As the football program enjoyed success home games became a Missoula must see event, and eventually grew to become a  regional phenomenon, with many Montanans traveling from all over the state to attend. With two Division I Football Championship victories, and eight national championship appearances, the University of Montana Grizzly football program has become the pride of Montana, and game day is celebrated by alumni across the country.

In the past 20 years we have watched a small town program struggle to its feet, to then become the most successful program in all college football in the 2000s, with 119 wins, and the third most successful team in the FCS during 1990s, with 93 wins.  Unfortunately, as Grizzly football became more than a small town football program, the ability to attend and enjoy the game became harder for many children... especially financially-disadvantaged children.