Big Sky Power Rankings 9-30

[JALMOND]

Opening week of Big Sky conference play and we got a glimpse of what some teams are made of. Granted it is only one week and, while some what to crown the champs right away, there still is a lot of football left to play. Here are this week's Big Sky conference power rankings (last week in parenthesis). All are my opinion only, of course. Snow is already flying in some parts of the conference but we still have a long way to go.

1. Montana (3)---Last week, won at UC Davis 45-20, this week Idaho State at home---Some things may be right. Hauck is back at coaching and the Grizzlies are at the top. The question is can they stay there. After getting a good road win, they come home for a tussle with the Bengals.

2. Weber State (2)---Last week, beat Northern Iowa (Mo Valley) at home 29-17, this week at Idaho---While most of the conference started conference play, the Wildcats were dismantling one of the Valley's best teams at home. They start their play this weekend at a tough place.

3. Montana State (4)---Last week, beat Northern Arizona at home 49-31. this week at Cal Poly---Things were not going well for the Bobcats early on last week but a big fourth quarter saved the win for them. They get a trip to California this weekend to try to continue winning.

4. UC Davis (1)---Last week lost to Montana at home 45-20, this week at North Dakota---The Aggies reign at the top was short lived as they ran into a Montana buzzsaw. They make a return to the state of North Dakota seeking a win to jump start the season.

5. Eastern Washington (5)---Last week beat North Dakota at home 35-20, this week at Sacramento State---The Eagles finally broke through and got a much needed win at home. Has the defense come to life? They'll need them this week as they face a tough Hornet team on the road.

6. Sacramento State (6)---Last week bye, this week Eastern Washington at home---The Hornets have started out fast from the gate and, with two weeks to prepare, they get the mighty Eastern Washington team on their home field. This would be a big win for them.

7. Idaho State (9)---Last week beat Portland State at home 51-24, this week at Montana---The Bengals look to have found a quarterback and, with what they had returning, could be a formidable foe in the coming weeks. They do have to venture on the road for a tough one this week.

8. Northern Arizona (7)---Last week lost at Montana State 49-31, this week Northern Colorado at home---For three quarters the Lumberjacks were feeling really good about themselves. Then a terrible fourth doomed their chances for a win. They come home eager to make up for it.

9. Cal Poly (11)---Last week won at Southern Utah 24-21, this week Montana State at home---The Mustangs clawed their way to a tougher than expected road win last week. They now return home for a date with one of the conference's elite teams hoping for a good showing.

10. Idaho (8)---Last week lost at Northern Colorado 27-24, this week Weber State at home---The highs and lows of the conference. The Vandals were feeling pretty good about themselves after winning at home, then saw victory slip through their grasp on the road. They go home for a tough one.

11. Northern Colorado (13)---Last week beat Idaho at home 27-24, this week at Northern Arizona---The Bears never gave up, both on the season and in last week's game and came through with a good win. But now a road trip awaits them. Can they continue their winning ways?

12. Portland State (10)---Last week lost at Idaho State 51-24, this week Southern Utah at home---The Vikings looked anything but ready to go and were quickly staring at a big deficit on the road. They get their conference home opener this weekend, hoping for a change.

13. Southern Utah (12)---Last week lost to Cal Poly at home 24-21, this week at Portland State---The Thunderbirds gave a game effort last weekend, but still fell a bit short at home. They head out on the road to a struggling Portland State team. Can they get the win?

RECAP: 1-2 virtual dead heat, 3-6 just behind them, 7-8 holding steady, 9-13 bringing up the rear.

[SactoHornetFan]

Here is where I think the teams are this week FWIW:

1) Montana State: Still doing what was expected and getting better each week.
2) Montana: Would you believe I still don't really think this team is that good overall, they had a lot of soft teams on the schedule to pad their look, and Davis' defense I knew going into the season would be atrocious.
3) Weber State: Lost a lot in the offseason and have gained more this year.
4) Eastern Washington: Which Eagle team will show up each week?
5) UC Davis: Major question marks on offense without Doss...and their defense is getting worse by the week.
6) Sacramento State: A week to rest up and now to prove the talent on the team from two years ago that's still around is no fluke with having a great coaching staff in place.
7) Idaho State: I'll admit I didn't think after losing their QB to graduation they'd put up 54 points on BarneyBall.
8) Northern Arizona: If Davis' defense is bad...the Jacks are giving them a run for their money. Being outscored 49-10 after going up 21-0...should be near last in the rankings honestly if not for Cookus.
9) Cal Poly: Don't know what to think about our fellow CSU Green and Gold team. Looks good against bad teams and really bad against good teams.
10) Idaho: You lost...at...Northern Colorado xnonono2x after beating Eastern xconfusedx
11) Portland State: BarneyBall is confusing...giving Pig all they could handle in Arky and then being blitzed by the Bengals!
12) Northern Colorado: Well, you move up a spot for beating the Vandals.
13) Southern Utah: This program has regressed more quickly in two years from a championship team than any other in Big Sky history.

[Grizalltheway]

Here is where I think the teams are this week FWIW:

1) Montana State: Still doing what was expected and getting better each week.
2) Montana: Would you believe I still don't really think this team is that good overall, they had a lot of soft teams on the schedule to pad their look, and Davis' defense I knew going into the season would be atrocious.
3) Weber State: Lost a lot in the offseason and have gained more this year.
4) Eastern Washington: Which Eagle team will show up each week?
5) UC Davis: Major question marks on offense without Doss...and their defense is getting worse by the week.
6) Sacramento State: A week to rest up and now to prove the talent on the team from two years ago that's still around is no fluke with having a great coaching staff in place.
7) Idaho State: I'll admit I didn't think after losing their QB to graduation they'd put up 54 points on BarneyBall.
8) Northern Arizona: If Davis' defense is bad...the Jacks are giving them a run for their money. Being outscored 49-10 after going up 21-0...should be near last in the rankings honestly if not for Cookus.
9) Cal Poly: Don't know what to think about our fellow CSU Green and Gold team. Looks good against bad teams and really bad against good teams.
10) Idaho: You lost...at...Northern Colorado xnonono2x after beating Eastern xconfusedx
11) Portland State: BarneyBall is confusing...giving Pig all they could handle in Arky and then being blitzed by the Bengals!
12) Northern Colorado: Well, you move up a spot for beating the Vandals.
13) Southern Utah: This program has regressed more quickly in two years from a championship team than any other in Big Sky history.

They also haven't won by fewer than two scores, and had a very respectable showing against the #15 FBS team. Still have a lot to prove in conference play, though.

[Silenoz]

2) Montana: Would you believe I still don't really think this team is that good overall, they had a lot of soft teams on the schedule to pad their look, and Davis' defense I knew going into the season would be atrocious.

I think we're decent. Probably a year or two away from being the sort of team to be afraid of in playoffs (potentially), but that's significant progress over the trainwreck that developed from 2012-2018

Weber or MSU are the best teams in the conference IMO.

[MSUBobcat]

I think we're decent. Probably a year or two away from being the sort of team to be afraid of in playoffs (potentially), but that's significant progress over the trainwreck that developed from 2012-2018

Weber or MSU are the best teams in the conference IMO.

Knock it off you sandbagging mofo. The dominating victory over Davis puts UM above at least MSU. BBQ may be a dead heat...

[Silenoz]

Knock it off you sandbagging mofo. The dominating victory over Davis puts UM above at least MSU. BBQ may be a dead heat...
I'd take MSU over UM right now. It may not be pretty but that grinding run game is particularly effective in FCS where depth is usually lacking. And that comeback over NAU showcases that never-say-die attitude Choate has instilled in the cats. After the EWU-Davis-MSU games over the last two years I'm not ready to claim that's something UM has gotten back yet.

We'll see this weekend if we take care of ISU. We were riding decently last year at this point before the PSU game heralded the beginning of the end.

[Catbooster]

I don't think Davis was playing particularly well last Saturday, so I'm not ready to anoint the Griz as national contenders just yet. However, that win would put them slightly ahead of MSU IMO. Both teams still haven't proven to me that they've taken care of all of their weaknesses but both look stronger than last year so far. I'd still put Weber on top.

The day Silenoz is on here raving about how good the Griz are is when I'll go put money on them to win the championship. xpeacex

[Silenoz]

I don't think Davis was playing particularly well last Saturday, so I'm not ready to anoint the Griz as national contenders just yet. However, that win would put them slightly ahead of MSU IMO. Both teams still haven't proven to me that they've taken care of all of their weaknesses but both look stronger than last year so far. I'd still put Weber on top.

The day Silenoz is on here raving about how good the Griz are is when I'll go put money on them to win the championship. xpeacex
The day we look like this


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsAaLzQwS74

...and NDSU falls off a cliff.

[Grizalltheway]

The day we look like this


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsAaLzQwS74

...and NDSU falls off a cliff.

Davis having an off-day or not, the last time I can remember the Griz looking that good on the road against a quality opponent was JMU 2008.

[MSUBobcat]

My hot take:

1) Weber - impressive in their FBS losses, dominated a solid UNI squad start to finish
2) UM - ever so slightly behind BBQ; need to see if the Davis win was worth as much as it appeared and that was just a hangover game for them or if they've really declined that much from last year
3) MSU - nipping at the Griz's paws; defense has held it's own and the running game... yikes. If we get a QB that can look decent throwing 20 balls/game and complete 66% (just to not be 100& 1-dimensional) and they could go deep in the playoffs. Big "if".
4) UC Davis - no signature wins and 2 big losses, but to the consensus #1 and now a solid top 8 Griz; kinda riding last year's team's coattails at the moment
5) EWU - same as above but 2 questionable losses to teams that aren't even top 25
6) Sac State - also impressive in their FBS losses but no signature wins and no coattails from last year to ride; need more data
7) ISU-o - held their own in Cedar Falls against a top MVFC team and blew out teams that you'd expect
8) Cal Poly - has 2 FCS wins, one over a 2018 playoff participant (albeit non-scholly) and "understandable" losses to Weber and Oregon State (I know they're terrible, but still P5 FBS); defense seems suspect however
9) NAU - need to find a defense so Cookus doesn't have to carry 100% of the team, more like 83.1%
10) Idaho - wow... what a riddle, wrapped in mystery, inside an enigma! Curb stomped by Nittany Lions, struggled a bit against CWU, respectable performance vs. WYO, pull a big upset over conference power EWU, only to poop their pants against the doormat.
11) PSU - going with the Vikings here, not because they've shown they've earned it to date, but because I think they have the most upside of the bottom dwellers
12) NoCo - didn't expect a W for them this year after losing to the Yotes, but beating UI gets them out of the cellar
13) SUU - if they don't win this week @ PSU, I don't think I see another victory for them this year.

My tiers:
1-3: have done everything expected vs the schedule played
4-8: seem to have the possibility to make some noise in conference and will be a factor in standings, either bumping someone above them or playing spoiler to someone's playoff aspirations
9-13: just strive for 4 wins....

[wapiti]

Here is my take on the rankings:
1. Weber

2. Montana

3. Montana State

4. UC Davis

5. Eastern Washington

6. Sacramento State

7. Idaho State

8. Northern Arizona

9. Portland State

10. Cal Poly

11. Idaho

12. Northern Colorado

13. Southern Utah
Tier 1: 1-3
Tier 2: 4-8
Tier 3: 9-13