JALMOND
October 25th, 2022, 12:24 AM
Getting down to crunch time and, after a heated Saturday in conference play, four teams are taking this weekend off. Still, there are some good games that may either decide some things, or make things more clouded in the conference. Quite the pace for the leaders, but teams will start to fall off a bit. Here are this week's power rankings for the Big Sky (last week's ranking in parenthesis). All are my opinion only. Here we go.
1. Montana State (3)---Last week beat Weber State at home 43-38, this week bye---How crazy was that game that the Bobcats were in last weekend? Four safeties and, really, not one was caused by the defense. They did emerge from the carnage and came up with a strong win. They get a well deserved and well timed week off this week.
2. Sacramento State (2)---Last week beat Montana at home 31-24 in OT, this week Idaho at home---The Hornets had some scary moments at home last week, but they buckled down and forced overtime, then came through and got the win. This starts an imposing gauntlet for them to navigate as things are far from easy from now on.
3. Idaho (4)---Last week beat Portland State at home 56-21, this week at Sacramento State---It looked for awhile that the Vandals may try to sleepwalk through last week's game, but they woke up at halftime and put the hammer down. The competition is tougher this weekend so they better play a whole game instead of half a game.
4. Weber State (1)---Last week lost at Montana State 43-38, this week Montana at home---A peculiar way to lose a ballgame, but the Wildcats did just that last weekend and has put a bit of a hiccup in their season. They need a win this week against a desperate opponent who it seems always gives them fits when they meet.
5. Montana (5)---Last week lost at Sacramento State 31-24 in OT, this week at Weber State---The Grizzlies tried their best to get back on the winning track last week, but could not close the book. Things are looking even more desperate this week with another capable foe all set to bring them crashing back down to earth.
6. UC Davis (6)---Last week won at Northern Colorado 58-10, this week Cal Poly at home---With everything else going on around them in the conference, the Aggies are slowly moving back into the picture with a resounding conference road win. They are taking advantage of this lull in the schedule to try to feast on the cupcakes.
7. Eastern Washington (7)---Last week won at Cal Poly 17-10, this week Portland State at home---The Eagles pretty much have mailed in their season as was evident by their lackluster win last week. Still, any conference road win is a good win, especially at the expense of your former coach. But a dangerous rival comes calling this week.
8. Portland State (8)---Last week lost at Idaho 56-21, this week at Eastern Washington---The Vikings looked strong in the first half last weekend, then never emerged from their locker room in the second half. Quality opponents mean quality effort and the Vikings have had a hard time playing hte whole game. They have their rival this week.
9. Northern Arizona (9)---Last week won at Idaho State 24-10, this week bye---The Lumberjacks came up with a good hard-nosed, road conference win last week in a relatively tough place to play. They get a week off before jumping back into conference play, playing out the string and hoping to play spoiler in their last games.
10. Northern Colorado (10)---Last week lost to UC Davis at home 58-10, this week bye---Have the Bears mailed in their once promising season? It sure looked that way last week with an ugly performance at home. They may need this week off to regroup and refocus because there still is football to be played. They need it.
11. Idaho State (11)---Last week lost to Northern Arizona at home 24-10, this week bye---A gallant effort by the Bengals at home was all for naught as they still got beat by a team still playing for something, and the Bengals really are not. They get a week off to figure out some things and start to play spoiler in these remaining games.
12. Cal Poly (12)---Last week lost to Eastern Washington at home 17-10, this week at UC Davis---It was there for the taking as the Mustangs tried in vain to get a win against their coach's former team, but they could not close the game out. Things won't be getting any easier for them this week as one of the top teams welcomes them.
RECAP: 1-6 upper tier, 7-12 lower tier
1. Montana State (3)---Last week beat Weber State at home 43-38, this week bye---How crazy was that game that the Bobcats were in last weekend? Four safeties and, really, not one was caused by the defense. They did emerge from the carnage and came up with a strong win. They get a well deserved and well timed week off this week.
2. Sacramento State (2)---Last week beat Montana at home 31-24 in OT, this week Idaho at home---The Hornets had some scary moments at home last week, but they buckled down and forced overtime, then came through and got the win. This starts an imposing gauntlet for them to navigate as things are far from easy from now on.
3. Idaho (4)---Last week beat Portland State at home 56-21, this week at Sacramento State---It looked for awhile that the Vandals may try to sleepwalk through last week's game, but they woke up at halftime and put the hammer down. The competition is tougher this weekend so they better play a whole game instead of half a game.
4. Weber State (1)---Last week lost at Montana State 43-38, this week Montana at home---A peculiar way to lose a ballgame, but the Wildcats did just that last weekend and has put a bit of a hiccup in their season. They need a win this week against a desperate opponent who it seems always gives them fits when they meet.
5. Montana (5)---Last week lost at Sacramento State 31-24 in OT, this week at Weber State---The Grizzlies tried their best to get back on the winning track last week, but could not close the book. Things are looking even more desperate this week with another capable foe all set to bring them crashing back down to earth.
6. UC Davis (6)---Last week won at Northern Colorado 58-10, this week Cal Poly at home---With everything else going on around them in the conference, the Aggies are slowly moving back into the picture with a resounding conference road win. They are taking advantage of this lull in the schedule to try to feast on the cupcakes.
7. Eastern Washington (7)---Last week won at Cal Poly 17-10, this week Portland State at home---The Eagles pretty much have mailed in their season as was evident by their lackluster win last week. Still, any conference road win is a good win, especially at the expense of your former coach. But a dangerous rival comes calling this week.
8. Portland State (8)---Last week lost at Idaho 56-21, this week at Eastern Washington---The Vikings looked strong in the first half last weekend, then never emerged from their locker room in the second half. Quality opponents mean quality effort and the Vikings have had a hard time playing hte whole game. They have their rival this week.
9. Northern Arizona (9)---Last week won at Idaho State 24-10, this week bye---The Lumberjacks came up with a good hard-nosed, road conference win last week in a relatively tough place to play. They get a week off before jumping back into conference play, playing out the string and hoping to play spoiler in their last games.
10. Northern Colorado (10)---Last week lost to UC Davis at home 58-10, this week bye---Have the Bears mailed in their once promising season? It sure looked that way last week with an ugly performance at home. They may need this week off to regroup and refocus because there still is football to be played. They need it.
11. Idaho State (11)---Last week lost to Northern Arizona at home 24-10, this week bye---A gallant effort by the Bengals at home was all for naught as they still got beat by a team still playing for something, and the Bengals really are not. They get a week off to figure out some things and start to play spoiler in these remaining games.
12. Cal Poly (12)---Last week lost to Eastern Washington at home 17-10, this week at UC Davis---It was there for the taking as the Mustangs tried in vain to get a win against their coach's former team, but they could not close the game out. Things won't be getting any easier for them this week as one of the top teams welcomes them.
RECAP: 1-6 upper tier, 7-12 lower tier