JALMOND
November 18th, 2008, 12:58 AM
One week left in the conference season and, barring something major, it looks like the conference will get two teams in to the playoffs. Northern Arizona has completed the year one week earlier than the rest and will be staying home for Thanksgiving. Some teams are gearing toward the playoffs, some are getting ready for next year, and some are trying to survive. Here are this week's power rankings, last week's in parentheses.
1. Weber State (1)---As if a bye was going to hurt them. The Wildcats had an extra week to prepare to complete the conference slate undefeated. Just a home win over Eastern Washington is all that stands between them. They have clinched at least a share of the conference title with Montana.
2. Montana (2)---The Griz welcomed Idaho State to Missoula over the weekend and, after making the first quarter seem interesting, finally put the pesky Bengals away. This week the Brawl of the Wild as they welcome their rivals, Montana State, to Missoula. The Griz need a win and a Weber State loss to share the conference title.
3. Montana State (3)---It took a while, but the Bobcats put Portland State away last week at home. The vaunted Bobcat defense bent but did not break, and the offense finally came alive as well. This week, a trip to that hated Montana team in the Brawl of the Wild. Records are thrown out and the game will be hard fought. They've won there before, can they do it again?
4. Sacramento State (4)---The Hornets had little trouble with Northern Colorado at home in clinching a winning season last weekend. A great way for a program that has not had much success, yet the Hornets can end the year with four straight wins if they beat winless Idaho State. The game is a road game, will it matter?
5. Eastern Washington (6)---In the tale of what might have been last week, the Eagles got by Northern Arizona to get back to .500. A season of high expectations on all fronts is drawing to a close and they have no choice but to get ready for next year. But a chance to put a dent in someone else's hopes as they head to Weber State to end the year is what they are still playing for. Ironically, the two team's roles are reversed from last year. Do the Eagles have one more surprise left?
6. Northern Arizona (5)---The middle of the year and the Jacks were looking good, with everything going right. Then, four straight losses to end the year and it all went south. One bright spot, the season is over and they have no choice but to look towards next year.
7. Portland State (7)---The road woes continued for the Vikings as a trip to Montana State did not go so well. As a result, they were winless away from Portland, something that had not been done in the program since 1996, their first year in the Big Sky. Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde all year, the Vikings seem to be more competitive at home. Good news in that they still have a home game left this weekend when Northern Colorado comes calling.
8. Northern Colorado (8)---It just continues for the Bears. Last week, a loss on the road to Sacramento State, this week a trip to Portland State. What started out as a promising year with the Bears being close has slowly turned into a couple of blowouts. Portland State has not been lighting the world on fire, maybe the last game will be close again.
9. Idaho State (9)---So the Bengals made it interesting last week at Montana for one quarter, then they fell victim to the Grizzlies defense. They are still winless with just one more game left to play. The game is against the upstart Sacramento State team. The good news is that the game is at home. The bad news is that, well, that has not translated into victories either.
1. Weber State (1)---As if a bye was going to hurt them. The Wildcats had an extra week to prepare to complete the conference slate undefeated. Just a home win over Eastern Washington is all that stands between them. They have clinched at least a share of the conference title with Montana.
2. Montana (2)---The Griz welcomed Idaho State to Missoula over the weekend and, after making the first quarter seem interesting, finally put the pesky Bengals away. This week the Brawl of the Wild as they welcome their rivals, Montana State, to Missoula. The Griz need a win and a Weber State loss to share the conference title.
3. Montana State (3)---It took a while, but the Bobcats put Portland State away last week at home. The vaunted Bobcat defense bent but did not break, and the offense finally came alive as well. This week, a trip to that hated Montana team in the Brawl of the Wild. Records are thrown out and the game will be hard fought. They've won there before, can they do it again?
4. Sacramento State (4)---The Hornets had little trouble with Northern Colorado at home in clinching a winning season last weekend. A great way for a program that has not had much success, yet the Hornets can end the year with four straight wins if they beat winless Idaho State. The game is a road game, will it matter?
5. Eastern Washington (6)---In the tale of what might have been last week, the Eagles got by Northern Arizona to get back to .500. A season of high expectations on all fronts is drawing to a close and they have no choice but to get ready for next year. But a chance to put a dent in someone else's hopes as they head to Weber State to end the year is what they are still playing for. Ironically, the two team's roles are reversed from last year. Do the Eagles have one more surprise left?
6. Northern Arizona (5)---The middle of the year and the Jacks were looking good, with everything going right. Then, four straight losses to end the year and it all went south. One bright spot, the season is over and they have no choice but to look towards next year.
7. Portland State (7)---The road woes continued for the Vikings as a trip to Montana State did not go so well. As a result, they were winless away from Portland, something that had not been done in the program since 1996, their first year in the Big Sky. Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde all year, the Vikings seem to be more competitive at home. Good news in that they still have a home game left this weekend when Northern Colorado comes calling.
8. Northern Colorado (8)---It just continues for the Bears. Last week, a loss on the road to Sacramento State, this week a trip to Portland State. What started out as a promising year with the Bears being close has slowly turned into a couple of blowouts. Portland State has not been lighting the world on fire, maybe the last game will be close again.
9. Idaho State (9)---So the Bengals made it interesting last week at Montana for one quarter, then they fell victim to the Grizzlies defense. They are still winless with just one more game left to play. The game is against the upstart Sacramento State team. The good news is that the game is at home. The bad news is that, well, that has not translated into victories either.