MISSOULA — Montana will be the last NCAA Division I team to play its first game of the season, aside from the annually late-starting Ivy League.

The sixth-ranked Grizzlies will have to wait one week longer to face a D-I opponent for the first time as they'll open against D-II Central Washington at 6 p.m. Saturday in Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

At the exact same time across the state, No. 3 Montana State will be kicking off against No. 2 South Dakota State in Bozeman as two of the current FCS powers square off in the regular season for the second time in three years.

Coincidentally, last week was the 10-year anniversary of the Griz beating No. 1 North Dakota State, which is still the most recent time they've hosted a team ranked in the top 12 for a regular season nonconference home game.

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