1981 Montana Grizzlies football team

1981 Montana Grizzlies football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record7–3 (5–2 Big Sky)
Head coach
Home stadiumDornblaser Field
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Idaho State $^ 6 1 0 12 1 0
No. 5 Boise State ^ 6 1 0 10 3 0
Montana 5 2 0 7 3 0
Nevada 4 3 0 7 4 0
Weber State 4 3 0 7 4 0
Northern Arizona 2 5 0 4 7 0
Montana State 1 6 0 3 7 0
Idaho 0 7 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Committee poll

The 1981 Montana Grizzlies football team represented the University of Montana in the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. A charter member of the Big Sky Conference, the Grizzlies were led by second-year head coach Larry Donovan and played their home games at Dornblaser Field in Missoula.

Montana had an overall record of 7–3 and finished third in the Big Sky at 5–2.

Montana was the only team to defeat Idaho State in 1981; a tie-breaking field goal with seconds remaining was the difference.[1][2][3] The Bengals went on to win the conference title and the Division I-AA championship.[4]

  1. ^ "Big Sky: Montana knocks off Idaho State". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. October 18, 1981. p. 7C.
  2. ^ "ISU's Machurek to miss today's game". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 17, 1981. p. 3C.
  3. ^ Emerson, Paul (October 29, 1981). "Kragthorpe's turned Bengals into title contenders in two years". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  4. ^ "Bengals ride like the wind". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. December 20, 1981. p. 2D.