Big Sky predictions-Week 8

[JALMOND]

Week 8 already? The season is just going right by. So far, the conference has the usual suspect out in front and a jumbled mess behind them. Any one of five teams could find themselves in the playoffs along with Montana if the ball bounces just right. It needs to start now. So here are the picks. Right now, I am 35-5 for the year. We'll see how this week goes...

EWU @ Brigham Young---The Eagles potent offense takes a step up to FBS to play Mountain West power BYU. The Eagles finally put a full game together last week in beating MSU at home. A full game might be what they need, not to win, but just to stay close...Brigham Young 45, EWU 28.

NAU @ WSU---Something's gotta give. This game features the highly explosive Jacks offense against the ferocious Wildcat defense. The Wildcats need to find some way to slow the Jacks down to give the sputtering offense a chance. Well, the Wildcats have been doing that in conference this year as UM, MSU and Sac State's offenses all could only muster one touchdown each. Defense wins out...WSU 17, NAU 7.

UNC @ UM---The Grizzlies have been winning but the scores in the games have not been impressive. The Bears have been losing and the scores have been somewhat shocking. Two things, can anything go right for the Bears at Missoula, and will this game be the "impressive" win the Griz are looking for...UM 48, UNC 7.

PSU @ ISU---The Vikings had two weeks off to prepare for the Bengals, who have a history of doing quite well against the Vikings in Pocatello. Playing indoors should help the run and shoot, but surprises do tend to occur, especially with these two teams. The Bengals will relish a chance to spoil the Vikings season again, but the run and shoot thrives indoors...PSU 41, ISU 34.

Sac State @ MSU---The Hornets are probably the best 1-5 team in the country and the Cats are still trying to find the offense. The Hornets outplayed the Griz last week, yet still found themselves on the short end of the score. Now they have to take the act on the road. Can they find the end zone enough times against the Cat defense?...MSU 18, Sac State 14.

[AZGrizFan]

JALMOND, I love ya', but I'll eat the hat Grizo sent me if the Griz put up 48 on UNC this weekend.

I'd bet more like 37-7 or 37-10. This Offense just doesn't have it. xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx


I also think NAU beats WSU.

And possibly Sac State beats MSU.

[I Bleed Purple]

Weather prediction is chilly, rain possibly turning to snow if it gets cold enough. Advantage for the defense. That puts Weber over the top. Plus, there's not a particular QB to challenge our vaunted defense, so a home win here.

17 points is generous for EWU against BYU.

[WyomingGrizFan]

I'd luv to see Weber St. upset NAU; that would give NAU two conference losses.
I've never been a fan of scheduling an OOC game half way through the conference regular matchups; conference games in the BSC are something to get psyched up over. Hope it doesn't derail EWU in its quest for the Playoffs, but it might just do that in more ways than one; injuries, regaining their timing and cohesion for the rest of the season, etc.

Sacramento State being MSU would be nice as well; but in Bozoville?

PSU 'should' beat ISU; but that much of a shooting match?

The Griz better hang a goose egg on Northern Colorado; bodes well for future games.

[ncbears]

JALMOND, I love ya', but I'll eat the hat Grizo sent me if the Griz put up 48 on UNC this weekend.

I'd bet more like 37-7 or 37-10. This Offense just doesn't have it. xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx


I also think NAU beats WSU.

And possibly Sac State beats MSU.

Yeah but our defense is horrible. I say horrible only because they're so young. You can put up 48 easy.

[kalm]

I'd luv to see Weber St. upset NAU; that would give NAU two conference losses.
I've never been a fan of scheduling an OOC game half way through the conference regular matchups; conference games in the BSC are something to get psyched up over. Hope it doesn't derail EWU in its quest for the Playoffs, but it might just do that in more ways than one; injuries, regaining their timing and cohesion for the rest of the season, etc.

Sacramento State being MSU would be nice as well; but in Bozoville?

PSU 'should' beat ISU; but that much of a shooting match?

The Griz better hang a goose egg on Northern Colorado; bodes well for future games.

Getting out of the blocks early can allow a young team to gain confidence. Last year we played WV and OSU in September and never recovered (granted, we were even younger then)

[already123]

Weber St. has a great D...it will be interesting to see how they stack up against NAU's potent offense. Weather could be a problem, Weber is at home....so I guess you could say its a toss up.
I would be suprised if anyone scores more that 21 pts in the MSU game.

Montana rolls....

I'm looking forward to see just how good EWU's offense is (and their team as a whole) as they go up against BYU

ISU wins if they can score 40+ points.....

[putter]

I think the Griz D can shut out UNC. If our O can't get somewhat on track this week, I shutter to think what will happen against that NAU team next week.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I'm looking forward to see just how good EWU's offense is (and their team as a whole) as they go up against BYU


You're not the only one! xnodx
It'll be a great test. I don't think BYU's D is going to be ready for Nichol's and his offense... at least not until after halftime. Expect Eastern to put up the points quickly in the first half, but get shut down through the rest of the game.

BYU 41
EWU 28

[Screamin_Eagle174]

MSU 18, Sac State 14.

Are you saying that the Hornet's D is that stout to hold MSU out of the endzone for 6 FGs, or that MSU is going to get two safeties? :D

[GOKATS]

Are you saying that the Hornet's D is that stout to hold MSU out of the endzone for 6 FGs, or that MSU is going to get two safeties? :D

Could be two 2 point conversions and only one safety.xnodx

[Peems]

The two interesting games are MSU Sac and Weber NAU

I pick NAU to win by 10 and MSU to win by 7 or so

[placidlakegriz]

EWU @ Brigham Young Young 45, EWU 21.

NAU @ WSU WSU 21, NAU 17.

UNC @ UM UM 48, UNC 7.

PSU @ ISU PSU 31, ISU 28.

Sac State @ MSU MSU 13, Sac State 7.

[Walkon79]

EWU @ Brigham Young Young 45, EWU 21.

NAU @ WSU WSU 21, NAU 17.

UNC @ UM UM 48, UNC 7.

PSU @ ISU PSU 31, ISU 28.

Sac State @ MSU MSU 13, Sac State 7.

This looks about right to me, although I'd like to see another upset.

ISU 31, PSU 28

[Peems]

This looks about right to me, although I'd like to see another upset.

ISU 31, PSU 28

I wouldn't mind that either, who has beaten ISU?

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Could be two 2 point conversions and only one safety.xnodx

Or it could be two touchdowns and missed PAT's with two field goals.

[GOKATS]

I wouldn't mind that either, who has beaten ISU?

Oregon St.
EWU
MSU
NAU

ISU beat:
S. Oregon and Northern Colorado

[Mike Johnson]

Or it could be two touchdowns and missed PAT's with two field goals.

A touchdown and a PAT. A touchdown and a 2 point conversion. A field goal. The two point conversion comes on a muffed PAT, that is successfully advanced.

[Ronin]

Unless someone knocks Montana out of the conference title I can't see anyone else making the playoffs.

[kalm]

Unless someone knocks Montana out of the conference title I can't see anyone else making the playoffs.

Based on what? Gut feeling? BSC Smack? Gateway Homer? Midwest Bias? xthumbsupx

Or do you think that MSU, EWU, and NAU will all finish 7-4 or worse?

[Casey_Orourke]

Unless someone knocks Montana out of the conference title I can't see anyone else making the playoffs.

Granted Montana is currently the big dog on the BSC, but I have noticed that as all the other teams improve, Montana has pretty muched stayed the same. I feel that very soon parity will emerge among the teams, but it will not be because of a decrease, but because teams have increased to the same level of Montana. When that happens, the rest of the FCS better watch out, The boys out west are a'comin.

[AZGrizFan]

Based on what? Gut feeling? BSC Smack? Gateway Homer? Midwest Bias? xthumbsupx

Or do you think that MSU, EWU, and NAU will all finish 7-4 or worse?

You didn't hear? Ronin has a crystal ball. xrolleyesx xrolleyesx xrolleyesx

[AZGrizFan]

Here's the thing:

By scheduling both a D-II and a I-A school in the same year, both EWU and NAU are now forced to win out because they've lost two I-AA games. That's the only way they get to 7 wins. IF that happens, that means Montana has one conference loss (NAU) and NAU has one conference loss (the inexplicable 38-9 brainfart at Sac State)....in this scenario, NAU wins the conference title, and the 2nd team to come out of the conference would most likely be the winner of the UM/MSU game.

In all honesty, THIS is how I see the conference playing out.... xeyebrowx xeyebrowx xeyebrowx xeyebrowx

[montanafan]

Hey Monatan State people, can we borrow your TV announcer for our games? I just feel that our TV guy is just a few paces off the cart path. I switched over to the MSU EWU game last week and actually enjoyed listening to the game. To bad MSU and UM play at the same time because I would like to watch your game to get fired up. Our TV guy just seems to talk really mono tone and never get fired up. That sucks for the fans. Anyway, how about a trade?

[Griz0383]

What is up with the crappy picture with all griz games. MSU looks great on TV every week and the Griz look like they are being filmed with dirty lenses! The announcers get muted immediatly for much more colorfull Nic and Scott. They are as bad as the picture.

[CopperCat]

What is up with the crappy picture with all griz games. MSU looks great on TV every week and the Griz look like they are being filmed with dirty lenses! The announcers get muted immediatly for much more colorfull Nic and Scott. They are as bad as the picture.

Now you know what it feels like to get screwed by your in-state rival.

And no, we will no trade announcers/broadcast networks with ya'll.

[GRZZ]

What is up with the crappy picture with all griz games. MSU looks great on TV every week and the Griz look like they are being filmed with dirty lenses! The announcers get muted immediatly for much more colorfull Nic and Scott. They are as bad as the picture.

Did you watch both games last week?

I'll give the announcers, and maybe even the camera work. But KPAX got new cameras and the picture looked much better than the parts of the MSU-EWU game I watched. I could barely read the score in the upper right corner.

[elkmcc]

What is up with the crappy picture with all griz games. MSU looks great on TV every week and the Griz look like they are being filmed with dirty lenses! The announcers get muted immediatly for much more colorfull Nic and Scott. They are as bad as the picture.

The clarity of the picture of the Griz broadcasts has been greatly improved this season. When Grady Bennett does the color for KPAX (home games) I love it. However, when the short fat man (Hermes) does the color (away games) I can't stand it. Last week the Bobcat broadcast picture was so bad that it was difficult to watch.

I wonder why the University(s) doesn't put together their own broadcast(s). It surely wouldn't be hard to match what we are getting now. Seems to me like it would be good for all parties involved.

[cats2506]

Did you watch both games last week?

I'll give the announcers, and maybe even the camera work. But KPAX got new cameras and the picture looked much better than the parts of the MSU-EWU game I watched. I could barely read the score in the upper right corner.


The video feed for the EWU game was from EWU's broadcaster, Just as the video feed for the um vs Sac St game was from Sac St. broadcaster.

BTW the camera work for the EWU game was really bad, the guy was completly lost part of the time. It was also dark sometimes, reminded me of a KPAX (um) job, at least KPAX is able to follow the ball though.

I would never trade announcers, yours are really bad, even so I cant stand the Heller guy we have, he always sounds like a homer for the other side.

[wapiti]

Hey Monatan State people, can we borrow your TV announcer for our games? I just feel that our TV guy is just a few paces off the cart path. I switched over to the MSU EWU game last week and actually enjoyed listening to the game. To bad MSU and UM play at the same time because I would like to watch your game to get fired up. Our TV guy just seems to talk really mono tone and never get fired up. That sucks for the fans. Anyway, how about a trade?

I miss hearing Dean Alexander do the play by play on the radio. He did a fantastic job.

I have watched a couple of griz games on tv and both the play by play and color announcers need some help. (and to think that UM is a media school too.)xeyebrowx

[GOKATS]

The video feed for the EWU game was from EWU's broadcaster, Just as the video feed for the um vs Sac St game was from Sac St. broadcaster.

BTW the camera work for the EWU game was really bad, the guy was completly lost part of the time. It was also dark sometimes, reminded me of a KPAX (um) job, at least KPAX is able to follow the ball though.

I would never trade announcers, yours are really bad, even so I cant stand the Heller guy we have, he always sounds like a homer for the other side.

I was pretty sure the video feed was from EWU and not the usual MaxMedia folks that do Cat games, I lost count of how many times the camera man completely missed the play.

KPAX seems much improved this year- at least it's not like watching black & white tv at dusk without any lights.xnodx

As far as announcers- there's no way in hell I'd trade either tv or radioxlolx announcers (but I do think Grady Bennet does a great job).

[Peems]

For the away games anytime I mute the TV, the radio is ahead of the TV and I can't stand that, and when I miss a home game they usually seem to be in sync, hopefully they will be this week as I cannot go to the UNC game.

[GRZZ]

The video feed for the EWU game was from EWU's broadcaster, Just as the video feed for the um vs Sac St game was from Sac St. broadcaster.

BTW the camera work for the EWU game was really bad, the guy was completly lost part of the time. It was also dark sometimes, reminded me of a KPAX (um) job, at least KPAX is able to follow the ball though.

I would never trade announcers, yours are really bad, even so I cant stand the Heller guy we have, he always sounds like a homer for the other side.

I don't doubt your statement about the EWU game being from the EWU broadcaster feed because you certainly know more about Cat broadcasts than I do. But I am certain that the Griz game at SAC was the KPAX ffed for several reasons. The first being I don't even think that the Sac game was on local television and if so I really doubt there was enough of a local market to justify them doing the game there and us just picking up the feed. Secondly, KPAX is always advertising the big production trailer they got from Karl Tyler Chevrolet and talking about how it drives around the country with the Griz. I may be uninformed, but I am pretty sure that all Griz games home and away are the KPAX productions pretty much top to bottom. They might get some local affiliates to work some of the cameras they bring with them but outside of that...

[kalm]

The video feed for the EWU game was from EWU's broadcaster, Just as the video feed for the um vs Sac St game was from Sac St. broadcaster.

BTW the camera work for the EWU game was really bad, the guy was completly lost part of the time. It was also dark sometimes, reminded me of a KPAX (um) job, at least KPAX is able to follow the ball though.

I would never trade announcers, yours are really bad, even so I cant stand the Heller guy we have, he always sounds like a homer for the other side.

Oh yeah, well our camera guy could kick your camera guy's ass. xthumbsupx

EWU has no broadcaster. We send smoke signal scoring updates via grass fires. Also helps return some of the nutrients to the soil.

My buddy was carrying the mic for the Montana based broadcaster.

[I Bleed Purple]

Raining good here in Ogden. May start turning to snow. Field will be torn up significantly. Just heading to the game. Defense will win. Hopefully there will be some good AP pictures (not taking my camera).

[JALMOND]

Week 8 already? The season is just going right by. So far, the conference has the usual suspect out in front and a jumbled mess behind them. Any one of five teams could find themselves in the playoffs along with Montana if the ball bounces just right. It needs to start now. So here are the picks. Right now, I am 35-5 for the year. We'll see how this week goes...

EWU @ Brigham Young---The Eagles potent offense takes a step up to FBS to play Mountain West power BYU. The Eagles finally put a full game together last week in beating MSU at home. A full game might be what they need, not to win, but just to stay close...Brigham Young 45, EWU 28.

NAU @ WSU---Something's gotta give. This game features the highly explosive Jacks offense against the ferocious Wildcat defense. The Wildcats need to find some way to slow the Jacks down to give the sputtering offense a chance. Well, the Wildcats have been doing that in conference this year as UM, MSU and Sac State's offenses all could only muster one touchdown each. Defense wins out...WSU 17, NAU 7.

UNC @ UM---The Grizzlies have been winning but the scores in the games have not been impressive. The Bears have been losing and the scores have been somewhat shocking. Two things, can anything go right for the Bears at Missoula, and will this game be the "impressive" win the Griz are looking for...UM 48, UNC 7.

PSU @ ISU---The Vikings had two weeks off to prepare for the Bengals, who have a history of doing quite well against the Vikings in Pocatello. Playing indoors should help the run and shoot, but surprises do tend to occur, especially with these two teams. The Bengals will relish a chance to spoil the Vikings season again, but the run and shoot thrives indoors...PSU 41, ISU 34.

Sac State @ MSU---The Hornets are probably the best 1-5 team in the country and the Cats are still trying to find the offense. The Hornets outplayed the Griz last week, yet still found themselves on the short end of the score. Now they have to take the act on the road. Can they find the end zone enough times against the Cat defense?...MSU 18, Sac State 14.

My worst performance of the year (oddly mirroring Portland State's worst performance of the year). Ended up 3-2 for the week (the Vikings and Weber State did not come through for me). That leaves me at 38-7 for the year so far. Still, not too bad at this stage. Was not too far off on the Griz score or the Cat score either.

[touchdown]

Sac was the best 4-7 (4-4) team in the nation last year, so what has changed? They change coaches put don't do anything else, so i repeat what else's is new?