A moment in time captured and given to the Griz
1/26/2024 4:04:00 PM | Football
In the afterglow of victory following Montana's epic double overtime semifinal win over North Dakota State, Missoula photographer Brian Christianson had just hiked down Mount Sentinel where he had been listening to the game on the radio, waiting with camera in hand for the perfect moment.
Midway through the fourth quarter, just as the inversion layer thinned over Washington-Grizzly Stadium and the sunset turned clouds over Missoula a cotton candy pink set against a frosty blue December sky, he got it.
With the click of a shutter, Christianson captured the Mecca of FCS football, peeking through the inversion at the base of the mountain, filled to capacity under the lights in all its glory. In the distance, a sea of fog with peaks of the Bitterroot Mountains and Reservation Divide piercing through.
Odds are you've seen it on social media and marveled. It's magical.
For many though, it was more than just a photo. Somewhere in those clouds is a reflection of the Grizzlies' 2023 season full of ups and downs, rivalry wins, epic performances, and a run to the national championship. A season that created a lifetime of memories for the Montana faithful.
A season also, in a word, magical.
The single moment in time Christianson captured would go on to become a viral sensation while at the same time pulling at the heart strings of Griz fans and Missoulians around the world.
So on Thursday, Christianson walked in the Griz football offices of the Adams Center with a token of gratitude for the team that was the reason for taking the photo in the first place, and a season that captivated Griz nation.
As a thank you, Christianson donated an 11" x 17" matted print of "Brawl in the Sky" to every player on the Montana football team, over 100 copies in total, giving the Grizzlies a tangible memory of that time and place.
On the back of each print, he left Montana a message.
"On December 16th, 2023, you captured the hearts, minds and imaginations of Griz fans the world over. Your exceptional performance led to literal cheering in the streets of Missoula.
"Years of training, countless injuries, hard fought wins and heartbreaking losses led to a moment in time that will not be soon forgotten.
"Griz 31, Bison 29"
There are many amazing pictures of Washington-Grizzly Stadium. It's a photogenic place. One of the reasons it was voted the best college football stadium in America.
"Brawl in the Sky" hits different though.
Hiking the "M" on game day and taking a photo at sunset is a no-brainer. What makes "Brawl in the Sky" a special image was the timing, and some divine force breaking the inversion above the stadium just in time for the perfect sunset shot.
"It was pure magic in terms of the light and atmosphere obscuring the rest of Missoula with the stadium in view. The beautiful magenta, pinkish sunset was just dynamite. They were the conditions you dream of, and to have it happen during such an amazing, special game was the icing on the cake," said Christianson.
"You can't plan for that. To have those things happen at the same time as a magical game was really special."
Not long after Corbin Walker picked off an NDSU pass to seal the win, the photo started making the rounds on social media. The following day Montana's official football social media platform managers reached out for permission to share "Brawl in the Sky" so fans around the world could appreciate his work of art. Christianson was happy to oblige.
On UM's football platforms alone the image would garner nearly 500 thousand views and over 35 thousand likes, shares and comments. Truly viral numbers that spoke to an audience bigger than just those lucky enough to have attended the game.
"Brawl in the Sky" had officially entered the zeitgeist, so Christianson thought it was only appropriate that the players should be part of the photo's legacy.
"For me, once you take a photo and you decide to put it on social media or decide to share it, you have effectively given up some of the emotional connection and ownership of it. You may still own it intellectually as property rights, but you also have given up an element of, like, this is out there, and people are seeing it. Especially for the people who are involved - the players, the fans - it becomes theirs in a way because they project meaning onto it. It holds a whole different meaning for me as a photographer than to the team who worked so hard and the fans who've been committed for decades or longer," he said.
"In a way it's theirs, and I felt really convicted about making sure that every player on the team who worked so hard to get to that place and fought injuries and had heartbreaking losses to get to a point where they could have that magical moment with the fans. I thought it only right to give them a piece of the atmospheric magic that was happening during that game."
Since the photo was released, life's been a whirlwind for Christianson. With the game happening on December 16, "Brawl in the Sky" flew to the top of Christmas wish lists for Griz fans, causing him to hire extra help to keep up with demand for orders of the print.
With those orders have come special stories, like the son who purchased the print in honor of his life-long Griz fan father who passed away just hours after the game.
"It's been amazing to hear stories of Griz fans from all over the world who have reached out to get this print and have told me the story of their connection to the Griz and they're all around the world," Christianson said.
"I've got for people from different countries or expats all over the world who saw this image and it became somewhat of a token of what that game was. A single frame to remember that experience of watching it live, watching on TV or listening on the radio. It's been really special."
At the end of the day, that's what really makes Montana football a special thing - something unique in the national and international sporting landscape. It's the memories of electric wins in a beautiful place, surrounded by 26,000 of your closest friends and family.
No image can quite capture that sentiment, but "Brawl in the Sky" comes about as close as possible.
Midway through the fourth quarter, just as the inversion layer thinned over Washington-Grizzly Stadium and the sunset turned clouds over Missoula a cotton candy pink set against a frosty blue December sky, he got it.
With the click of a shutter, Christianson captured the Mecca of FCS football, peeking through the inversion at the base of the mountain, filled to capacity under the lights in all its glory. In the distance, a sea of fog with peaks of the Bitterroot Mountains and Reservation Divide piercing through.
Odds are you've seen it on social media and marveled. It's magical.
For many though, it was more than just a photo. Somewhere in those clouds is a reflection of the Grizzlies' 2023 season full of ups and downs, rivalry wins, epic performances, and a run to the national championship. A season that created a lifetime of memories for the Montana faithful.
A season also, in a word, magical.
The single moment in time Christianson captured would go on to become a viral sensation while at the same time pulling at the heart strings of Griz fans and Missoulians around the world.
So on Thursday, Christianson walked in the Griz football offices of the Adams Center with a token of gratitude for the team that was the reason for taking the photo in the first place, and a season that captivated Griz nation.
As a thank you, Christianson donated an 11" x 17" matted print of "Brawl in the Sky" to every player on the Montana football team, over 100 copies in total, giving the Grizzlies a tangible memory of that time and place.
On the back of each print, he left Montana a message.
"On December 16th, 2023, you captured the hearts, minds and imaginations of Griz fans the world over. Your exceptional performance led to literal cheering in the streets of Missoula.
"Years of training, countless injuries, hard fought wins and heartbreaking losses led to a moment in time that will not be soon forgotten.
"Griz 31, Bison 29"
😍There are a lot of amazing photos of Washington-Grizzly Stadium. This may top them all!
— Montana Griz Football (@MontanaGrizFB) December 17, 2023
📸 Shared with permission from Brian Christianson Photography pic.twitter.com/Cae8Z8YaJ7
There are many amazing pictures of Washington-Grizzly Stadium. It's a photogenic place. One of the reasons it was voted the best college football stadium in America.
"Brawl in the Sky" hits different though.
Hiking the "M" on game day and taking a photo at sunset is a no-brainer. What makes "Brawl in the Sky" a special image was the timing, and some divine force breaking the inversion above the stadium just in time for the perfect sunset shot.
"It was pure magic in terms of the light and atmosphere obscuring the rest of Missoula with the stadium in view. The beautiful magenta, pinkish sunset was just dynamite. They were the conditions you dream of, and to have it happen during such an amazing, special game was the icing on the cake," said Christianson.
"You can't plan for that. To have those things happen at the same time as a magical game was really special."
Not long after Corbin Walker picked off an NDSU pass to seal the win, the photo started making the rounds on social media. The following day Montana's official football social media platform managers reached out for permission to share "Brawl in the Sky" so fans around the world could appreciate his work of art. Christianson was happy to oblige.
On UM's football platforms alone the image would garner nearly 500 thousand views and over 35 thousand likes, shares and comments. Truly viral numbers that spoke to an audience bigger than just those lucky enough to have attended the game.
"Brawl in the Sky" had officially entered the zeitgeist, so Christianson thought it was only appropriate that the players should be part of the photo's legacy.
"For me, once you take a photo and you decide to put it on social media or decide to share it, you have effectively given up some of the emotional connection and ownership of it. You may still own it intellectually as property rights, but you also have given up an element of, like, this is out there, and people are seeing it. Especially for the people who are involved - the players, the fans - it becomes theirs in a way because they project meaning onto it. It holds a whole different meaning for me as a photographer than to the team who worked so hard and the fans who've been committed for decades or longer," he said.
"In a way it's theirs, and I felt really convicted about making sure that every player on the team who worked so hard to get to that place and fought injuries and had heartbreaking losses to get to a point where they could have that magical moment with the fans. I thought it only right to give them a piece of the atmospheric magic that was happening during that game."
Since the photo was released, life's been a whirlwind for Christianson. With the game happening on December 16, "Brawl in the Sky" flew to the top of Christmas wish lists for Griz fans, causing him to hire extra help to keep up with demand for orders of the print.
With those orders have come special stories, like the son who purchased the print in honor of his life-long Griz fan father who passed away just hours after the game.
"It's been amazing to hear stories of Griz fans from all over the world who have reached out to get this print and have told me the story of their connection to the Griz and they're all around the world," Christianson said.
"I've got for people from different countries or expats all over the world who saw this image and it became somewhat of a token of what that game was. A single frame to remember that experience of watching it live, watching on TV or listening on the radio. It's been really special."
At the end of the day, that's what really makes Montana football a special thing - something unique in the national and international sporting landscape. It's the memories of electric wins in a beautiful place, surrounded by 26,000 of your closest friends and family.
No image can quite capture that sentiment, but "Brawl in the Sky" comes about as close as possible.
Players Mentioned
CB
/ FootballGriz Football Weekly Press Conference - 9/15/25
Saturday, September 20
Griz Football vs. North Dakota Highlights - 9/13/25
Saturday, September 20
Griz Football vs. North Dakota Postgame Press Conference - 9/13/25
Saturday, September 20
Griz football weekly press conference 9/15/25
Monday, September 15
