JALMOND
October 30th, 2013, 12:58 AM
Halloween is coming which means November is starting which brings about the playoffs and the Big Sky teams are jockeying for the playoffs. Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona both scored crucial conference road wins and both showed they are ready for a stretch run, which starts this weekend. Not much movement within the power rankings but that should change with the games coming up. Here are this week's power rankings (last week in parenthesis). As usual all are my opinion only. Here we go!
1. Eastern Washington (1)---The Eagles had Montana pretty much dead but for a late rally that made the score close. Still, any time the visitors can get a win at Montana is a good thing. This week they head down the road to Idaho State, hoping that they are not looking forward to Montana State.
2. Montana State (2)---The Bobcats took care of UC-Davis last week in a game that seemed closer than perhaps it should have been, but they will definitely take the win. They head out on the road this weekend before their big game at Eastern Washington, taking on struggling Northern Colorado.
3. Montana (3)---The Grizzlies made things interesting late in the game last week against Eastern Washington, storming back only to fall short at the end. They need to get back to winning and this weekend they need to win on the road, going out to Sacramento State.
4. Northern Arizona (5)---The Lumberjacks kept their playoff hopes alive and defused any idea of a late season swoon as they got a hard fought win at Cal Poly. This is not the old Lumberjacks as they showed they are ready to make a push. They can't afford to swoon now as they welcome struggling North Dakota.
5. Cal Poly (4)---The Mustangs playoff chances went away last week with a close loss at home to Northern Arizona. Now they need to earn a good season and get ready for next year. Are they still with it? This weekend they head out to UC-Davis.
6. Sacramento State (6)---The Hornets took last week off to prepare for the final stretch and a last chance to make some noise. They need a statement win and they do have a statement opponent coming to town this weekend in Montana. A win will bring some needed hype.
7. Southern Utah (7)---The Thunderbirds still are looking for their offense which seems to have gone missing at the worst of times. However, their defense is still playing well as shown last week at home against Idaho State. They have this week off to figure out where the offense went.
8. Portland State (8)---The Vikings are in the same boat as Southern Utah, only their offense was pretty potent at the beginning of the season. Now it is non-existent as they got the win last week against North Dakota with their defense. They will need their offense to come back as they face Weber State this weekend.
9. UC-Davis (9)---The Aggies put up a good fight last week at Montana State but found themselves on the losing end. Hard to imagine that type of loss would be disappointing at this point in the season but the Aggies have been playing well. This weekend they catch the reeling Cal Poly team.
10. North Dakota (10)---The former Sioux had their game won last week at Portland State only to lose focus and let the Vikings come back for the win. A very disappointing season and the former Sioux just want it to be over. First, they head out to Northern Arizona.
11. Idaho State (11)---The Bengals had their chances to get a win last week at Southern Utah but like many teams before them, they could not break through the Thunderbirds defense. Still, a good season to build on for the Bengals but they do want more. They get Eastern Washington at home this weekend.
12. Weber State (12)---The Wildcats took last week off to try to figure out how to win close games, not lose them. Whether they figured it out will be on display this weekend as they head out to play fading Portland State. A good chance for the Wildcats to get a win.
13. Northern Colorado (13)---The Bears took last week off as well, trying to understand what went wrong this season. They can still make some noise if they do upset Montana State at home this weekend. But who really thinks that is going to happen.
RECAP: 1-2 out front, 3-4 close behind, 5-6 off a bit, 7-10 falling, 11-13 in the rear.
1. Eastern Washington (1)---The Eagles had Montana pretty much dead but for a late rally that made the score close. Still, any time the visitors can get a win at Montana is a good thing. This week they head down the road to Idaho State, hoping that they are not looking forward to Montana State.
2. Montana State (2)---The Bobcats took care of UC-Davis last week in a game that seemed closer than perhaps it should have been, but they will definitely take the win. They head out on the road this weekend before their big game at Eastern Washington, taking on struggling Northern Colorado.
3. Montana (3)---The Grizzlies made things interesting late in the game last week against Eastern Washington, storming back only to fall short at the end. They need to get back to winning and this weekend they need to win on the road, going out to Sacramento State.
4. Northern Arizona (5)---The Lumberjacks kept their playoff hopes alive and defused any idea of a late season swoon as they got a hard fought win at Cal Poly. This is not the old Lumberjacks as they showed they are ready to make a push. They can't afford to swoon now as they welcome struggling North Dakota.
5. Cal Poly (4)---The Mustangs playoff chances went away last week with a close loss at home to Northern Arizona. Now they need to earn a good season and get ready for next year. Are they still with it? This weekend they head out to UC-Davis.
6. Sacramento State (6)---The Hornets took last week off to prepare for the final stretch and a last chance to make some noise. They need a statement win and they do have a statement opponent coming to town this weekend in Montana. A win will bring some needed hype.
7. Southern Utah (7)---The Thunderbirds still are looking for their offense which seems to have gone missing at the worst of times. However, their defense is still playing well as shown last week at home against Idaho State. They have this week off to figure out where the offense went.
8. Portland State (8)---The Vikings are in the same boat as Southern Utah, only their offense was pretty potent at the beginning of the season. Now it is non-existent as they got the win last week against North Dakota with their defense. They will need their offense to come back as they face Weber State this weekend.
9. UC-Davis (9)---The Aggies put up a good fight last week at Montana State but found themselves on the losing end. Hard to imagine that type of loss would be disappointing at this point in the season but the Aggies have been playing well. This weekend they catch the reeling Cal Poly team.
10. North Dakota (10)---The former Sioux had their game won last week at Portland State only to lose focus and let the Vikings come back for the win. A very disappointing season and the former Sioux just want it to be over. First, they head out to Northern Arizona.
11. Idaho State (11)---The Bengals had their chances to get a win last week at Southern Utah but like many teams before them, they could not break through the Thunderbirds defense. Still, a good season to build on for the Bengals but they do want more. They get Eastern Washington at home this weekend.
12. Weber State (12)---The Wildcats took last week off to try to figure out how to win close games, not lose them. Whether they figured it out will be on display this weekend as they head out to play fading Portland State. A good chance for the Wildcats to get a win.
13. Northern Colorado (13)---The Bears took last week off as well, trying to understand what went wrong this season. They can still make some noise if they do upset Montana State at home this weekend. But who really thinks that is going to happen.
RECAP: 1-2 out front, 3-4 close behind, 5-6 off a bit, 7-10 falling, 11-13 in the rear.