Spiders will prove to be too deadly

2 viewpoints

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. People fall in love with Montana without even going there, which is understandable.

Montana is big-sky country, the fourth-largest state in terms of square miles, 147,046, but 44th in population with just 957,861 people in all that space.

Romanticists seeking room to roam want to visit Montana. The skies over Montana serve as one of the hosts of nature's most impressive pyrotechnic shows, the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.

Montana has an edge on Virginia in several areas. Montana's highest point, Granite Peak at 12,799 feet, dwarfs Virginia's highest point, Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet.

The life expectancy in Montana is 76.2 years while a Virginian can expect to live one year less. That might not seem so significant, unless you live in Virginia and happen to be 75 years old.

Missoula, Mont., and Richmond are about 2,400 miles apart and have little in common.

Tonight, though, Missoula and Richmond will merge and become one. Sort of.

The University of Montana Grizzlies play the Richmond Spiders in the Football Championship Subdivision national championship game.

You have to like the odds of a grizzly over a spider in almost any physical encounter. Even the most deadly spider can be neutralized quickly with a quick stomp from the large foot of a 500-pound bear.

The Grizzlies have some big guys on their offensive and defensive lines, but none weigh-in at 500 pounds.

The Spiders might not match the Grizzlies pound for pound, but what the Spiders lack in weight they make up in speed, quickness and acceleration.

The Spiders are a poised, resilient bunch.

Tonight, the Spiders will win the national championship.

This prediction isn't going to make Grizzly fans, some of whom are here already, happy.

I took a few minutes to peruse the egriz.com message board this week, and know how passionate Montana fans are about their Grizzlies. So, to keep my e-mail from expanding exponentially, let me say this is nothing personal.

My wife and I want to visit Montana one day. We want to see the Northern Lights. We want to take in the panoramic views. Several Montanans assured me via e-mail this week that when we make that trip, we will find the people there are a friendly bunch.

Let's hope that still will be the case.

Richmond will win because they're the better team.

The Grizzlies beat James Madison University in Harrisonburg a week ago to get to this championship game. That was no small accomplishment. The Grizzlies are a tough-minded, determined group. Chase Reynolds is a battering ram of a running back who is going to give the Spiders a bruise or two.

No one should be surprised if Grizzlies quarterback Cole Bergquist is in an NFL training camp next summer. His passes zip through the air and do not give defensive backs much time to react.

But to beat JMU, the Grizzlies needed four Dukes turnovers. The Grizzlies also played mistake-free football -- no turnovers and just two penalties for a total of 12 yards.

What are the odds of these things happening two consecutive weeks? Slim and none.

JMU did not punt in that game -- something Dukes coach Mickey Matthews mentioned, oh, a dozen or so times -- and Montana never really stopped the Dukes offense, which essentially consists of running plays.

Richmond has a few guys who can play the game a little bit, too. Running back Josh Vaughan -- 1,722 yards rushing -- will have a chance to play in the NFL next season. Quarterback Eric Ward is an effective, efficient passer (16 touchdown passes, seven interceptions) and as calm under pressure as any player at any level.

Defensive ends Lawrence Sidbury and Sherman Logan have 13 ½ sacks and 28 tackles for losses between them. The Spiders have intercepted 28 passes in 15 games.

This is Richmond's first appearance in the title game while Montana practically factors it in as part of its schedule. They won it all in 1995 and 2001, and this is their sixth title game in the past 14 seasons.

Tonight, that means nothing.

It's nice to have a tradition of playing in big games, but this game is not too big for the Spiders.

Put them down for a 31-27 victory.
Contact Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444 or .