Big Sky Conference Megathread: 2024 Edition

[bonarae]

This thread is for and about the Big Sky Conference teams, players and coaches.

Just how many teams in the conference have yet to announce their 2024 schedules?

--
A quick side note from the OP:
Effective today and until Harvard's new coach is officially hired, my primary team on AGS is UC Davis, with ETSU, St. Thomas and Harvard as the supporting cast. I toyed with the idea of shifting my team for many years now (since the early to mid 2010s), however, the Ivies hardened their football hearts further in the interim and I was opening myself up to other teams to compensate. After Murphy retired in Cambridge, I was contemplating a sabbatical from AGS to focus on my masteral thesis; however, the FCS schedule updates and news updates on other teams became too hard to ignore.

If you need to back me up on this thread, send a PM.

[MSUBobcat]

Woodja lookit that.... BSC gets it's own Megathread. Movin' on up! To a deeee-luxe apartment in the Big Sky-high-high. xlolxxthumbsupx

[Redbird 4th & short]

Woodja lookit that.... BSC gets it's own Megathread. Movin' on up! To a deeee-luxe apartment in the Big Sky-high-high. xlolxxthumbsupx

ISUr MVFC fan from Chicago area ... I'll throw this thread a bone and even an excuse. Blame it on the 3 hour time zone change from east to west coast.

Being from Chicago area with the "second city" complex, and all that, etc .. our New Year's Eve absolutely sucks compared to New York's NYE celebration. So I blame it on New York being an hour ahead of us, Plus I'm a Boomer, the largest generation ever, and have trouble staying awake until my midnight anway.

Surely, its nothing more than that ... I hope. And your excuse is 2 hours better than midwest's !!! You got nothing else, so go with that maybe ?

More seriously note .. honestly love the Big Sky's ascension the last 5 years .. some don't like to believe it is entirely real for some odd reason, but I do. And other than our Natty teams, you guys are right there with MVFC .. I find it fun to watch other really good conferences grapple for playoff bids and seeds, given SOS impacts on record.

[bonarae]

Griz have EIGHT home games in this coming season. Is there any rule in the NCAA that limits the number of home games a team can have?

https://www.montanasports.com/college/montana-grizzlies/montana-football-team-to-play-a-record-eight-home-games-in-2025

[MSUBobcat]

Griz have EIGHT home games in this coming season. Is there any rule in the NCAA that limits the number of home games a team can have?

https://www.montanasports.com/college/montana-grizzlies/montana-football-team-to-play-a-record-eight-home-games-in-2025

Jebus. And the 4 HOME OOC consists of a D-II, recent cellar dwellar ISU-b, and NEC Sacred Heart? And 2 of their road games are ISU-o and Cal Poly? I know teams can change over the next 2 years, but that SOS smells bad....

[wapiti]

Jebus. And the 4 HOME OOC consists of a D-II, recent cellar dwellar ISU-b, and NEC Sacred Heart? And 2 of their road games are ISU-o and Cal Poly? I know teams can change over the next 2 years, but that SOS smells bad....

There are too many voters that do not put much weight on SOS and seem to only look at W-L record.

The Griz know this use it to their advantage.

Are the Griz chicken to play a quality opponent on the road?

[JALMOND]

Griz have EIGHT home games in this coming season. Is there any rule in the NCAA that limits the number of home games a team can have?

https://www.montanasports.com/college/montana-grizzlies/montana-football-team-to-play-a-record-eight-home-games-in-2025

That is actually the 2025 season. I looked at it and thought that PSU was going to Missoula this year.

[bonarae]

That is actually the 2025 season. I looked at it and thought that PSU was going to Missoula this year.

But the Griz don't really schedule (or aren't doing the courage to schedule) enough away games... if they were an Ivy or a PFL, do those schools want to be their regional versions of the Griz? xchinscratchx

[FUBeAR]

Griz have EIGHT home games in this coming season. Is there any rule in the NCAA that limits the number of home games a team can have?

https://www.montanasports.com/college/montana-grizzlies/montana-football-team-to-play-a-record-eight-home-games-in-2025

With the completion of next year’s schedule, the Grizzlies will become the first known FCS team ever to play eight regular-season home football games in 2025, director of athletics Kent Haslam said.
https://c.tenor.com/NUqO3kNe3ucAAAAC/tenor.gif

https://mercerbears.com/sports/football/schedule/2013
(https://mercerbears.com/sports/football/schedule/2013)
Standings (https://www.pioneer-football.org/standings/) » 2013 PFL Standings



Standings
Conf
Pct
PF
PA
Overall
Pct
PF
PA
Home
Away
Neutral
Streak


x -Butler
7-1
.875
316
181
9-4
.692
433
349
5-2
4-2
0-0
L1


x -Marist
7-1
.875
300
139
8-3
.727
378
226
4-1
4-2
0-0
W5


Mercer
6-2
.750
261
229
10-2
.833
459
287
8-0
2-2
0-0
W1


Dayton
5-3
.625
281
200
7-4
.636
335
262
3-2
4-2
0-0
W1


Drake
5-3
.625
213
135
6-5
.545
274
215
5-1
1-4
0-0
L1


Morehead State
3-5
.375
209
359
3-9
.250
349
451
1-5
2-4
0-0
L1


Campbell
2-6
.250
262
306
3-9
.250
349
451
1-5
2-4
0-0
W1


Stetson
1-7
.125
117
288
2-9
.182
195
360
2-4
0-5
0-0
L2


Valparaiso
1-7
.125
154
354
1-10
.091
229
493
1-4
0-6
0-0
L7


Davidson
0-8
.000
108
334
0-11
.000
154
445
0-5
0-6
0-0
L11


p -San Diego
0-1
.000
356
135
8-3
.727
430
250
5-1
3-2
0-0
W4


p -Jacksonville
0-4
.000
343
260
5-6
.455
460
375
4-1
1-5
0-0
W1

[VandalBasher]

Woodja lookit that.... BSC gets it's own Megathread. Movin' on up! To a deeee-luxe apartment in the Big Sky-high-high. xlolxxthumbsupx

Damn, you're old. Me too. My favorite theme song was Sanford & Son. Boop boop bood doop!

[MSUBobcat]

Damn, you're old. Me too. My favorite theme song was Sandford & Son. Boop boop bood doop!

Hey now! I resemble that remark! Turning 45 this fall. Starting to see the retirement finish line.

[VandalBasher]

Okay. Back on topic....

How many games will the Vandals win in 2024? Idaho went 6-2 in the Big Sky the last two years. I think Idaho can go 7-1 in conference and split the OOC games ending the year at 9-3.

https://fbschedules.com/2024-idaho-football-schedule/ (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/70/idaho-vandals)
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/70/idaho-vandals

[MSUBobcat]

Okay. Back on topic....

How many games will the Vandals win in 2024? Idaho went 6-2 in the Big Sky the last two years. I think Idaho can go 7-1 in conference and split the OOC games ending the year at 9-3.

https://fbschedules.com/2024-idaho-football-schedule/ (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/70/idaho-vandals)
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/70/idaho-vandals

Not sure why you posted the ESPN schedule rather than your school's own website, but it's missing the ACU game. It'll be interesting how the Vandals do without the McCoy-Hatten duo. It looks like there's not much experience at the QB position, but Jack Layne had a great game against the hapless Bengals. The schedule is favorable for them tho, avoiding Sac State and Montana altogether. Win at Davis and 7-1 certainly seems attainable if they are able to replace the offensive firepower lost.

[VandalBasher]

I plan on being at that Davis game. Idaho has never beat UC Davis or Hawkins. But, I will settle for a Hawkins-less win. They have a 4-0 record against the Vandals. But, those were dark years between 2018 and 2021. 2022 was a better year, but they still brought the beatdown.

The improved schedule is below.

https://fbschedules.com/2024-idaho-football-schedule/

https://ucdavisaggies.com/sports/football/opponent-history/university-of-idaho/77

[bonarae]

UC Davis will have its spring game tomorrow PST. Have the others started theirs by now?

[Green Cookie Monster]

Damn, you're old. Me too. My favorite theme song was Sanford & Son. Boop boop bood doop!

That is the Jefferson’s theme song.

[MSUBobcat]

UC Davis will have its spring game tomorrow PST. Have the others started theirs by now?

I can't find any info on the MSU spring game yet, but last week, the Griz announced their spring game for April 12th.

[uofmman1122]

There are too many voters that do not put much weight on SOS and seem to only look at W-L record.

The Griz know this use it to their advantage.

Are the Griz chicken to play a quality opponent on the road?
Oh waaaaahhhhhhh! I always love these early offseason cat tears.

Since 2013, you guys have played 3 ranked FCS OOC teams on the road, which is also the exact same number that Montana and NDSU have played, and 2 more than SDSU has.

We also make more money from home games than we do from FBS teams in money games, so we don't need to play one every year (and when we do, we actually win our FBS games).

So rich coming from the fanbase that dogged our 2022 team that had an insanely hard road schedule, all while saying their easy-peasy schedule didn't actually matter, and then went 8-4 the next year when they actually had to play their harder games on the road.

Keep crying! xthumbsupx

[wapiti]

Oh waaaaahhhhhhh! I always love these early offseason cat tears.

Since 2013, you guys have played 3 ranked FCS OOC teams on the road, which is also the exact same number that Montana and NDSU have played, and 2 more than SDSU has.

We also make more money from home games than we do from FBS teams in money games, so we don't need to play one every year (and when we do, we actually win our FBS games).

So rich coming from the fanbase that dogged our 2022 team that had an insanely hard road schedule, all while saying their easy-peasy schedule didn't actually matter, and then went 8-4 the next year when they actually had to play their harder games on the road.

Keep crying! xthumbsupx

Poor Grizzlies!!!! They are so easy to trigger.

[uofmman1122]

Poor Grizzlies!!!! They are so easy to trigger.
See, exactly. You have nothing but whiny nonsense.

Outside of meaningless FBS games, your road OOC schedules haven't been any tougher than ours, you're just a big, salty baby.

[bonarae]

Scott Linehan is now the Griz offensive analyst...

https://gogriz.com/news/2024/3/26/football-nfl-veteran-scott-linehan-joins-grizzly-coaching-staff

[VandalBasher]

Scott Linehan is now the Griz offensive analyst...

https://gogriz.com/news/2024/3/26/football-nfl-veteran-scott-linehan-joins-grizzly-coaching-staff

Scott will be the next head coach for the Vandals once Coach Eck moves on. If Idaho makes the playoffs a third year in a row, Eck will be gone after the 2025 season.

[bonarae]

Bozeman Cats finally unveil their IPF.

https://xlcountry.com/ixp/15/p/montana-state-indoor-practice-facility/

[Ridge1982]

Scott Linehan is now the Griz offensive analyst...

https://gogriz.com/news/2024/3/26/football-nfl-veteran-scott-linehan-joins-grizzly-coaching-staff

As a Mizzou fan and former St. Louis Rams fan, you have my deepest sympathy.

[JALMOND]

Robby Hauck has been promoted to Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach at Portland State.

https://goviks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/robby-hauck/1055

[uofmman1122]

Robby Hauck has been promoted to Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach at Portland State.

https://goviks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/robby-hauck/1055
The worst Griz fans are absolutely fuming right now.

Good for Robby.

[Catbooster]

Bozeman Cats finally unveil their IPF.

https://xlcountry.com/ixp/15/p/montana-state-indoor-practice-facility/

A recent article about the IPF: https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/business/msu-nears-26m-goal-for-building-indoor-athletic-center/article_13ef5bd0-ed1b-11ee-b033-3b5f36f84bba.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=bozchron

They've got over $25 million in donations raised but want $26 million before starting. I'm guessing maybe completed by spring football practice next year? Unless they announce $26 million really soon it probably won't be able to be completed for playoffs.

https://twitter.com/MSUBobcats/status/1775610471162229000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1775610471162229000%7Ctwgr% 5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

The other current football project is the new video board and sound system:

https://twitter.com/VictorFlores406/status/1777830062827483548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1777830062827483548%7Ctwgr% 5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

A little more than 100' wide and about 40' high. I understand part of the width will be some advertising panels on the sides, so not sure the size of the actual video board - guessing about 85'x30'?

[wapiti]

Robby Hauck has been promoted to Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach at Portland State.

https://goviks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/robby-hauck/1055

Robby should be able to acquire a few more tackles with this promotion.

[MSUBobcat]

The worst Griz fans are absolutely fuming right now.

Good for Robby.

2 questions: 1) Why would a Griz fan be pissed about Hauck getting a promotion? That upset that he's not coaching under his dad?? 2) Why did they make him position coach for an offensive position?? Was he even a good offensive player in HS?? His Griz bio only mentions defensive accolades.


Robby should be able to acquire a few more tackles with this promotion.

Somehow, I feel like I'll still be using some form of this joke in 40 years in hospice waiting to die. xnodx xlolx

[uofmman1122]

2 questions: 1) Why would a Griz fan be pissed about Hauck getting a promotion? That upset that he's not coaching under his dad?? 2) Why did they make him position coach for an offensive position?? Was he even a good offensive player in HS?? His Griz bio only mentions defensive accolades.
1. There are a lot of Griz fans that don't like Bobby, and by extension don't like Robby.
2. There a ton of coaches that played on one side of the ball and then went on to coach extensively on both sides. At this level as you're moving up the coaching ladder, you take what you can get. As a D1 college football player, you watch so much film that you learn a bunch about the other positions and how they work.

[JALMOND]

There are a lot of Griz fans that don't like Bobby, and by extension don't like Robby.

Anytime the Griz want to swap head coaches with the Viks, even for one season, well, I can only imagine...xlolxxthumbsupx

[bobcathpdevil56]

Can any Missoula fans elaborate on this McDowell saga? This is one of the craziest stories I’ve seen

[uofmman1122]

Can any Missoula fans elaborate on this McDowell saga? This is one of the craziest stories I’ve seen
- Clifton comes in and sparks a struggling offense that desperately needed it
- Clifton faces tougher defenses in the playoffs and shows that he still has deficiencies in order for our team to win a championship
- Coaches (allegedly) tell him after the season that they're going to bring in someone to compete with him because they feel they need an upgrade at QB, so he's going to have to win the job back next season
- Clifton (allegedly) feels insulted, and (allegedly) in conjunction with outside NIL actors telling him he can make a lot of money decides he can do better and enters the transfer portal
- Clifton seems to have interest from several FBS teams, but those dry up and he ends up going to Temple
- SOMETHING??? happens during spring ball that convinces him to leave Temple (lots of speculation here: losing the job, not getting cleared to play, etc.) so he enters transfer portal again halfway through spring ball
- Speculation abounds that he's returning to Missoula, pending a team vote
- Clifton posts weird **** on Twitter that makes it seem like he is coming back to UM
- For whatever reason, he ends up not coming back, and starts looking around again
- Goes to PVA&M and allegedly "commits"
- Finally commits to McNeese

Sounds like a cautionary tale of chasing NIL opportunities that didn't materialize and burning bridges, and ending up at a SLC basement dweller.

Loved his time here and wish him the best, though.

[Professor Chaos]

Don't know much about McDowell but in the games I watched he really struggled against Furman, NDSU, and SDSU. On top of that here's his "journey":

2019-2020: Louisiana (Lafayette)
2021: Kilgore (D1 JUCO)
2022: Central Arkansas
2023: Montana
2024: Temple (briefly)
2024: Prairie View A&M (very briefly - maybe not at all)
2024: McNeese (apparently)

I wouldn't want my school to touch him with a 20 foot pole.

[McCowboys]

- Clifton comes in and sparks a struggling offense that desperately needed it
- Clifton faces tougher defenses in the playoffs and shows that he still has deficiencies in order for our team to win a championship
- Coaches (allegedly) tell him after the season that they're going to bring in someone to compete with him because they feel they need an upgrade at QB, so he's going to have to win the job back next season
- Clifton (allegedly) feels insulted, and (allegedly) in conjunction with outside NIL actors telling him he can make a lot of money decides he can do better and enters the transfer portal
- Clifton seems to have interest from several FBS teams, but those dry up and he ends up going to Temple
- SOMETHING??? happens during spring ball that convinces him to leave Temple (lots of speculation here: losing the job, not getting cleared to play, etc.) so he enters transfer portal again halfway through spring ball
- Speculation abounds that he's returning to Missoula, pending a team vote
- Clifton posts weird **** on Twitter that makes it seem like he is coming back to UM
- For whatever reason, he ends up not coming back, and starts looking around again
- Goes to PVA&M and allegedly "commits"
- Finally commits to McNeese

Sounds like a cautionary tale of chasing NIL opportunities that didn't materialize and burning bridges, and ending up at a SLC basement dweller.

Loved his time here and wish him the best, though.

Thanks for the information. Since our head coach Gary Goff arrived here three years ago from Valdosta State, he has brought in and made very questionable decisions on quarterbacks - see our record since he has been at the helm. It seemed that he had brought in a good qb from California (who was here for the spring game) and had a promising freshman who started the last couple of games last year already. Yeah, they wanted to bring in someone with experience, and I pray that he works out and is just not a big distraction, but I do have concerns.

[McCowboys]

Don't know much about McDowell but in the games I watched he really struggled against Furman, NDSU, and SDSU. On top of that here's his "journey":

2019-2020: Louisiana (Lafayette)
2021: Kilgore (D1 JUCO)
2022: Central Arkansas
2023: Montana
2024: Temple (briefly)
2024: Prairie View A&M (very briefly - maybe not at all)
2024: McNeese (apparently)

I wouldn't want my school to touch him with a 20 foot pole.

I am very leery. The one really big positive I see is that he is from Spring, Texas, which is not that far from Lake Charles.

[mvemjsunpx]

Robby Hauck has been promoted to Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach at Portland State.

https://goviks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/robby-hauck/1055

The real story here is that the guy promoting Robby is still in charge after 7 straight losing seasons. xrotatehx

[JALMOND]

The real story here is that the guy promoting Robby is still in charge after 7 straight losing seasons. xrotatehx

And however many top 10 FCS recruiting classes. xconfusedxxembarrassedx

Like I say, anytime the Hauck detractors want one season of BarneyBall, I can guarantee they will be begging Hauck to return.

Even if he wasn't "Bobby's son", Robby would be a tremendous add to any program. PSU has had success before with coaches with Missoula ties. Here is one of the more successful ones...

https://oregonsportshall.org/timeline/pokey-allen-coaching/

[Silenoz]

Robby Hauck has been promoted to Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach at Portland State.

https://goviks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/robby-hauck/1055
No comment

[bobcathpdevil56]

- Clifton comes in and sparks a struggling offense that desperately needed it
- Clifton faces tougher defenses in the playoffs and shows that he still has deficiencies in order for our team to win a championship
- Coaches (allegedly) tell him after the season that they're going to bring in someone to compete with him because they feel they need an upgrade at QB, so he's going to have to win the job back next season
- Clifton (allegedly) feels insulted, and (allegedly) in conjunction with outside NIL actors telling him he can make a lot of money decides he can do better and enters the transfer portal
- Clifton seems to have interest from several FBS teams, but those dry up and he ends up going to Temple
- SOMETHING??? happens during spring ball that convinces him to leave Temple (lots of speculation here: losing the job, not getting cleared to play, etc.) so he enters transfer portal again halfway through spring ball
- Speculation abounds that he's returning to Missoula, pending a team vote
- Clifton posts weird **** on Twitter that makes it seem like he is coming back to UM
- For whatever reason, he ends up not coming back, and starts looking around again
- Goes to PVA&M and allegedly "commits"
- Finally commits to McNeese

Sounds like a cautionary tale of chasing NIL opportunities that didn't materialize and burning bridges, and ending up at a SLC basement dweller.

Loved his time here and wish him the best, though.

Thanks for the summary. What a crazy saga!

[Ncagalum]

Robby Hauck has been promoted to Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach at Portland State.

https://goviks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/robby-hauck/1055

Bobby and Barnum have had some sort of bromance going on. Maybe the latter is looking for future job security?


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