JALMOND
September 18th, 2011, 11:51 PM
The wife is scheduled to have gall bladder surgery tomorrow so I thought I'd get these out tonight. Once again, last weekend showed that the home team can prevail in this conference. The two early season darlings, Eastern Washington and Sacramento State have begun to fade replaced by...Weber State? While the Eagles and the Hornets were the chic picks early on, now the top teams in the Big Sky conference are the two teams from the Big Sky country. Here are this week's power rankings (last week's ranking). All are my opinion and all are open for discussion. What will next week bring.
1. Montana State (1)---Everyone else started their conference play but the Bobcats finished up their nonconference slate by hosting another MSU school, DII transitional Minot State. No shocker here as the Bobcats did what they were supposed to do in giving Minot State no chance for an upset. This week, they start their conference play on the road at Eastern Washington. The Bobcats did it to the Eagles last year, can they do it again?
2. Montana (3)---Obviously the Grizzlies have looked past their opening loss at Tennessee and have emerged as a true contender for the conference title. Last week they got past the defending champions, Eastern Washington in grand style. This weekend they head down the road as the hunted, going into the upstart Sacramento State's hive. The Hornets will be ready, can the Grizzlies get their first road win this year.
3. Weber State (5)---With all the questions surrounding the other members in the conference, the Wildcats were dismissed as in the middle of a "rebuilding" year. However, competitive losses to the FBS got the Wildcats ready for a home opener against Sacramento State and they responded emphatically. Now they head on the road against Northern Colorado, a team that the Wildcats seem to always struggle against. Will they struggle this year?
4. Eastern Washington (2)---The defending champion Eagles are finding out that things are tough with that moniker attached. Three straight road games and three straight losses, this last one was a conference matchup at Montana. Whether this matters remains to be seen, but this week, they stay home to play Montana State. Any chance they may still have, they need a win this week.
5. Sacramento State (4)---How much longer can the Hornets rely on the fact that they beat the Pac-12 the opening week? Last week in the conference opener, Weber State basically said who care and administered a good old fashioned whipping on the Hornets, tarnishing a once promising season. The Hornets need to turn the season around and this week, they host mighty Montana, needing a win desperately.
6. Portland State (7)---Shhhh, don't look but the only undefeated overall team left in the conference are the Vikings, having taken care of a pesky Northern Arizona team at home last week. The Vikings have turned a corner, but how far they can go is still anyone's guess. This week, they step out of conference and play the FBS Texas Christian (aka TCU).
7. Northern Arizona (6)---Still a ton of questions surrounding the Lumberjacks, but they won't give up as evident by last week's game at Portland State. The Lumberjacks came within a blocked field goal of escaping with a win. Now, they stay home and get Idaho State in their cozy dome stadium way up in the clouds. Questions should be answered by the end of this game.
8. Idaho State (8)---Yes, the Bengals should have won last week against Northern Colorado but the score of the game was the shocker. What is scary is the idea that the Bengals might be that good. The score was typical of a good conference team beating a bad conference team. Are the Bengals good? This week they head on the road to the altitude at Northern Arizona. If the Bengals are that good, this will be a breeze.
9. Northern Colorado (9)---So far the word that comes to mind for the Bears is "hopeless". In the game pitting the two perennial doormats of the conference, the Bears couldn't stay with Idaho State. What is sad is the schedule only seems to get more difficult as it goes on. This week, however, they welcome Weber State, a good conference team that seems to have trouble with the Bears every year. This year better be similar as it may be the only game the Bears have a shot at winning.
Recap: 1-2 close together, 3-5 a bit behind, 6-8 a little bit further and 9 outside the pack.
1. Montana State (1)---Everyone else started their conference play but the Bobcats finished up their nonconference slate by hosting another MSU school, DII transitional Minot State. No shocker here as the Bobcats did what they were supposed to do in giving Minot State no chance for an upset. This week, they start their conference play on the road at Eastern Washington. The Bobcats did it to the Eagles last year, can they do it again?
2. Montana (3)---Obviously the Grizzlies have looked past their opening loss at Tennessee and have emerged as a true contender for the conference title. Last week they got past the defending champions, Eastern Washington in grand style. This weekend they head down the road as the hunted, going into the upstart Sacramento State's hive. The Hornets will be ready, can the Grizzlies get their first road win this year.
3. Weber State (5)---With all the questions surrounding the other members in the conference, the Wildcats were dismissed as in the middle of a "rebuilding" year. However, competitive losses to the FBS got the Wildcats ready for a home opener against Sacramento State and they responded emphatically. Now they head on the road against Northern Colorado, a team that the Wildcats seem to always struggle against. Will they struggle this year?
4. Eastern Washington (2)---The defending champion Eagles are finding out that things are tough with that moniker attached. Three straight road games and three straight losses, this last one was a conference matchup at Montana. Whether this matters remains to be seen, but this week, they stay home to play Montana State. Any chance they may still have, they need a win this week.
5. Sacramento State (4)---How much longer can the Hornets rely on the fact that they beat the Pac-12 the opening week? Last week in the conference opener, Weber State basically said who care and administered a good old fashioned whipping on the Hornets, tarnishing a once promising season. The Hornets need to turn the season around and this week, they host mighty Montana, needing a win desperately.
6. Portland State (7)---Shhhh, don't look but the only undefeated overall team left in the conference are the Vikings, having taken care of a pesky Northern Arizona team at home last week. The Vikings have turned a corner, but how far they can go is still anyone's guess. This week, they step out of conference and play the FBS Texas Christian (aka TCU).
7. Northern Arizona (6)---Still a ton of questions surrounding the Lumberjacks, but they won't give up as evident by last week's game at Portland State. The Lumberjacks came within a blocked field goal of escaping with a win. Now, they stay home and get Idaho State in their cozy dome stadium way up in the clouds. Questions should be answered by the end of this game.
8. Idaho State (8)---Yes, the Bengals should have won last week against Northern Colorado but the score of the game was the shocker. What is scary is the idea that the Bengals might be that good. The score was typical of a good conference team beating a bad conference team. Are the Bengals good? This week they head on the road to the altitude at Northern Arizona. If the Bengals are that good, this will be a breeze.
9. Northern Colorado (9)---So far the word that comes to mind for the Bears is "hopeless". In the game pitting the two perennial doormats of the conference, the Bears couldn't stay with Idaho State. What is sad is the schedule only seems to get more difficult as it goes on. This week, however, they welcome Weber State, a good conference team that seems to have trouble with the Bears every year. This year better be similar as it may be the only game the Bears have a shot at winning.
Recap: 1-2 close together, 3-5 a bit behind, 6-8 a little bit further and 9 outside the pack.