Missoula Tops Bozeman as Best Big Sky Football City

WalletHub ranks Missoula 55th best football city in the U.S., ahead of Bozeman and other Big Sky towns

Feb. 3, 2026 at 10:07pm

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According to the latest WalletHub rankings, Missoula, Montana is the best city for football fans in the Big Sky Conference, coming in at 55th overall among 253 U.S. cities analyzed. The rankings weighed both professional and college football factors, with Missoula performing particularly well in the college football category, ranking 28th nationally.

Why it matters

The WalletHub rankings provide an interesting data-driven look at the relative strength of college football fandom and support across different cities, especially for smaller markets like those found in the Big Sky Conference. Missoula's strong showing highlights the passion for Grizzlies football in the region, even without a local professional team.

The details

To determine the best and worst cities for football fans, WalletHub compared 253 U.S. cities based on 21 relevant metrics, with 75% of the weight given to pro football factors and 25% to college football. Missoula ranked 55th overall, boosted by a 28th place finish in the college football category. This placed Missoula ahead of other Big Sky cities like Bozeman (78th), Cheney (94th), and Ogden (114th).

  • The 2026 WalletHub rankings of best and worst cities for football fans were released on February 4, 2026.

The players

WalletHub

A personal finance website that conducts data-driven analyses and rankings on a variety of consumer topics, including this annual look at the best and worst cities for football fans.

University of Montana

The author of the article, Ace Sauerwein, discloses that he is employed by the University of Montana, which may introduce some bias in his assessment of Missoula as the top Big Sky football city.

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The takeaway

Missoula's strong performance in the WalletHub rankings, especially in the college football category, underscores the passion and support for Grizzlies football in the region. This highlights how smaller markets can develop vibrant football cultures, even without a local professional team.