Idaho-Montana football rivalry
Idaho Vandals
Montana Grizzlies
First meeting1903, 118 years ago
Idaho, 28–0
Latest meetingOctober 23, 2021
Montana 34, Idaho 14
Next meetingOctober 15, 2022 in Missoula
Statistics
Meetings total87
All-time seriesIdaho leads, 55–30–2 (.644)
Largest victoryIdaho, 46–0  (1945)
Longest win streakIdaho, 8, (1951–1959)
Current win streakMontana, 7, (2000–present)
[Interactive fullscreen map]
Locations of Idaho and Montana

The Little Brown Stein is a rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the college football game between Idaho Vandals football team of the University of Idaho and the Montana Grizzlies football team of the University of Montana. The trophy is, as the name implies, a large stein mug with the results of all the games between the two painted on.[1][2][3][4]

The game was not played for 14 seasons, from 2004 to 2017, and Montana retained the trophy.[5][6] The series resumed 2018, when Idaho rejoined the Big Sky Conference for football.

History

Idaho and Montana first met in football 118 years ago in 1903 and have played 86 times; the stein was introduced 83 years ago in 1938,[1][2][3] at the 25th meeting. Idaho has dominated the overall series (55–30–2 (.644)),[7] which also includes two Division I-AA playoff wins at home in the 1980s. Montana has had the upper hand since 1991, winning eleven of the last thirteen. While Idaho was in Division I-A (FBS), from 1996 through 2017, the teams met only five times, with Montana winning the last four.[5][6][8]

The schools are about two hundred miles (320 km) apart. Moscow and Missoula are on opposite sides of the lower Idaho Panhandle, separated by the Bitterroot Mountains over Lolo Pass (U.S. Route 12).

Idaho hosted the game in southern Idaho at Boise in 1961,[9][10] and in nearby Pullman, Washington, in 1970 and 2000.

Conferences

Both were members of the old Pacific Coast Conference (the forerunner of today's Pac-12);[11] Montana departed after the 1949 season, and the PCC disbanded in the summer of 1959. In most years, the loser of the game was last in the PCC standings.

The universities were charter members of the Big Sky Conference in 1963,[12][13] (although Idaho remained an independent in football until 1965) and their final season as conference opponents was in 1995. While Montana has been in the Big Sky since its inception, Idaho has changed its conference affiliation no fewer than five times since 1995:

Results

Idaho victoriesMontana victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1903 Moscow, ID Idaho 28–0
2 1914 Moscow, ID Tie0–0
3 1915 Missoula, MT Montana15–3
4 1916 Moscow, ID Montana20–13
5 1917 Missoula, MT Idaho 14–3
6 1919 Moscow, ID Idaho 7–0
7 1920 Missoula, MT Idaho 20–7
8 1921 Moscow, ID Idaho 35–7
9 1922 Missoula, MT Idaho 39–0
10 1923 Moscow, ID Idaho 40–0
11 1924 Missoula, MT Idaho 41–13
12 1925 Moscow, ID Montana20–14
13 1926 Missoula, MT Idaho 27–12
14 1927 Moscow, ID Idaho 42–6
15 1928 Missoula, MT Idaho 21–7
16 1929 Moscow, ID Idaho 19–0
17 1930 Missoula, MT Montana12–6
18 1931 Moscow, ID Idaho 21–19
19 1932 Missoula, MT Idaho 19–6
20 1933 Moscow, ID Idaho 12–6
21 1934 Missoula, MT Idaho 13–6
22 1935 Moscow, ID Idaho 14–7
23 1936 Missoula, MT Montana16–0
24 1937 Moscow, ID Idaho 6–0
25 1938 Missoula, MT Idaho 19–6
26 1939 Moscow, ID Montana13–0
27 1940 Missoula, MT Montana28–18
28 1941 Moscow, ID Montana16–0
29 1942 Missoula, MT Idaho 21–0
30 1945 Moscow, ID Idaho 46–0
31 1946 Missoula, MT Montana19–0
32 1947 Moscow, ID Montana21–0
33 1948 Moscow, ID Idaho 39–0
34 1949 Missoula, MT Idaho 47–19
35 1950 Moscow, ID Montana28–27
36 1951 Missoula, MT Idaho 12–9
37 1952 Moscow, ID Idaho 27–0
38 1953 Missoula, MT Idaho 20–12
39 1955 Moscow, ID Idaho 31–0
40 1956 Missoula, MT Idaho 14–0
41 1957 Moscow, ID Idaho 31–13
42 1958 Missoula, MT Idaho 14–6
43 1959 Moscow, ID Idaho 9–6
44 1960 Missoula, MT Montana18–14
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
45 1961 Boise, ID Idaho 16–14
46 1962 Missoula, MT Montana22–16
47 1965 Missoula, MT Idaho 35–7
48 1966 Moscow, ID Idaho 40–6
49 1967 Missoula, MT Idaho 19–14
50 1968 Moscow, ID Idaho 56–45
51 1969 Missoula, MT Montana34–9
52 1970 Pullman, WA Montana44–26
53 1971 Missoula, MT Idaho 21–12
54 1972 Moscow, ID Idaho 31–17
55 1973 Missoula, MT Idaho 20–7
56 1974 Moscow, ID Tie35–35
57 1975 Missoula, MT Montana14–3
58 1976 Moscow, ID Idaho 28–19
59 1977 Moscow, ID Idaho 31–20
60 1978 Missoula, MT Idaho 34–30
61 1979 Moscow, ID Idaho 20–17
62 1980 Missoula, MT Idaho 42–0
63 1981 Moscow, ID Montana16–14
64 1982 Missoula, MT Montana40–16
65  1982A Moscow, ID #11 Idaho 21–7
66 1983 Moscow, ID Idaho 45–24
67 1984 Missoula, MT Idaho 40–39
68 1985 Moscow, ID #4 Idaho 38–0
69 1986 Missoula, MT Idaho 38–31
70 1987 Moscow, ID Idaho 31–25
71 1988 Missoula, MT #16 Montana26–17
72  1988A Moscow, ID #1 Idaho 38–19
73 1989 Moscow, ID Idaho 30–24
74 1990 Missoula, MT #17 Idaho 35–14
75 1991 Moscow, ID Montana35–34
76 1992 Missoula, MT Montana47–29
77 1993 Moscow, ID Montana54–34
78 1994 Missoula, MT Montana45–21
79 1995 Moscow, ID Idaho 55–43
80 1999 Missoula, MT Idaho 33–30
81 2000 Pullman, WA #10 Montana45–38
82 2001 Missoula, MT #1 Montana33–27
83 2002 Moscow, ID #1 Montana38–31
84 2003 Missoula, MT #9 Montana41–28
85 2018 Moscow, ID Montana46–27
86 2019 Missoula, MT #6 Montana42–17
87 2021 Moscow, ID #11 Montana34–14
Series: Idaho leads 55–30–2
A Division I-AA playoff game (1982, 1988)

Coaching records

Since 1945; Idaho led the first 29 meetings (through 1942) at 20–8–1 (.707)).

Idaho

Head Coach Team Games Seasons Wins Losses Ties Pct.
Babe Brown Idaho 2 1945–46 1 1 0 .500
Dixie Howell Idaho 4 1947–50 2 2 0 .500
Babe Curfman Idaho 3 1951–53 3 0 0 1.000 
Skip Stahley Idaho 7 1954–61 6 1 0 .857
Dee Andros Idaho 1 1962–64 0 1 0 .000
Steve Musseau Idaho 3 1965–67 3 0 0 1.000 
Y C McNease Idaho 2 1968–69 1 1 0 .500
Don Robbins Idaho 4 1970–73 3 1 0 .750
Ed Troxel Idaho 4 1974–77 2 1 1 .625
Jerry Davitch Idaho 4 1978–81 3 1 0 .750
Dennis Erickson (a) Idaho 5 1982–85 4 1   .800
Keith Gilbertson    Idaho    4 1986–88 3 1   .750
John L. Smith Idaho 6 1989–94 2 4   .333
Chris Tormey Idaho 2 1995–99 2 0   1.000 
Tom Cable Idaho 4 2000–03 0 4   .000
Nick Holt Idaho 0 2004–05        
Dennis Erickson (b) Idaho 0 2006        
Robb Akey Idaho 0 2007–12        
Paul Petrino Idaho 3 2013–19 0 3   .000
Total Idaho 58 1945–2021 35 22 1 .612

Montana

Head Coach Team Games Seasons Wins Losses Ties Pct.
George Dahlberg Montana 1 1945 0 1 0 .000
Doug Fessenden Montana 3 1946–48 2 1 0 .667
Ted Shipkey Montana 3 1949–51 1 2 0 .333
Ed Chinske Montana 2 1952–54 0 2 0 .000
Jerry Williams Montana 3 1955–57 0 3 0 .000
Ray Jenkins Montana 5 1958–63 2 3 0 .400
Hugh Davidson   Montana   2 1964–66 0 2 0 .000
Jack Swarthout Montana 9 1967–75 3 5 1 .389
Gene Carlson Montana 4 1976–79 0 4 0 .000
Larry Donovan Montana 7 1980–85 2 5   .286
Don Read Montana 11 1986–95 5 6   .455
Mick Dennehy Montana 1 1996–99 0 1   .000
Joe Glenn Montana 1 2000–02 3 0   1.000 
Bobby Hauck (a) Montana 1 2003–09 1 0   1.000 
Robin Pflugrad Montana 0 2010–11        
Mick Delaney Montana 0 2012–14        
Bob Stitt Montana 0 2015–17        
Bobby Hauck (b) Montana 3 2018–19 3 0   1.000 
Total Montana '58 1945–2021 22 35 1 .388

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Vandals still seeking a win". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). October 20, 1948. p. 18.
  2. ^ a b Payne, Bob (October 18, 1974). "Tips riding two-game win streak". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 29.
  3. ^ a b "Football". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1943. p. 233.
  4. ^ "Montana tickets on sale to season ticket holders". University of Idaho Athletics. August 27, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Meehan, Jim (September 28, 2003). "Idaho collapses in Montana". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C13.
  6. ^ a b Bauer, Doug (September 28, 2003). "Griz catch Vandals with pants down". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  7. ^ a b Welsch, Jeff (April 30, 2016). "Idaho's twice-bruised ego offers cautionary tale for Griz, Cats". Billings Gazette. (Montana). Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  8. ^ "Idaho opponents: vs. Montana". CFB Data Warehouse. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
  9. ^ "Idaho, Montana renew old football rivalry at Boise". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 18, 1961. p. 2.
  10. ^ "Vandals repel late Montana bid for 16-14 upset victory". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 19, 1961. p. 8.
  11. ^ "Montana eleven wallops Vandals". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). United Press. November 8, 1947. p. 2.
  12. ^ Missildine, Harry (February 26, 1963). "Six western schools create Big Sky athletic conference". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 12.
  13. ^ "Big Sky is ready for league action". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). February 26, 1963. p. 13.
  14. ^ "Idaho football to Big Sky Conference". Big Sky Conference. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  15. ^ Kasper, John (September 25, 2013). "No. 48 Big Sky Innovation". Big Sky Conference. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
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