No. 12 Montana returned home on Saturday for Portland State Vs Montana with momentum finally back on its side, but Bobby Kennedy was quick to stress that the visitors should not be taken lightly. After a much-needed win over Eastern Washington, the Grizzlies entered their 10th game of the season looking for a seventh victory and another strong showing at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
The timing matters. Montana had gone nearly a month without a win before beating Eastern Washington last weekend, and the performance on defense was as encouraging as the result. The Grizzlies recorded 11 sacks and three takeaways, which gave them the kind of edge and disruption they have been chasing in Big Sky play.
Portland State arrives with a new head coach in Chris Fisk, and Kennedy made it clear that the Vikings have earned respect even in a rebuilding year. Kennedy said, “There’s a reason why he got that job, right?” and added that he got to know Fisk a little at the Big Sky meetings. “I’ve got a lot of respect for him and what he’s doing there,” Kennedy said.
Why Montana cannot afford to look past Portland State
That warning fits the challenge in front of Montana. Kennedy described Portland State as “a gritty group” and said, “I think they’re good up front.” He also pointed to the way Fisk’s first-year staff is shaping the program, saying the Vikings are “going to eventually take on his personality” and calling him “a no-nonsense guy” and “a tough guy.”
Those comments are not empty praise. Kennedy referenced Portland State’s showing against Weber State as a sign of progress, saying it was impressive because Weber State is a good team. The bigger point is that Montana is facing a side that has already shown growth and fight under its new coach, even if the Grizzlies will rightly go in as the stronger team at home.
Montana wants to keep rolling
Inside the Montana camp, the message is less about the opponent’s story and more about building on what the Grizzlies have started to fix. Colton Lentz said the recent win “felt amazing,” but stressed that this is still “just another game” and “a different colored jersey.” He added, “We’re going to keep rolling,” while making clear that another win would help the team keep moving forward week by week.
Landon Ransom-Goelz struck a similar tone, saying Montana is coming in “a little chip on our shoulder because I feel like we have more to prove.” He also said the Grizzlies are “not a finished product,” which is an honest assessment of a team still searching for consistency as the season moves deeper into November.
That is why this home game matters. Montana has the better record, the better ranking, and the better recent defensive performance, but the next step is proving that the bounce-back win over Eastern Washington was the start of something more sustainable. If the Grizzlies can control the game again on Saturday, they will do more than protect their place in the Big Sky race — they will show that their season is starting to settle into the right rhythm.
