Big Sky Predictions 9-22

[JALMOND]

Home. You can come home again. Where people love you, accept you for who you are. In football, home is where you play in front of your family and your lifelong friends. That is why in conference play, home can sometimes be the deciding factor, more so than record-wise. You dig a little more, you push a little more. Everyone plays this weekend in the Big Sky, with some help from former member North Dakota. I'm currently at 28-6, hoping for perfection.

CP at EWU---The Eagles enter conference play feeling good about themselves and they face a Mustangs team that broke through and got a win last week. This could be a good game, but in the end, take the home team...EWU 38, CP 28.

UI at UCD---The Vandals took an extra week to prepare for their new conference while the Aggies looked sharp against the strong and mighty Stanford team. The week off could help the Vandals, but again, have to go with the home team...UCD 41, UI 28.

ISU at North Dakota---Former members the Hawks, coming off their big win over Sam Houston State, start play as a wild card in the Big Sky race, welcoming the Bengals who are about where everyone expected. Again, home team wins...North Dakota 28, ISU 17.

MSU at PSU---The Bobcats come in prepared, having gone 1-1 against the mighty Missouri Valley. The Vikings finally broke through and got a win last week. On paper, Bobcats should win, but, what the heck, take the home team...PSU 28, MSU 25.

UNC at WSU---The Bears have been hanging tough with everyone but can't get a win. The Wildcats showed true grit in getting a win over South Dakota. The Bears probably will keep it close, but once again, the home team prevails...WSU 35, UNC 28.

SAC at UM---The Hornets have had some great outings so far and think they can do some good things this year. The Grizzlies have been playing tough as well. The Hornets may think they can win in Missoula, so, well, nah. Home team wins again...UM 35, SAC 32.

SUU at NAU---Two teams struggling entering conference play. The Thunderbirds looked lost against the Pac-12 bottom teams and the Lumberjacks took it on the chin in both FCS games after getting an FBS win. Clean sweep. Home team wins...NAU 28, SUU 20.

First week of the season, home team wins all.

[mvemjsunpx]

Cal Poly 20-38 EWU — Joe Protheroe got 43 carries in a blowout win last week xchinscratchx

Montana St. 34-21 Portland St. — How will the Vikings do in a vaguely competitive contest?

Idaho 20-31 Davis — Not much info on Idaho, but the Aggies look pretty good

NoCo 17-27 Weber — Another week, another hard-fought loss to a good team for the Bears

Suutah 27-42 NAU — Stick a fork in the loser, though I wonder if we can stick a fork in SUU anyway

Sac 28-23 Montana — The last time the Griz wore copper & gold against Sac, Dave Dickenson actually was the QB

Idaho St. 34-41 NoDak — The F-Hawks suddenly look good, but they've had trouble with ISU recently

[bonarae]

EWU
Montana State
UC Davis
Weber State
NAU
Montana
North Dakota

[wapiti]

CP 24 at EWU 35---CP may surprise EWU in the first half. But I think EWU makes some adjustments at half time and takes the W.

UI 17 at UCD 24---UC Davis is at home and thus far has played well. The 2 games UI played was not enough to make much of a determination on them. This game will be interesting and I think should be the FCS game of the week.

ISU 20 at North Dakota 32---ND had a nice win last weekend. Meanwhile ISU has only played a Div 2 and a big FBS team. I pick the home team.

MSU 20 at PSU 17---As a Cat fan this game has me a bit worried. PSU has played 2 FBS and a weak NAIA team. Making it hard to tell how good or bad PSU may be. The Cat's should win, but sometimes the Cat's lose to a team they have no business losing to. I went with my Bobcat colored glasses and the team favored on paper.

UNC 18 at WSU 35---The Bears have been playing close, but on the losing side. This game is in Odgen. It could turn into a blow out.

SAC 27 at UM 32---As far as I know, which is not much and sometimes wrong, Sac has never won in Missoula.

SUU 32 at NAU 17---Will Cookus and/or Butler be playing? I looked at NAU's website but could not find any information. Without them NAU loses.

[Iridebikes]

EWU over CP- games between these two team have historically been close. Not this time 43-21 EAGS.
Davis beat Idaho - 38 to 21
MSU wins at PSU- 28-23
Weber over UNC - 24-13
UND takes it to ISU- 33-17
Sac State over UM- not by much
SUU over NAU- SUU gets things back on the right track. NAU does not.

[bobcathpdevil56]

Home. You can come home again. Where people love you, accept you for who you are. In football, home is where you play in front of your family and your lifelong friends. That is why in conference play, home can sometimes be the deciding factor, more so than record-wise. You dig a little more, you push a little more. Everyone plays this weekend in the Big Sky, with some help from former member North Dakota. I'm currently at 28-6, hoping for perfection.

CP at EWU---The Eagles enter conference play feeling good about themselves and they face a Mustangs team that broke through and got a win last week. This could be a good game, but in the end, take the home team...EWU 38, CP 28.

UI at UCD---The Vandals took an extra week to prepare for their new conference while the Aggies looked sharp against the strong and mighty Stanford team. The week off could help the Vandals, but again, have to go with the home team...UCD 41, UI 28.

ISU at North Dakota---Former members the Hawks, coming off their big win over Sam Houston State, start play as a wild card in the Big Sky race, welcoming the Bengals who are about where everyone expected. Again, home team wins...North Dakota 28, ISU 17.

MSU at PSU---The Bobcats come in prepared, having gone 1-1 against the mighty Missouri Valley. The Vikings finally broke through and got a win last week. On paper, Bobcats should win, but, what the heck, take the home team...PSU 28, MSU 25.

UNC at WSU---The Bears have been hanging tough with everyone but can't get a win. The Wildcats showed true grit in getting a win over South Dakota. The Bears probably will keep it close, but once again, the home team prevails...WSU 35, UNC 28.

SAC at UM---The Hornets have had some great outings so far and think they can do some good things this year. The Grizzlies have been playing tough as well. The Hornets may think they can win in Missoula, so, well, nah. Home team wins again...UM 35, SAC 32.

SUU at NAU---Two teams struggling entering conference play. The Thunderbirds looked lost against the Pac-12 bottom teams and the Lumberjacks took it on the chin in both FCS games after getting an FBS win. Clean sweep. Home team wins...NAU 28, SUU 20.

First week of the season, home team wins all.

Homer pick J. :D

I just hope it's not like the last game we played in Portland, where we gave up a TD on the first 7-8 drives. It was as bad as the MSU defense ever was.

[MSUBobcat]

I've been sporadic this year, so no running totals, but I'll still take a stab at it.

EWU - Eags are still among the top of the Big Sky
Davis - Like everyone, I have no idea how to judge Idaho. Looking forward to finding something out about them.
MSU - As with Davis, there's not much to judge 2018 PSU on, but last year was rough and Rovig seems to be solid.
BBQ - Home team. Soundly beat a solid USD team at home, which soundly beat UNC.
UND - Good win over SHSU; ISU.... who knows. Too many teams scheduling up AND down in the same OOC schedule. I don't like it. Pick a cupcake or pick a money game, not both.
UM - May be the Big Sky game of the week. Giving the edge to Wa-Griz
SUU - NAU seems to be regressing; only win in their last 5 games is over a bad UTEP team; lost to SUU in Cedar City to end the regular season last year before being boat raced by a non-scholly in the playoffs; beat down by Misery State...

[JALMOND]

Homer pick J. :D


They're all homer picks. xlolx

Really, I was looking at the rest of the games other than MSU/PSU and saw I was going to go with the home teams anyway, so I thought, why not.xthumbsupx

[Roamingriz]

Cal Poly v EWU - I think Poly is still developing working with what they've got, and they've got Protheroe for sure running for over 200 last week. Jenkins has looked the only credible passing threat, but that helps being a threat for the pitch or to get a look downfield getting a combined 150 yards against Brown. But that was Brown, this week the Eagles. The Eagles are looking like a more all-around team than I think they have looked in a few years. Not exceptional last week but four different receivers went for over 40 yards and Pierce and McPherson rushed for over 120 combined. A bevy of playmakers and an improving defense is going to hold Poly down enough for the offense to make a long day for CP. Poly 21 EWU 38

Idaho v Davis - It doesn't mean a whole lot to have beaten Western New Mexico 56 - 10. The only interesting bit of info I think is that it was 21-10 going into the half and 28-10 going into the fourth quarter. Not as much of a whooping as I thought it was? It looks like they like to pass the rock off to a couple of different runners, and spread it around with the pass. Using two qbs. Davis has a stable of capable receivers, including a TD-less Keelan Doss who's over 220 yards receiving through three games, and a couple of decent runners. They've put up good numbers against strong competition and smoking San Diego. I think Davis has a better handle on who they are and that will come through in this one. UI 24 Davis 35

Idaho State v North Dakota - Idaho States brother to brother connection in QB Tanner to WR Mitch Gueller looked like the real deal last week at Cal going for over 150 yards passing/receiving in the loss and the Bengals managed almost 140 yards on the ground mostly against Cal's 2's but there is some potential there. After North Dakota's long weekend at Washington (where Santiago still went for 139 yards) the Oliveira and Santiago were effective in taking down Sam Houston. They have a decent pass game but the defense might be the better unit this year. ISU 17 UND 28

Montana State v Portland State - Montana State found a run game last week against a game Wagner last week. More experience and time with the 1's should help in Rovig's development, he doesn't look entirely comfortable out there. Portland State should be optimistic and have some confidence at home. Getting smoked at Nevada and Oregon aren't the best indicators of where you are, neither is beating College of Idaho, but it should leave the Vikings with some ideas about what works. MSU 28 PSU 24

Northern Colorado v Weber State - The Bears have opened the season with three tough teams and acquitted themselves well in each loss. Its both a matter of playing to the level of competition(a lower lever in their case) and slumping in the middle of games, they have 7 points in the second quarter and 3 in the third quarter through three games. Webers offense has yet to entirely come together but they can lean on a solid running back Davis and spread the ball around to a couple different receivers. Another team whose defense looks the stronger unit. UNC 12 Weber 27

Sac St. v Montana - I have my reservations about this Montana team, but I think they have a creative OC who will continue to create good things with the talent he has. Hopefully it involves getting more out of the RB's on the roster. If not the air game looks capable of carrying the load against most teams. The Griz DB's are going to be tested in this one because they have aired it out in each of their games this season. They have a decent enough run game too though running for almost 200 yards against NoCo last week. Hard to bet against the Griz at home of course but this is definitely a veteran team that could pull it off. Sac 27 UM 30

Southern Utah v Northern Arizona - Cookus is still listed as a game time decision to go along with several offensive players nursing injuries, but WR Butler should be back as a key target for either quarterback wanting to throw his way. They have a few defensive injuries as well. It's starting to look like another hard luck season again for NAU but I thought they would be able to put up a better fight last week. Won't be the last time I write that last phrase..... Southern Utah has not been inept, they've played pretty tough competition. They look to have a balanced attack gaining yards at similar levels running and throwing. The defense is still a question. Can they stop stronger offensive teams. With Cookus I'd pick NAU, without I'm going to the less damaged team. SUU 33 NAU 24

[mvemjsunpx]

SAC 27 at UM 32---As far as I know, which is not much and sometimes wrong, Sac has never won in Missoula.

This is correct, though there were a couple agonizingly close calls in back-to-back-years…

1999: Montana led 28-3 in the third, but Drew Miller got hurt and Sac scored 25 unanswered to force overtime. Backup QB Nick Walker, who was 3/11 for 20 yards prior to his last pass, threw a 23-yard TD to Etu Molden to win it in double OT (I oddly have no personal recollection of this game, even though I definitely remember the 81-22 pasting of Weber a week later).

2000: Sac led 20-0 at halftime on UM's homecoming. Montana scored 17 straight to cut it to 3 late, but Sac just had to convert simple third down and they could all but run the clock out. Ricky Ray ran an option play, but the pitch was intercepted by Damon Parker and returned for the game-winning touchdown.

[JALMOND]

Home. You can come home again. Where people love you, accept you for who you are. In football, home is where you play in front of your family and your lifelong friends. That is why in conference play, home can sometimes be the deciding factor, more so than record-wise. You dig a little more, you push a little more. Everyone plays this weekend in the Big Sky, with some help from former member North Dakota. I'm currently at 28-6, hoping for perfection.

CP at EWU---The Eagles enter conference play feeling good about themselves and they face a Mustangs team that broke through and got a win last week. This could be a good game, but in the end, take the home team...EWU 38, CP 28.

UI at UCD---The Vandals took an extra week to prepare for their new conference while the Aggies looked sharp against the strong and mighty Stanford team. The week off could help the Vandals, but again, have to go with the home team...UCD 41, UI 28.

ISU at North Dakota---Former members the Hawks, coming off their big win over Sam Houston State, start play as a wild card in the Big Sky race, welcoming the Bengals who are about where everyone expected. Again, home team wins...North Dakota 28, ISU 17.

MSU at PSU---The Bobcats come in prepared, having gone 1-1 against the mighty Missouri Valley. The Vikings finally broke through and got a win last week. On paper, Bobcats should win, but, what the heck, take the home team...PSU 28, MSU 25.

UNC at WSU---The Bears have been hanging tough with everyone but can't get a win. The Wildcats showed true grit in getting a win over South Dakota. The Bears probably will keep it close, but once again, the home team prevails...WSU 35, UNC 28.

SAC at UM---The Hornets have had some great outings so far and think they can do some good things this year. The Grizzlies have been playing tough as well. The Hornets may think they can win in Missoula, so, well, nah. Home team wins again...UM 35, SAC 32.

SUU at NAU---Two teams struggling entering conference play. The Thunderbirds looked lost against the Pac-12 bottom teams and the Lumberjacks took it on the chin in both FCS games after getting an FBS win. Clean sweep. Home team wins...NAU 28, SUU 20.

First week of the season, home team wins all.


5-2 this week, 33-8 overall. Taking the home team the first conference weekend was not too great.