1987 Montana Grizzlies football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1987
| team = Montana Grizzlies
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Big Sky Conference
| short_conf = Big Sky
| record = 6–5
| conf_record = 5–3
| head_coach = Don Read
| hc_year = 2nd
| off_coach = Tommy Lee
| oc_year = 2nd
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Bill Smith
| dc_year = 2nd
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Washington–Grizzly Stadium
}}
{{1987 Big Sky Conference football standings}}
The 1987 Montana Grizzlies football team represented the University of Montana in the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies were led by second-year head coach Don Read and finished the season with a record of six wins and five losses (6–5, 5–3 Big Sky).
This was the first full season that Montana played at Washington–Grizzly Stadium; the on-campus venue opened the previous October.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1987
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I-AA
| poll = NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee
| timezone = Mountain
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 12
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1987|team=Portland State Vikings|title=Portland State}}
| opprank = 7 (D-II)
| site_stadium = Washington–Grizzly Stadium
| site_cityst = Missoula, MT
| score = 3–20
| attend = 8,450
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-oregonian-montana-has-to-read/160493263/|work=The Sunday Oregonian|title=Montana has to Read it and weep: PSU posts 20–3 win|date=September 13, 1987|accessdate=December 7, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 19
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Northern Arizona
| site_stadium = Walkup Skydome
| site_cityst = Flagstaff, AZ
| score = 17–24
| attend = 10,538
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-sun-jacks-survive-sporadic/160493482/|work=The Arizona Daily Sun|title=Jacks survive sporadic play, beat Grizzlies|date=September 20, 1987|accessdate=December 7, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 26
| w/l = w
| opponent = Nevada
| opprank = 1
| site_stadium = Washington–Grizzly Stadium
| site_cityst = Missoula, MT
| score = 41–29
| attend = 8,200
| source = {{cite web|title=Grizzlies devour the best of I-AA|newspaper=The Missoulian|date=September 27, 1987|pages=19, 23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49585680/grizzlies-devour-the-best-of-i-aa/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 3
| time = 12:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Northern Iowa
| opprank = 4
| site_stadium = UNI-Dome
| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA
| score = 33–16
| attend = 12,027
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-nightmares-for-uni-iowa/160493636/|work=The Courier|title=Nightmares for UNI, Iowa|date=October 4, 1987|accessdate=December 7, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 10
| time = 8:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 15
| opponent = Idaho
| site_stadium = Kibbie Dome
| site_cityst = Moscow, ID
| gamename = Little Brown Stein
| score = 25–31
| attend = 9,500
| source = {{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NoFfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZzAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3585%2C2681278 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |last=Tatko |first=Mike |title=Cougars, Vandals at home after long absence |date=October 10, 1987 |page=1B}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NoFfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZzAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2879%2C2942034 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho)|last=Tatko |first=Mike |title=Idaho outruns Montana |date=October 11, 1987 |page=1C}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NoFfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZzAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3922%2C2996543 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho)|last=Spevak |first=Jeff |title=Idaho's medical list grows as injuries plague team |date=October 11, 1987 |page=8C}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EJQrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zNAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5357%2C1296181 |work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |last=Pierce |first=Oliver |title=UI rekindles Big Sky title hopes |date=October 12, 1987 |page=7A}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 17
| w/l = w
| opponent = Boise State
| opprank = 19
| site_stadium = Washington–Grizzly Stadium
| site_cityst = Missoula, MT
| score = 12–3
| attend = 10,107
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-spokesman-review-montana-sub-qb-sink/160493767/|work=The Spokesman-Review|title=Montana sub QB sinks Boise State|date=October 18, 1987|accessdate=December 7, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 24
| w/l = l
| opponent = Weber State
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Washington–Grizzly Stadium
| site_cityst = Missoula, MT
| score = 26–29
| attend = 12,318
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-weber-makes-believer/160492468/|work=Great Falls Tribune|title=Weber makes believers of Griz|date=October 25, 1987|accessdate=December 7, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 31
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Montana State
| site_stadium = Reno H. Sales Stadium
| site_cityst = Bozeman, MT
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 55–7
| attend = 17,027
| source = {{cite news|title=Grizzlies growl!|newspaper=The Montana Standard|agency=Associated Press|date=November 1, 1987|pages=9, 12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86332190/grizzlies-growl/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 7
| w/l = w
| opponent = Idaho State
| site_stadium = Washington–Grizzly Stadium
| site_cityst = Missoula, MT
| score = 63–0
| attend = 8,263
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-grizzlies-blitz-idah/160493930/|work=Great Falls Tribune|title=Grizzlies blitz Idaho State|date=November 8, 1987|accessdate=December 7, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 14
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Eastern Washington
| site_stadium = Joe Albi Stadium
| site_cityst = Spokane, WA
| gamename = EWU–UM Governors Cup
| score = 22–3
| attend = 3,553
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent-record-grizzlies-win-thi/160494060/|work=The Independent-Record|title=Grizzlies win third straight|date=November 15, 1987|accessdate=December 7, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 21
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Cal State Fullerton
| site_stadium = Santa Ana Stadium
| site_cityst = Santa Ana, CA
| score = 26–43
| attend = 2,141
| source = {{cite news|title=Titans End Up-Down Season on a Winning Note|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|edition=Orange County|author=Robyn Norwood|date=November 22, 1987|page=III-14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/8909052/titans_end_up_down_season_on_a_winning/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 12, 2017}}{{Open access}}
}}
}}
{{cite web |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/bigsky/montana/1985-1989_yearly_results.php |title=Montana yearly results |work=College Football Data Warehouse |accessdate=August 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215102525/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/bigsky/montana/1985-1989_yearly_results.php |archive-date=2013-12-15 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-11-22-sp-23746-story.html |title=CS Fullerton has a happy ending |last=Norwood |first=Robyn |date=November 22, 1987 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=August 7, 2013}}