MISSOULA, Mont. – The No. 13 Montana Grizzlies will face No. 21 Tennessee State this Saturday in an exciting playoff matchup at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The game will feature a familiar face on the opposing sideline.

Former NFL star and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George, the head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers, leads his team to its first playoff appearance since 2013. The Tigers, an HBCU in the Big South Conference, will experience Montana’s unique environment for the first time Time.

However, not everyone on the Tennessee State team is unfamiliar with Montana. Tigers defensive coordinator Brandon Fisher is a former Griz linebacker who played under head coach Bobby Hauck. Coach George hopes Fisher’s experience will benefit the team.

“He knows the culture. He understands it, he is born in it and shaped by it,” said George of Fishers Rat before Saturday’s competition. “He gives great insight and shows exactly what to expect when you play in the stadium, you know what it’s like. It’s getting tight, tight on the sidelines. It will be hostile, it will be cold. That’s all it’s going to be.” Things are helping us in terms of what to expect going into Saturday night and hopefully it’ll be a fun environment.”

For the Grizzlies, finishing No. 14 this year is a change from No. 2 last year. However, they remain optimistic and draw inspiration from recent history.

Jaxon Lee, a senior safety for the Griz, said: “NDSU did that last year and, you know, they’re just a game or two away from making it to the Natty with the exact same record. Hopefully we can somehow get through this. “Recover and just do one every week and oh.”

Although the Grizzlies did not expect to play on Thanksgiving weekend, the seniors are focused on the present and not looking beyond the Tigers.

“I just have to leave it all on the field every chance I get,” Lee said. “Every snapshot from now on has to be your best snapshot. Because, you know, you really don’t know when it’s going to be your last snapshot. So we just have to take care of business every single game.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium as the game will be televised nationally on ESPN 2. A win for Montana would set up a rematch of last year’s national championship game against South Dakota State in Brookings.