help your attitude (I’m guessing some of you might be in Facebook timeout already do to some of the comments I’m seeing out there)

Knowing that neither of those will work, I will have to go right to the ‘Double-Dog Dare’. I’m going to take the game away from both of you and return it to Butte.

No! Don’t talk back to me, the way that both of you are acting you don’t deserve it. I’m just going to text Kirk, and he and the boys will park their rigs on South Wyoming right next to Narnache, and we will do it as only Butte Montana can. Dave and the crew at Metals can do the feast, Arie, Schmidty, and Arntson can be the break-down guys, and Bob Green the guest Picker, DONE!

Joking aside this is going to be a big weekend for Montana. Cat-Griz is always a big deal, ranked, unranked, winning seasons or not, it doesn’t matter, this game is always big. This will be the 121^st meeting between the two and a good chunk of that history was played right here in Butte Montana. From 1926 to 1950 the game was played in Butte.

From 1926 until 1938 the game was played at Clarks Park, which at the time was the largest football facility in the state. In the 13-year run at Clarks Park, the Grizzlies won 11 of those matchups, 9 via shutout. The Bobcat’s 2 wins at Clarks Park came in 1929 (14-12) and 1932 (19-7).

In 1939 the game moved to the newly constructed Butte High Stadium. Butte High Stadium was renamed in 1943 to Naranche Stadium in honor of former Butte High Athlete Eso Naranche who was killed in World War II. The first Cat-Griz game at ‘Naranche Stadium’ went the way of the Grizzlies by a score of 6-0. The Grizzlies continued to dominate the games played in Butte, winning 7 of the 8 meetings at Naranche from 1939-1950. (Due to WWII there were no meetings from ’42-45) The only Cat win at Naranche coming in 1947 with a 13-12 win.

In total there have been 21 Cat-Griz games played in Butte, of those the Griz have won 17. (81% winning percentage) Of the 120 overall meetings, the Griz have won 74 of the games. (62%) Looking at the last 10 years of the game, it is split with 5 wins for each.

So remember, don’t embarrass the state this weekend. If you do, we will take away your toys and bring them right back to Butte Montana.

Get our free mobile app