Big Sky Conference Week 5 Predictions

[SUUTbird]

Haven't seen it posted yet so I figured why not get this started. Lots of big and defining games this week in the Big Sky as teams continue the start of their Conference slates, here are my predictions for this week:

Cal Poly @ North Dakota: The Mustangs so far are looking like one the top teams in the Conference, North Dakota has been struggling on offense and despite a good defense they wont stop the Triple Option.

NAU vs Northern Colorado: The Bears are looking to show the Conference they are an improved team, NAU is reeling heading into Greeley potentially without Case Cookus who was injured against EWU, going with Da Bears.

UC Davis @ EWU: The Eagles are flying high coming out of a very tough opening slate at 3-1, including 1-0 in the Big Sky. They get a breather against the Aggies who if they can hold EWU under 40 points will be a moral victory.

Idaho State @ Portland State: The Vikings return home facing a Bengals squad who let a bad Sac State team hang with them. The Vikings secondary needs to step up to stop the Bengals passing attack, going with PSU on this one.

Montana State @ Sacramento State: The Cats are coming off a close loss at home to North Dakota, good news is that they get to play Sac State whose defense is nothing like the Hawks.

SUU @ Montana: SUU is coming off a big win over Portland State while Montana heads home after a heartbreaking loss to Cal Poly (you have no idea how happy I am SUU doesn't play them this season). The last time we played in Missoula we were able to come away with a win, however despite hoping for an opposite outcome I don't think we will beat the Griz in Missoula, especially if our starting QB is still out.

[bonarae]

Cal Poly
Northern Colorado
EWU
Portland State
Montana State
Montana

[tomq04]

CP
NAU even without Cookus, they are still a good team, they just need to find their footing.
EWU
Portland St
Mont St
Mont

[wapiti]

Cal Poly 20 @ North Dakota 24: The Mustangs are at risk of a letdown after the big win over the griz.

NAU 27 vs Northern Colorado 38: The Bears are an improved team this year and this game should show it.

UC Davis 24 @ EWU 48: The Eagles offense should do well in this game.

Idaho State 17 @ Portland State 32 : The Viks should be able to beat the Bengals in Portland.

Montana State 24 @ Sacramento State 17 The Cats defense should be able to setup their O to out score Sac.

SUU 16 @ Montana 32 The griz are tough to beat in Missoula

[nodak651]

North Dakota - We have the defense to stop the option. If we can score 25 + I think we win.
Northern Colorado - Seem to be getting better and better.
Eastern Washington - Easy choice
Portland State - Portland at home and Idaho State is Idaho State
Montana State - Sac sucks
Montana - SUU is over rated and it's at Montana, and Montana is good

[eiu1999]

Cal Poly
NAU
EWU
Portland State
Montana State
Montana

[mvemjsunpx]

Davis 28-49 EWU — Eagles finally play a not-big game; could there be a letdown?

Idaho St. 28-41 Portland St. — The Viks are freefalling, but they're still a ways from rock-bottom

Montana St. 27-24 Sac State — Bobcats have won 5 straight in Sacto, but all of those wins were close

Suutah 17-34 Montana — T-Birds get their first real test

NAU 31-35 NoCo — With Cookus (probably) out, the preseason faves could be eliminated in early October

Cal Poly 21-30 NoDak — NoDak had no trouble with the 'Stangs last year

[F'N Hawks]

Cal Poly @ North Dakota - UND has the defense to slow down Poly. Game will have to be won by UND offense. UND by 4

Northern Arizona @ Northern Colorado - UNC is a whole 'nother team in Greeley, NAU without the Cook. Bears by 10

Davis @ EWU - Should be able to score enough to win comfortably but a letdown is coming. Eagles by 13

Idaho State @ Portland State - PSU has been dreadful thus far. But ISU has been worse. Viks by 17

Montana State @ Sac State - MSU is playing defense now and trying to win that way. QB is awful, though. Still should be able to slow down a woeful Sac State team. Bobcats by 14.

Southern Utah @ Montana - Griz looking for a big win now they are back at home. SUU is still a bit of an unknown, IMO. Griz by 9.

[GetEmGriz]

Cal Poly @ North Dakota - Cal Poly has played three tough games and showed they are for real. They are still healthy and that is what they need to keep the momentum going.
NAU @ Northern Colorado - I'm not ready to say Northern Colorado is good. Until they can prove it, I'm going with NAU.
Davis @ Eastern Washingto - Eags roll.
Idaho State @ Portland State - Idaho hasn't been great. Portland State should be able to win this one.
Montana State @ Sac State - Many people think MSU has a defense, and yes they have improved, but I believe they look better than they are due to who they've played. The Cats should win this one, but the offense needs to actually show up.
Southern Utah @ Montana - The Griz came up 1 point short of being 3-0. They take care of business at home with the 12th man being the cherry on top.

[Red & Black]

Cal Poly @ North Dakota - Cal Poly is a Big Sky title contender, if they can navigate their conference schedule without getting too banged up.
NAU @ Northern Colorado - NAU probably pulls it out, but could go either way. The NAU backup QB looked pretty rough when he had to come in against EWU.
Davis @ Eastern Washington - Expect another lower scoring UNI type game. Regardless, Eags win.
Idaho State @ Portland State - PSU in a close game.
Montana State @ Sac State - Sac State is just...bad.
Southern Utah @ Montana - Another close game. Going with Montana at home.

[F'N Hawks]

NAU @ Northern Colorado - NAU probably pulls it out, but could go either way. The NAU backup QB looked pretty rough when he had to come in against EWU.


Was he pretty bad last week? I didn't see any of it.

[FCSwatcher]

Cal Poly
NAU
EWU
PSU
MSU
SUU


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[cpalum]

North Dakota - We have the defense to stop the option. If we can score 25 + I think we win.

This will be a good game and I'm not sure who comes out on top but I am nearly certain whoever wins will have to score more than 25. In fact if North Dakota scores 25 id say its a Cal Poly win.

[Red & Black]

Was he pretty bad last week? I didn't see any of it.

9/12, 1 TD, 2 INT's.

So, I guess if 2/3 of his incompletions weren't INT's those would be pretty decent numbers for only a quarter of football.

[Red & Black]

This will be a good game and I'm not sure who comes out on top but I am nearly certain whoever wins will have to score more than 25. In fact if North Dakota scores 25 id say its a Cal Poly win.

Agreed. With the way CP likes to grind, I really think you need a good passing offense to force them out of it and make them play catch up. I don't see the UND offense being able to keep up with CP.

[SeattleBobcat]

Cal Poly (3-1) at North Dakota (2-2) Cal Poly 24-21 Cal poly wins a tight one in a mostly defensive battle.
Northern Arizona (1-3) at Northern Colorado (2-1) Northern Arizona 35-22 NAU has some really good receivers and they're the difference in Greeley.
UC Davis (1-3) at Eastern Washington (3-1) Eastern Washington 51-27 EWU rolls a struggling Davis squad.
Southern Utah (2-1) at Montana (2-1) Southern Utah 30-28 SUU stuffs a 2pt conversion to send this one into to OT.
Idaho State (2-2) at Portland State (1-3) Portland State 34-25 PSU still struggling to find the spark they had last year, win a tight on at home in front of 500.
Montana State (2-2) at Sacramento State (0-4) Montana State 31-6 Even without a QB on the field, cats win easy on Newell's 4 td's.

[mvemjsunpx]

Agreed. With the way CP likes to grind, I really think you need a good passing offense to force them out of it and make them play catch up. I don't see the UND offense being able to keep up with CP.

NoDak blew out Poly in SLO last year, though.

[F'N Hawks]

NoDak blew out Poly in SLO last year, though.

True but Poly O & D are better this year, UND D is better but O is worse. Going to be a good game to the end, IMO. I hope.

[Red & Black]

NoDak blew out Poly in SLO last year, though.

Yeah, the thing about that. Montana blew out EWU in Missoula last year, too. Doesn't mean that Montana is the better team this year. EWU is a very different team this year, as is CP.

You can maybe take some things away about how styles of play match up, but that's about it.

[Nodak78]

North Dakota - the defense will need to shorten the field for the offense to score
Northern Colorado
Eastern Washington
Portland State
Montana State
Montana

[mvemjsunpx]

Yeah, the thing about that. Montana blew out EWU in Missoula last year, too. Doesn't mean that Montana is the better team this year. EWU is a very different team this year, as is CP.

You can maybe take some things away about how styles of play match up, but that's about it.

My point was that they didn't have any trouble with CP's option then. They've also had easily the best run D in the conference each of the past 3 years.

[malibudude]

UND will have problems with the TO this Saturday. 38- 24 poly.

[JALMOND]

Cal Poly 20 @ North Dakota 24: The Mustangs are at risk of a letdown after the big win over the griz.

NAU 27 vs Northern Colorado 38: The Bears are an improved team this year and this game should show it.

UC Davis 24 @ EWU 48: The Eagles offense should do well in this game.

Idaho State 17 @ Portland State 32 : The Viks should be able to beat the Bengals in Portland.

Montana State 24 @ Sacramento State 17 The Cats defense should be able to setup their O to out score Sac.

SUU 16 @ Montana 32 The griz are tough to beat in Missoula

CP 32, UND 27---Hawks D can slow down Mustangs option, but no one can stop it.
UNC 48, NAU 41---Upset Special, Bears in a wild one.
EWU 52, UCD 35---Can the Eagles score more points against the Aggies than Oregon did?
PSU 51, ISU 48---Vik D can't stop the pass, Bengal D can't stop a mobile QB.
MSU 29, SAC 7---Cats D gives their O nothing to worry about.
UM 34, SUU 31---T-Birds come close but can't quite get the win.

[MR. CHICKEN]

NORTH DAKOTA
NORTHERN COLORADO
EASTERN WASHINGTON
PORTLAND STATE
MONTANA STATE
MONTANA

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

North Dakota
NAU
Ewu
Idaho State
Sac St
SUU by 10+

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

True but Poly O & D are better this year, UND D is better but O is worse. Going to be a good game to the end, IMO. I hope.
No, it is not especially their defense, not very good at all. They wont keep anyone under 35 points this year.

[Hambone]

No, it is not especially their defense, not very good at all. They wont keep anyone under 35 points this year.
You haven't seen our offense this year.......

[Thumper 76]

No, it is not especially their defense, not very good at all. They wont keep anyone under 35 points this year.

They kept SDSU under 35 points, and they average 42 per game.


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[slostang]

No, it is not especially their defense, not very good at all. They wont keep anyone under 35 points this year.
A swing and a miss. We have kept three of the four teams we have played this year under 35 including Nevada in OT.

[Red & Black]

A swing and a miss. We have kept three of the four teams we have played this year under 35 including Nevada in OT.

xlolx

[cpalum]

A swing and a miss. We have kept three of the four teams we have played this year under 35 including Nevada in OT.


Couple thoughts...that Alpha dude is grouchy

the Cal Poly defense is significantly better than last year to anyone who is paying attention

i don' really know what "good" defense is in the Big Sky but I think UND has one xdrunkyx

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Good holds teams under 20 Great under 14.

There are no good defenses in the BSC and haven't been for decades

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[laxVik]

Hey MSU would you like Prukop back?

[veinup]

i would take Prukop on my team any day

[slostang]

Good holds teams under 20 Great under 14.

There are no good defenses in the BSC and haven't been for decades

Sent from my SM-G935V using TapatalkThen I guess there are only one great defense in the FCS through week 5. Chattanooga defense is holding teams to 8.4 points a game (tough teams like Shorter, Presbyterian and East Tenn.). The other 120+ teams defenses are above 14 points per game.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

i would take Prukop on my team any day
We do need a bigger RB.....

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[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Then I guess there are only one great defense in the FCS through week 5. Chattanooga defense is holding teams to 8.4 points a game (tough teams like Shorter, Presbyterian and East Tenn.). The other 120+ teams defenses are above 14 points per game.
Yep, whatever you say man you know it all...........

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[slostang]

Yep, whatever you say man you know it all...........

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I am glad you recognize my brilliance. Thanks, it means a lot to me. Prior to that I had thought only the Great Alpha had laid claim to knowing it all.

[laxVik]

i would take Prukop on my team any dayHe's arguably the crappiest starting QB for UO in over a decade. Flat footed fiasco. Should have stayed in the BSC.