Ask Bobcat faithful what team they’ve had the most trouble with over the last 40 games and they’d almost all tell you it’s the Montana Grizzlies. Montana State lost 16 straight in one stretch between 1986 and 2001 and UM is by far MSU’s most vitriolic rival.
In fact, it’s not the Grizzlies that have been the biggest thorn in MSU’s side the past four decades.
It’s the Eastern Washington Eagles, which might actually be everyone’s second guess.
Since 1983, the Eagles are 28-12 against MSU, which is surprisingly two games ahead of UM, which sits at 26-14. The Bobcats have had a resurgence since 2010 and during that time frame the Bobcats lead the Grizzlies eight to five and the Eagles, although they have not won at the same clip as they previously had, still have a winning record against MSU at 7-6.
More recently, things have changed dramatically as the Eagles have now lost four straight to the Bobcats and the Grizzlies have won just twice in the last eight games against MSU. The trend has shifted but the Eagles and Grizzlies are still formidable foes and with EWU coming to Bozeman on Saturday, the Bobcats will be looking to hold that trend in place.
It wasn’t long ago that Eastern Washington and Montana State matching up meant offensive fireworks, no time for punters and some of the greatest games of the modern era in Big Sky history. But during the Brent Vigen era, it’s been all Bobocats.
Of MSU’s four consecutive wins, the Bobcats have won three on the road and those games have stuck with the near-constant theme of thrilling games that have been played between the two over the past 15 years. In 2021, MSU won 23-20, then 38-35 in 2022 and last year the game was tied late in the third before the Bobcats scored twice to seal a 42-28 victory. Since 2010, five games have been decided by a touchdown or less, 12 of 14 have seen at least one team score 30 or more and two games have seen both teams score 50 or more.
“In Eastern Washington, we face a team that we’ve played every year since I’ve been here,” Vigen, who is 4-0 vs the Eagles, said. “This is just the second time we’ve played them in Bozeman. All three games out in Cheney have been games that have come basically down to the wire.
“Over the years each of these games, particularly the ones out there…if our eyes aren’t open particularly because of how those games have gone, then shame on us.”
The two put on one of the greatest games in terms of pure entertainment in Big Sky Conference history in 2014 in Bozeman. EWU came away with a 52-51 win when quarterback Vernon Adams converted a two-point conversion with under a minute to play. The Bobcats nearly scratched their way into field goal position as the tickets dwindled down but had to settle for a desperation heave from sophomore quarterback Dakota Prukop as time ran out. A year later in Cheney, Wash., they both scored over 50 points, and the Eagles prevailed again 55-50 despite MSU rolling up 718 yards of total offense (a Big Sky record) because EWU finished the game without a single punt.
Former MSU safety and assistant coach Michael Rider took part in the 2009 and 2010 games and knows the rivalry with the Eagles well.
“In 2009m we go up there and they were so talented,” Rider said. “Trying to stop (running back) Taiwan Jones one of the best athletes I’ve ever seen. He just stole my football soul. I’ll never forget it, he juked me so bad I think I tackled my own teammate. I remember getting on the bus after we lost and it was a controversial game. (MSU wide receiver) Everett Gilbert caught a touchdown pass and actually got his toe inbounds. It should’ve been a touchdown and we should’ve won, but they ruled it incomplete and this was before replay. I just remember getting on the bus and thinking, “can I play? Can I tackle like I thought, because that guy made me feel lesser than.”
A year later, Rider would get his revenge as the Bobcats steamrolled the Eagles in Bozeman 30-7. Jones, the 2010 Big Sky Offensive MVP and a future 10-year pro, and the Eagles went on to win the 2010 national championship.
“(The 2009 loss) was a game that fueled you all the offseason,” Rider said. “They came to Bozeman early, like this year, and we beat them down. Turns out that was the spark they needed. They didn’t lose a single game after that and went on to win the 2010 national title.”
The Bobcats have also won a national title during that 40-game span despite losing to the other in that same season (EWU beat MSU 21-16 in 1984; MSU beat EWU 30-7 in 2010). The Eagles’ title season marks one of only two times a Big Sky team has defeated powerhouse North Dakota State in the FCS playoffs. Thirteen years later, the Bison lost at Montana in double-overtime. The Bobcats also knocked off the Bison in a national semifinal game, but that was back in 1976 prior to the formulation of the I-AA/FCS division when the final four game was known as the Grantland Rice Bowl.
When the Big Sky added so many teams that not everyone could play each other, the MSU-EWU rivalry looked like it was going to lose a little bit of its flavor as the schedule didn’t have them facing each other every year. Undaunted, the leaders at each institution figured out a way to have the teams play non-conference games against each other. The only year that the schools haven’t played since 1983 was the 2019 season.
Another memorable game was the 2004 overtime battle in Bozeman. The Bobcats were under the lead of vivacious head coach Mike Kramer and ever-heroic quarterback Travis Lulay. This time, the meeting was next to the last game of the season. MSU was 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the league, needing a win to secure a playoff spot after being upset by Sacramento State the previous week. Lulay came out on fire and had the Bobcats up 31-10 early in the second half only to see the Eagles and their star quarterback Erik Meyer storm back and tie the game at 44-44 and send it to overtime. The Eagles got the ball first and scored a touchdown, but the Bobcats couldn’t answer after reaching the four-yard line on their possession losing 51-44.
Despite piling up 683 yards of total offense, the Bobcats couldn’t secure the win. Lulay threw for 432 yards and three touchdowns on 33 of 54 passing and ran for another 110 yards and a score. Receivers Ricky Gatewood and Eddie Sullivan had 146 and 143 yards receiving, respectively, and combined for three touchdowns. Running back Justin Domineck had 24 carries for 143 yards and a score.
EWU had 536 yards of total offense and Meyer was 25 of 41 for 372 yards and five touchdowns. Star receiver Eric Kimble had 10 catches for 193 yards and three touchdowns.
Ten years later, the classic 52-51 EWU win came about, and it featured 582 yards by the Eagles and 542 yards by the Bobcats. Like 2004, MSU built a big lead late only to see the Eagles come screaming back. MSU went up 44-30 with around 2:00 to go in the third quarter, but EWU cut that to seven points with a touchdown that took only a minute to secure. Shawn Johnson, who had a stupendous day, put the Bobcats back up 51-44 with under two minutes to play before Adams broke the Cats hearts with just :27 to play with his two-point conversion after Mario Brown’s touchdown.
Johnson had 150 yards rushing on just 14 carries along with another 62 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns. Prukop put up 248 yards and four touchdown passes and another 62 yards and a score rushing. Bozeman native Tanner Roderick had the game of his career. The Gatorade Player of the Year in both football and basketball caught five passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
It’s unlikely that the two teams will put on a display like either of those two games, but it certainly can’t be ruled out. The Eagles and Bobcats clash at 2:00 Saturday at Bobcat Stadium for MSU’s homecoming game.
