JALMOND
October 22nd, 2007, 10:53 PM
The end of October is near and Halloween is just around the corner. Spooks? Ghosts? Goblins? Naw, just means that we are heading down the stretch to the end of the season. Still, a lot of football to be played within the Big Sky conference and a lot of games still left to decide who will win this thing. So, here are the power rankings for the Big Sky for this week. Last week's rankings in parenthesis...
1. Montana (1)---Griz win big last week (52-7) over Northern Colorado, but then again, they should have, right? Good offense, good defense, good game, but then again, you could say that about any team the Bears have played against. One could also say that the Griz season begins this weekend with a trip to Northern Arizona.
2. Montana State (2)---Pretty spooky, the Cats looked poised to let Sacramento State get a win in Bozeman. Then, once again, someone woke up the offense and they pulled it out. Still, a win keeps them in second, but still near to the rest of the field. This week, a trip to Greeley to take on Northern Colorado, or is it just a glorified bye week.
3. Eastern Washington (3)---The Eagles stayed with FBS power Brigham Young for a little over a half, but could not keep up in the scoring column to pull off an upset. Still, it was BYU and the loss did not hurt them as much. This week, a return to conference play with a trip to Sacramento State. Can they keep up with the big dogs?
4. Northern Arizona (4)---The Jacks moved pretty well through the Weber State defense (and the snow) until the fourth where they let the Wildcats have a chance for the win. Still, a win on the road is a good win, especially at this point in the year. Confidence is brewing as they welcome Montana to Flagstaff for homecoming festivities. Will the Jacks get the win over the big bad Grizzlies?
5. Weber State (6)---A loss but a good loss for the Wildcats against Northern Arizona. A conference foe finally managed more than one touchdown against the Wildcat defense, but NAU did not run away and the Wildcats had a chance at the end for the win. This week, another conference game against an explosive offense as they head to Portland State. Can they slow down the Vikings?
6. Idaho State (8)---What a difference a quarter makes. The Bengal defense starts the second half with two fumble recoveries, both returned for touchdowns, and totally destroyed Portland State's will to win. A great win to jumpstart the season. This week, the odd bug hits the Bengals as they go out of conference and welcome Cal Poly to Pocatello. Can they make the conference proud as Cal Poly has not lost to the Big Sky yet this year?
7. Portland State (5)---Sputter, sputter, poof! The old car just blew up. So goes the trials of Vikings football at Idaho State last week. The offense could not get anything going and the defense was demoralized by the antics of the third quarter. Now what is left for Glanville and Co. Welcome that ferocious defense of Weber State to Portland this week. Maybe it will rain.
8. Sacramento State (7)---The Hornets don't deserve this, but another close game against them has pushed them to the brink of the basement. They had Montana State on the ropes, in Bozeman, yet the Hornets found another way to lose. So much promise, yet only one win so far. Can they get the second this week when Eastern Washington comes to Sacramento? They have the talent, do they have the drive?
9. Northern Colorado (9)---Once again, the Bears are at the bottom and losing ground quickly. Another blowout, this time to struggling Montana. What is next? Montana State comes to town, another struggling (and at times, offensively challenged) conference foe. Feel good time for the Cats, or do the Bears have what it takes to pull an upset?
Griz comfortably in front, 2-4 still tightly bunched, and 5-7 in a separate bunch. Playoffs are looming, someone needs to make a move in order for the conference to get an at large bid. Who will it be?
1. Montana (1)---Griz win big last week (52-7) over Northern Colorado, but then again, they should have, right? Good offense, good defense, good game, but then again, you could say that about any team the Bears have played against. One could also say that the Griz season begins this weekend with a trip to Northern Arizona.
2. Montana State (2)---Pretty spooky, the Cats looked poised to let Sacramento State get a win in Bozeman. Then, once again, someone woke up the offense and they pulled it out. Still, a win keeps them in second, but still near to the rest of the field. This week, a trip to Greeley to take on Northern Colorado, or is it just a glorified bye week.
3. Eastern Washington (3)---The Eagles stayed with FBS power Brigham Young for a little over a half, but could not keep up in the scoring column to pull off an upset. Still, it was BYU and the loss did not hurt them as much. This week, a return to conference play with a trip to Sacramento State. Can they keep up with the big dogs?
4. Northern Arizona (4)---The Jacks moved pretty well through the Weber State defense (and the snow) until the fourth where they let the Wildcats have a chance for the win. Still, a win on the road is a good win, especially at this point in the year. Confidence is brewing as they welcome Montana to Flagstaff for homecoming festivities. Will the Jacks get the win over the big bad Grizzlies?
5. Weber State (6)---A loss but a good loss for the Wildcats against Northern Arizona. A conference foe finally managed more than one touchdown against the Wildcat defense, but NAU did not run away and the Wildcats had a chance at the end for the win. This week, another conference game against an explosive offense as they head to Portland State. Can they slow down the Vikings?
6. Idaho State (8)---What a difference a quarter makes. The Bengal defense starts the second half with two fumble recoveries, both returned for touchdowns, and totally destroyed Portland State's will to win. A great win to jumpstart the season. This week, the odd bug hits the Bengals as they go out of conference and welcome Cal Poly to Pocatello. Can they make the conference proud as Cal Poly has not lost to the Big Sky yet this year?
7. Portland State (5)---Sputter, sputter, poof! The old car just blew up. So goes the trials of Vikings football at Idaho State last week. The offense could not get anything going and the defense was demoralized by the antics of the third quarter. Now what is left for Glanville and Co. Welcome that ferocious defense of Weber State to Portland this week. Maybe it will rain.
8. Sacramento State (7)---The Hornets don't deserve this, but another close game against them has pushed them to the brink of the basement. They had Montana State on the ropes, in Bozeman, yet the Hornets found another way to lose. So much promise, yet only one win so far. Can they get the second this week when Eastern Washington comes to Sacramento? They have the talent, do they have the drive?
9. Northern Colorado (9)---Once again, the Bears are at the bottom and losing ground quickly. Another blowout, this time to struggling Montana. What is next? Montana State comes to town, another struggling (and at times, offensively challenged) conference foe. Feel good time for the Cats, or do the Bears have what it takes to pull an upset?
Griz comfortably in front, 2-4 still tightly bunched, and 5-7 in a separate bunch. Playoffs are looming, someone needs to make a move in order for the conference to get an at large bid. Who will it be?