Montana 6,
Montana State 0

Game No. 31 – 1927, in Butte

Alberton's Clarence Coyle speeds down the east side of Clark Park, slips past Bobcat halfback Richards, and hauls in a 30-yard scoring pass from Eddie Chinske of Indiana for the only score.

It comes in the final quarter – "a spectacular play, a thrilling moment, which sent the University rooters into cataclysms of joy," the Missoulian reports.

Chinske, who had two interceptions against MSU in 1926, picks off another at the goal line to preserve the shutout.

With their Nov. 19 victory, the Grizzlies run their record to 16-0-3 against the Cats since 1908.

It isn't easy. MSU's stingy defense led by end Cashmore holds the Missoula boys to four first downs. The Cats outgain the Griz 221 yards to 195 behind Eikren, "a slippery line smasher;" Gardner, "a hard man to stop at all times;" and Babcock.

"A grueling, nerve-shattering combat," the Missoulian calls it.

Two plays before the touchdown, Chinske connects with Sam Kain of Helena for a 28-yard pass. On the winning play, both Kain and Coyle head down the same sideline and Richards has to choose which one to cover. He picks Kain and Chinske hits Coyle just short of the end zone.

The loss steals a fifth straight winning season for MSU, which finishes 4-4.

The Grizzlies go 3-0 against in-state foes but 0-4-1 against others such as Washington State, Washington, Idaho and Cal.

Montana leads series 20-7-4.

Montana 0,
Montana State 0

Game No. 32: 1928, in Butte

The sunny afternoon in late October gets off to a bad start.

"A dumb aviator flew over the gridiron three or four times to scatter political handbills, which it was necessary to pick up before play was started," Missoulian sports editor Ray Rocene reports.

Montana, wearing black jerseys and white helmets, comes closest to scoring but fails on three plays from the Bobcat 5-yard line late in the first half. Bobcat linebacker Ott Gardner drops UM quarterback Jimmy Morrow of Moore for a loss of 3; Waldo Ekegren of Harlem regains 2 of those, and a fourth-down pass was batted down by a Montana State defender.

In the third quarter, Grizzly All-America candidate Tom Davis, from Butte, picks up a Bobcat fumble and runs 44 yards across the goal line. It "momentarily sent the University crowd into uproarious ecstasy," Rocene writes.

But referee Robert Morris has blown the ball dead, nullifying the score.

Neither team is satisfied with the tie, but it's an upset of sort for the Grizzlies, though they haven't lost to the Cats in 20 games.

The crowd numbered some 8,000. "It was a sellout, every seat being occupied, and the athletic funds of the two colleges will net a sweet sum as a result," Rocene reports.

Montana leads series 20-7-5.

Montana State 14,
Montana 12

Game No. 33 – 1929, in Butte

It's over. On a sunny October day in Butte's Clark Park, the Bobcats end the longest winless streak in series history.

Montana State last won in 1908, when the series matched the Aggies and the Varsity. The Grizzlies went 16-0-4 in the intervening years.

Max Worthington scores both Bobcat touchdowns, on a 28-yard pass reception and an end-around near the goal line.

Ivar Twilde's long return of the opening kickoff sets up the first MSU score, and his two extra-point kicks are the decisive points.

Jim Morrow of Moore misses both extra-point attempts for the Grizzlies.

All scoring comes in the first half as Montana quickly counters each Bobcat touchdown. Billings halfback Clyde Carpenter crashes 13 yards over right guard Clarence Muhlick of Wisconsin to cap UM's first drive. Waldo Ekegren of Harlem, whose brother Kermit shares halfback duties, scores on a reverse from 3 yards out.

On a last-ditch drive, UM's Morrow runs for 33 yards and passes for 22 to move the ball to the Bobcat 5-yard line. But the final gun sounds before Montana gets off another play.

MSU's second touchdown is aided by a 15-yard penalty "for talking" against Jerry Ryan of Deer Lodge, who is warming up on the sideline for Montana. It gives the Cats the ball on the Grizzly 3. The Grizzlies finish with 90 penalty yards, the Bobcats none.

Montana leads series 20-8-5.

Montana 13,
Montana State 6

Game No. 34 – 1930, in Butte

The Grizzlies regain the winning track, dominating for three quarters and holding off a last-ditch Bobcat assault ignited by three blocked punts.

Nearly 8,000 fans gather at Clark Park on Oct. 17 to see if Maj. Frank Milburn's Montana men can avenge last year's 14-12 defeat – their first to the Bobcats in more than 20 years.

Waldo Ekegren of Harlem scores twice from six inches out in the first half for the Grizzlies. The extra-point kick after the first score by Emile Perey of Philipsburg misses, but the Cats are offside so the Griz get the point. Perey's attempt after the second score is low.

UM's Clyde Carpenter of Billings has a punt partly blocked in the third quarter. Max Worthington of MSU picks it up with clear field ahead but is caught from behind.

Another Carpenter punt is stuffed and recovered on the UM 8-yard line, but the Grizzlies hold on at the 1-yard line early in the final period.

The Cats block a third punt late in the game and take over on the Grizzly 16.

Quarterback DeFrate hits McFarland for a 9-yard touchdown pass to bring Montana State within seven. UM's Gilbert Madden of Roundup helps stave off the Bobcats after that with an interception.

The game is played in the middle of Milburn's fifth and final season, longest tenure yet for a Grizzly head coach.

Montana leads series 21-8-5.