You know it’s hard out there for a Bobcat fan

Being part of Griz Nation is a good time. It means taking part in one of the greatest football traditions – following a winning team and bashing on the Bobcats.

But for some University of Montana students and student-athletes, it’s different. For those who hail from Bozeman, it’s weird being in Griz territory during the biggest rivalry week in Montana football … even for those who bleed maroon and silver.

Britney Lohman is one of those Bozeman natives, and a sophomore forward for the Lady Griz basketball team. She said it will be weird to have her friends from Bozeman come down and stay with her for Griz-Cat weekend.

“Everyone knows I’m a Griz though,” she said. “I never really considered going to Bozeman. I’ll always be a Griz fan before I’d ever be a Cat fan.”

Several students from Bozeman said they try to just stay out of it, and don’t really consider themselves loyal to one team or the other. Denise Barrett, a freshman studying elementary education, said she thinks she is a fan of both teams, if that’s possible in Montana. Although she tends to ride the fence, she made a bet with her Bozeman friends that the Griz would win.

“It’ll be fun to see who wins,” she said. “It’s funny because (in Bozeman) you hear all the bad stuff about the Griz, and then you get here and it’s the opposite.”

Ross Carlson, a sophomore geography major, also tends to lean in favor of the Griz. Still it’s different being here for the rivalry when you hail from Bozeman, he said.

“You hear about how good the Cats are all your life, and then you get here and they suck,” he said.

Another student, junior Laura Franklin said she’s a Griz fan even though her dad has ties to Montana State.

“My dad works at MSU, but I never really cared about Cat football,” she said. “People ask me a lot why I didn’t go to school in Bozeman. I like Missoula better.”

Dillon Warn thinks he will like Missoula more too. Warn is a student at MSU who is planning to transfer to UM next semester. He’s got a ticket to the game, but said it will be intimidating being surrounded by Griz fans.

“I think it’ll be weird to be one of those people with ties to both teams,” he said. “It’s kind of like someone living during the American Revolution—you love America, but you love the King also.”

Warn said he’ll be going for the Bobcats on the inside, but probably won’t show it much this Saturday.

One football player from Bozeman wears his allegiance to the Griz every Saturday when he puts on the Montana jersey. Andrew Schmidt said being a Griz from the rival school is great, adding that the coaches and winning program were what attracted him to UM.

“It’s great, especially when we win,” the sophomore running back said. “I can go back with bragging rights over Christmas break.”

Schmidt isn’t the only Griz football player with ties to MSU. Wide receiver Ryan Bagley’s parents both went to Montana State. His father, Don, was a running back for the Bobcats.
“I grew up a Cat fan my whole life,” Bagley said. “I didn’t even like the Griz until my senior year of high school.”

He said the stadium, fans, coaches and the program itself were attractive to him when he signed with the Griz, and added that those things played a role in converting his parents into “the biggest Griz fans” he knows. That, along with the Christmas presents they receive.

“I got them Griz gear for Christmas my first year,” he said. “When I saw them wear it I knew they supported me.”

But, like Bagley’s dad, who still has Bobcat license plates on his truck, there are some people who just can’t let go entirely. The UM campus is full of students from Bozeman, and on any given day, they wouldn’t think twice about it … except for maybe one Saturday in November.