Big Sky Rankings-Week 3

[JALMOND]

Once again here are my rankings of the teams in the Big Sky, with last weeks in parenthesis. As usual, they are open for discussion...

1. Montana (1)---A good time for the Griz to play the DNP card, based on what happened within the conference this weekend. No one made a move on them so they are still the team to beat. An off week to prepare for the Hornets of Sac State this week, as if they needed it.

2. Portland State (2)---The Vikings got the Cal game out of the way, at the cost of two quarterbacks. Next up, a game in Ogden against Weber State. Here's hoping the injuries sustained against Cal are not too serious.

3. Weber State (3)---The Wildcats prevailed against a better that advertised Southern Utah team. Did they finally find their offense? They will need to with a strong Portland State team coming to town this weekend.

4. Northern Arizona (4)---What can you gather from a pasting of Dixie State? Can they get the same production on the road against Idaho State? Hard to get a read with two I-A games and a DII game.

5. Idaho State (7)---A good showing, abeit a loss, against I-A Idaho. Bengals would have loved a win against their former rivals but a three point loss will have to do. Can they keep it going this weekend when Northern Arizona comes to town?

6. Montana State (5)---What's happening with the Cats? Davis has a great team, but losing 45-0 at home? Are the Cats regressing? Maybe they should be further down, but they did beat Colorado. How long are we going to say that? Eastern Washington comes to town in a game that both will need. Can the Cats get back on track?

7. Northern Colorado (9)---The new kids on the block get the conference's most impressive win of the weekend, beating Texas State, a team that went deep in the I-AA playoffs last year. A great showing after the PSU game and the turmoil afterwards. Gateway foe Western Illinois comes into Greeley for a game this weekend. Can the Bears continue the run?

8. Eastern Washington (6)---Two blowout losses against I-A followed by a loss at home to Central Washington (DII). Now, they need to try to get their first win at Bozeman against Montana State. Its hard to think playoffs this early, but four losses right off the bat may do it for the Eagles.

9. Sacramento State (8)---Hard to knock the Hornets down after their strong performance against Cal Poly. They and Northern Colorado did gain ground on the rest of the conference. Their reward, a game in Missoula against the well rested Grizzlies. They could win, but will they?

Montana is still the team to beat and Portland State has also distanced itself from the rest of the conference. Weber, NAU and ISU are pretty much together for 3-5. For their performances, Montana State and EWU both find themselves fighting in the bottom against rejuvinated Northern Colorado and Sacramento State. Conference play begins in earnest this weekend. Let the games begin.

[dbackjon]

Good rankngs.

Personally, I would flip-flop ISU and NAU, and put EWU at the bottom.

[Tod]

Looks pretty darn good, JALMOND. Things will begin to clear up next weekend. :)

[I Bleed Purple]

According to those rankings, we've got a big 2vs3 matchup this weekend.

[AZGrizFan]

Good rankngs.

Personally, I would flip-flop ISU and NAU, and put EWU at the bottom.

And who would have EVER thought we'd see that! EWU below Northern Colorado! :eek: :eek:

[RabidRabbit]

And who would have EVER thought we'd see that! EWU below Northern Colorado! :eek: :eek:

Agreed :thumbsup: But UNC beat a (formerly) top 25 ranked I-AA, and is 1-2.

EWU has three horrid losses, including a middle of the pack NCC D-II team. If we're giving UNI grief about losing to UND Sioux, then need to consider where EWU fits. Until prove otherwise, EWU and SDSU would be a tight pillow fight. (Sorry Jacks, we need to prove it on the field, as does EWU.) :twocents:

[ncbears]

I agree with Jalmond, but I would flip UNC and MSU. We've got our butts kicked by two very good teams and beat a ranked team on the road. MSU got beaten worse then we did to UC -Davis and lost to a d2 team. The win against CU was awesome but CU is horrible and MSU just isn't the same after. Who has the toughest game this weekend?

[SactoHornetFan]

We almost tied the 3rd Ranked team in the nation at home on a hail mary that fell short and you place us last?? xidiotx

We did not fold coming into the 4th quarter. If this had been last year's or the year before's team, then we would have rolled over.

We are a much better team than last year. I believe we are certainly better than EWU, possibly UNC, though its still early.

[griz&beer]

We almost tied the 3rd Ranked team in the nation at home on a hail mary that fell short and you place us last?? xidiotx

We did not fold coming into the 4th quarter. If this had been last year's or the year before's team, then we would have rolled over.

We are a much better team than last year. I believe we are certainly better than EWU, possibly UNC, though its still early.

You are wright. I think EWU is last then MSU then UNC. Sac. will do OK at worst this year, your D will shine..

[Mr. C]

I'm sorry, but I'd give Sac State more love for that 7-point loss to No. 3 ranked Cal Poly. I think Sac State could be a surprise team in the Big Sky this season (if they can avoid too many more injuries) and work their way towards the middle of the pack. Don't be fooled by Northern Colorado's win over Texas State. Texas State isn't the Bobcats of last season. I'll be shocked if UNC finishes above the bottom two in this league. Eastern Washington is just a pathetic team. Hard to believe how far the Eagles have fallen. I-A schedule or not, they were terrible when I saw them lose to Oregon State and West Virginia and now a loss to D-II Central Washington. Major QB problems as they tried to replace Payton award winner Erik Meyer. Who knows what we will see out of Montana State. The Bobkitties have taken their normal bouts of schizophrenia to a new level this season.

[JALMOND]

I agree with Jalmond, but I would flip UNC and MSU. We've got our butts kicked by two very good teams and beat a ranked team on the road. MSU got beaten worse then we did to UC -Davis and lost to a d2 team. The win against CU was awesome but CU is horrible and MSU just isn't the same after. Who has the toughest game this weekend?

I did have a tough time with the bottom four (deciding in what order to put MSU, EWU, SSU and UNC??? Whodathought?). It was a stretch, but looking at the Cats schedule, you could say that possibly they would be 1-2 at this point (maybe not the way they got there and certainly not the scores). UNC maybe not 1-2 at this point, still better than 0-3, and a good win at Texas State. SSU played Cal Poly really tough after Poly had a tough game in Ogden. EWU, well how can you gauge 2 I-A blowouts and a DII loss.

My guess, the conference game of the week is probably EWU/MSU. Both are fighting for the playoffs and the loser might be going home. Hard to believe it this early, but that could be the case. What is hard to believe is that the winner will start conference play 1-0, a great thing to build on, and why I think the win will jumpstart the season. Playoff atmosphere early on, I'll bet.

[griz&beer]

The losser of the MSU EWU game, is out of the playoffs. Simple as that. Both teams are rebuilding, after lossing there studs last year. I knew this year they would fall from greatness. lol.... So who is going to be the biggest losser?