The University of Montana’s record-setting attendance figures established during its extremely successful football season of 2009 were not the only impressive numbers put up by the 14-1 Grizzlies in 2009.

The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision semifinal game featuring the host and top-seeded Grizzlies and the fifth-ranked Appalachian State Mountaineers was the highest rated (1.87 cable rating) FCS playoff cable broadcast ever in a championship game or otherwise on ESPN or ESPN2. The Dec. 12 game, won by Montana 24-17, also earned a four share, which includes 1,857,000 households.

The Grizzlies’ FCS championship game on Friday, Dec. 18, against the Villanova Wildcats, which UM lost 23-21, had a 1.52 cable rating and earned a three share, which was made up of 1,497,000 households. It was the highest rated FCS championship game since a 1.7 rating in 1994 when Youngstown State defeated Boise State, 28-14, on CBS.

The Montana-Villanova game was the highest rated FCS title game on cable since a 1.80 rating in 1988 when Furman beat Georgia Southern 17-12 on ESPN.

"These numbers are incredible and validate the great following for Montana Grizzly football across the country," said UM Director of Athletics Jim O’Day. "It also goes to show the importance of matching up outstanding programs from various parts of the nation.  Games featuring Montana against Appalachian State, and Montana versus Villanova, provided great national exposure for the Football Championship Subdivision.

"The statistics also reflect the important exposure an intercollegiate athletics department can afford a campus," O’Day added.

Montana broke its all-time attendance record in expanded Washington-Grizzly Stadium in five of its six regular-season games this season, including a record 25,811 fans at UM’s 31-10 victory over 19th-ranked Weber State. The Grizzlies led the FCS in average attendance at 24,417 a game. Appalachian State was second at 24,004.