Portland State vs. My In-Laws (Montana State)

Bozeman, like much of the great state of Montana, is a beautiful place. Cradled within Gallatin County, it is surrounded by mountains (Bridger Mountains), mountains (Tobacco Root Mountains) and more (Big Belt) mountains. It’s a small little jewel of city located on a stretch of I-90 between the bigger cities of Missoula to the west and Billings to the east. Bozeman is home to the Museum of the Rockies, has a burgeoning batch of breweries, is a neighbor to its eventual demise, and has one of the most scenic stadiums I have ever stepped foot in: Bobcat Stadium.

Bozeman is home base to the Montana State Bobcats of the Big Sky Conference. In this mainly college-centric city, Bozeman treats their Big Sky team how most of Oregon treats Oregon or Oregon State football. Here, Bobcat football leads off most sports related news. Here, a Big Sky team is front and center. For a big city outsider, it can be jarring seeing a Big Sky team get all the love and attention, if not a little endearing, like having a small child walk up to you in adult shoes proclaiming what a “big boy” he is. More importantly, my wife’s family lives in Bozeman and they love to support their hometown team. Having had a lot of success in the Big Sky, they watch their Bobcats with as much passion as I watch my beloved Portland Trail Blazers. All of Bozeman adores Montana State, a team that usually beats the Portland State Vikings any and every chance they get. Did I mention my in-laws live up there? That is why it is imperative that the 17^th ranked Vikings (4-1), the sole survivor of college football pride in Oregon, must win this coming Saturday against the 16^th ranked Montana State Bobcats (3-2).

You see, I have nothing to boast about whenever we travel the 12 long hours it takes to get to Bozeman from Portland. You can’t brag about FBS teams in a small city like Bozeman. Nobody cares. Also, there is nothing to brag about these days. Nobody cares about major league teams, either. In a city like Bozeman where the Bobcats own the spotlight, Portland State has been nothing more than a chew toy for a decade, having not beaten the Bobcats since 2005. This is the season that Portland State can finally change all that, when the Vikings can put the proverbial horns to the Cats.

The Bobcats will travel to Providence Park this Saturday for a 12:30pm showdown of Big Sky powers. The Bobcats have the league’s best offense. The Vikings have the league’s best defense. Portland State has held opponents to an average of 11.4 points and 292 yards per game while Montana State has averaged 43 points on 564 yards of total offense per game. It will be a strong test for the Vikings to prove just how serious they are about going after the Big Sky crown. Whenever the Bobcats are in town, home games in Portland tend to have a more traditional college atmosphere; not only will Portland State fans be filling up seats at Providence Park, many Bobcat alumni are usually in attendance as well as Portland seems to be a popular exodus location for former Bozeman residents. Let’s hope it is the Portland State fans that will have more reasons to cheer and be loud this weekend.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that the Portland State Vikings were the best college football team in Oregon, and after a small hiccup of a game following that article, that statement seems truer now than when I wrote it. Portland State, like the Bobcats are for Bozeman, is the pride of Oregon football at the present moment. The next two weeks will help determine the course for the remainder of Portland State’s season. After Montana State this weekend and a road game against Cal Poly the next, the Vikings host 20^th ranked Montana Grizzlies on Oct. 31^st. How sweet would it be for the Vikings to take two games against Montana teams this season, a feat that until this year seemed all but impossible? The Vikings have also lost eight in a row to Montana including 12 of the last 13 meetings. The Vikings have been owned by Montana teams, faring about as well as I would do alone in the Montana wilderness with nothing but my wits and a spork.

This year, I would love nothing more than to travel to Bozeman for Christmas like a Viking Santa Clause, handing out festive green Portland State Big Sky Champions sweatshirts to my in-laws to help keep them warm during the cold, dark winter of Montana State’s Big Sky aspirations. I have nothing but love for my in-laws and for the city of Bozeman, which is exactly why Portland State needs to win on Saturday, because when the city is blanketed by a foot of snow for the winter, they could use a little green on Christmas.