Big Sky Conference Power Rankings: Week 7
Another week in the books and it looks like it’s anyone’s conference. Well not anyone’s… Northern Colorado is really bad, Idaho only has one conference win, Sac State looks like they entered the season very overrated, and the Griz have lost two straight. The top of the conference looks really strong, though, and it’s getting tougher to rank the Top 5. Here’s where we have each Big Sky team after 7 weeks:
(Previous week’s ranking in italicized parentheses)
1. Eastern Washington — STATS FCS Poll: 9 (4), Sagarin Rank: 88 (78)
Gabe Gabrud was sidelined for the second straight week and the EWU offense only put up 2 field goals in a 14-6 loss against a very tough Weber State defense. Eastern survived Southern Utah the week before with backup QB Eric Barrier but couldn’t get anything going against the Wildcats. We keep them at #1 in the power rankings with the assumption that Gabrud will come back and the Eagles offense will start flying high again… but Eastern was definitely put on notice last weekend.
2. UC Davis — STATS FCS Poll: 10 (14), Sagarin Rank: 124 (124)
You would have been laughed at if you told someone a few years ago that in 2018, half way through the season, UC Davis and Idaho State would play a classic game in a battle for the top of the Big Sky. It happened. UC Davis came back from a 15 point 4th quarter deficit to take down the Bengals in overtime, 44-37. Davis will have to keep earning the #2 spot in the Power Rankings as they finish the season with 3 of their remaining 5 games against Montana, NAU, and Eastern Washington. Davis is at Cal Poly this weekend.
3. Weber State — STATS FCS Poll: 7 (13), Sagarin Rank: 111 (121)
Weber pulled off the upset of the week and held Eastern Washington to just 6 points. Their defense is looking unreal and they take on a Montana State team this weekend that is struggling on the offensive end. The loss to NAU two weekends ago and the fact the Eagles were Gubrud-less keeps Weber at the #3 spot in the Power Rankings but it was hard not to put them at the top.
4. Idaho State — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 135 (137)
Idaho State lost a heartbreaker at UC Davis this weekend but showed that they can keep up with anyone in the conference. They looked like they had the W in the bag in Northern California but a UC Davis rally handed ISU their first conference loss. The Bengals travel to play Liberty this weekend in a non-conference game. Liberty is an provisional FBS team this year as they transition into being a bowl eligible FBS team in 2019.
5. Northern Arizona — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 143 (158)
NAU was on a bye week last weekend but their win over Weber State is looking even more impressive after what Weber did to EWU. NAU has losses to EWU and Idaho State on their resume but they look to be the 5th best team in the conference right now as there seems to be a pretty big gap between the top 5 teams and everyone else.
6. Montana State — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 160 (157)
Montana State escaped with a 24-23 win over Idaho last weekend in a hard fought game in Bozeman. A controversial missed extra point by the Vandals cost them the game and handed MSU their 2nd conference win. A win is a win in the Big Sky but the offense was, again, sluggish coming off a bye week and news of Tucker Rovig’s season ending injury doesn’t leave many Bobcats fans feeling optimistic going into their battle with Weber State’s defense this weekend.
7. Montana — STATS FCS Poll: NR (22), Sagarin Rank: 148 (136)
For the first time in his Griz coaching career, Bobby Hauck has lost two straight games. After a stunning loss to Portland State in Missoula, UM went to North Dakota and looked totally unprepared as UND got off to a very fast start and put the Griz in a hole they never came close to recovering from. The Griz took it on the chin with a 41-14 loss and find themselves heading into a bye week with a lot of questions. It doesn’t get any easier for Montana as they host UC Davis when they’re back in action on October 27th.
8. Cal Poly — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 180 (179)
Cal Poly was on a bye last week and gets back into the action hosting UC Davis this weekend. Cal Poly got their first conference win of the season against Sacramento State a couple weekends ago but the W is looking less impressive after the Hornets loss to Southern Utah last weekend. We’ll see if Poly can keep it close against the Aggies.
9. Idaho — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 177 (183)
Idaho lost a tough one in Bozeman last weekend on a missed extra point, 24-23. Idaho seemed to control the game but the scoreboard told a different story when it hit triple zeros. It’s been a tough return to the Big Sky for the Vandals as they sit at 1-3 in conference with their sole conference win over Portland State. Idaho gets Southern Utah at home this weekend in a winnable game.
10. Sacramento State — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 181 (168)
Everyone’s pre-season darling has taken it on the chin the past two weekends with blowout losses to Cal Poly and previously winless Southern Utah. Sac State’s only conference win is Northern Colorado and it appears their easy schedule in 2017 allowed everyone’s expectations of the Hornets to get a little inflated heading into 2018. Sac State looks to right the ship at home against North Dakota this weekend.
11. Portland State — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 194 (207)
After not winning a Big Sky game since 2016, the Vikings are on a nice two game win streak after wins over Montana and Northern Colorado. While on a bye this weekend, they can really send Sac State spiraling if they can pull off another W on October 27th in Sacramento.
12. Southern Utah — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 171 (180)
Southern Utah finally got their first win of the season last weekend with their win over Sacramento State. SUU played a brutal schedule to open up the season and needed that first win to get them going. This weekend’s game in Moscow, Idaho, will really show if Southern Utah is better than their 1-5 record indicates.
13. Northern Colorado — STATS FCS Poll: NR (NR), Sagarin Rank: 204 (190)
Oh UNC. Everyone wishes you were on their schedule. Portland State handled the Bears last weekend, 35-14, and UNC heads to NAU this weekend to see if they can stun the Lumberjacks. After Northern Arizona, the winless Bears have Southern Utah, Eastern Washington, and Montana State to finish out the season… can they get a win?
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Hot Take Nate Hot Take Nate now resides in Northern California but still calls Montana his home. It'll always be home.
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