What Is 1903 Montana Grizzlies football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1903 Montana Grizzlies football team represented the University of Montana during the 1903 college football season, compiling a 2–3 record under head coach Frederick G. Jordan. This was the program's third season of intercollegiate competition.

Key Facts

The 1903 Montana Grizzlies finished with a record of 2 wins and 3 losses.
Head coach Frederick G. Jordan led the team in his first and only season.
The team played as an independent with no conference affiliation.
They played their home games at Washington Park in Missoula, Montana.
The Grizzlies scored a total of 34 points across five games in the season.

Overview

The 1903 Montana Grizzlies football team marked the University of Montana's third season fielding an intercollegiate football program. Competing as an independent, the team played a short five-game schedule and finished with a modest 2–3 record.

Under the leadership of head coach Frederick G. Jordan, the Grizzlies showed improvement over previous years but still faced challenges typical of early college football programs. The team played its home games at Washington Park in Missoula, a venue that hosted early athletic events for the university.

Season record: The team finished with a 2–3 win-loss record, reflecting the competitive nature of early 20th-century college football.
Head coach:Frederick G. Jordan served as head coach for the season, his only year in the role before departing the program.
Opponents: The Grizzlies faced regional teams including the University of Idaho and various local athletic clubs.
Scoring: The team scored a total of 34 points across five games, averaging 6.8 points per game.
Home field: Games were played at Washington Park, a multi-use field in Missoula that lacked modern football amenities.

Season Structure and Game Results

The 1903 season consisted of five documented games, none of which were part of a formal conference schedule. As was common at the time, the team arranged matchups with nearby schools and semi-professional clubs.

September 26, 1903: The Grizzlies lost their season opener 0–5 to the Missoula Athletic Club in a low-scoring contest.
October 3, 1903: Montana defeated the Butte YMCA team 12–0, marking their first win of the season.
October 10, 1903: A rematch with the Missoula Athletic Club ended in a 6–5 victory for Montana.
October 17, 1903: The team faced the University of Idaho, losing 5–11 in a tightly contested regional rivalry game.
November 7, 1903: In their final game, Montana beat the Great Falls Athletic Club 8–0, closing the season on a positive note.
Scoring trends: The Grizzlies' defense allowed 27 points over five games, indicating room for improvement in future seasons.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 1903 season compares to other early years in Montana football history:

Season	Record	Head Coach	Home Venue	Points Scored
1901	1–1	John W. Stewart	Unknown	17
1902	1–2	James F. Sewell	Washington Park	21
1903	2–3	Frederick G. Jordan	Washington Park	34
1904	0–2	Walter Camp Jr.	Washington Park	0
1905	2–1	James F. Sewell	Washington Park	45

The 1903 season represented a slight upward trend in performance compared to 1901 and 1902, though results fluctuated significantly in the program’s early years. The increase in points scored to 34 demonstrated offensive improvement, but inconsistency against regional opponents remained a challenge. The team’s reliance on local venues and volunteer coaching staff reflected the amateur nature of college sports at the time. Despite limited resources, the 1903 season helped lay the foundation for future development of Montana’s football program. These early efforts contributed to the eventual establishment of a more structured athletic department in the coming decades.

Why It Matters

The 1903 Montana Grizzlies season is a key part of the university’s athletic heritage, illustrating the humble beginnings of a program that would grow into a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) powerhouse. Though records from this era are incomplete, the season provides insight into the evolution of college football in the American West.

Institutional growth: The 1903 season helped solidify football as a permanent part of campus life at the University of Montana.
Historical continuity: It represents the third consecutive year of documented intercollegiate play, establishing early traditions.
Regional rivalries: Games against Idaho and local clubs laid the groundwork for future conference affiliations and regional matchups.
Coaching legacy: Though brief, Frederick G. Jordan’s tenure contributed to the early development of coaching strategies at the school.
Athletic identity: The Grizzlies moniker and team spirit began taking shape during these formative seasons.
Sports history value: The season is preserved in university archives as part of Montana’s broader cultural and athletic narrative.

Today, the Montana Grizzlies compete in the Big Sky Conference and have made multiple appearances in the FCS playoffs. The 1903 season, though modest by modern standards, was a foundational step in building a lasting football tradition.