Big Sky power rankings Week 5

[JALMOND]

This is getting downright boring. All of us in the conference have played FBS teams (and lost, some better than others) and DII teams (and won, some better than others). As a result, do we really know the top teams and the bottom teams yet? Luckily, conference play opened for most last week. Hopefully, the cream will rise to the top. Here are this week's power rankings, this week (last week). All are my opinion only and all are open for discussion.

1. Eastern Washington (2)---So the Eagles broke a tie game open against Idaho State in the fourth quarter, just like Western Washington the week before. Not really how the conference slate was to start, but a win is still better than a loss, especially when you have hopes for a magical season. This week, a short trip to Portland to meet the Vikings. Can they risk another game tied after three?

2. Montana (1)---OK, so the Griz won last week, too. A last second field goal lifted them to a hard victory against DII Central Washington, one that was closer than most people thought. Good teams will find ways to win and the Griz are a good team. This week a trip to Ogden will find them against an upstart Weber State team. The Griz are good, but how good?

3. Weber State (3)---Unfortunately, Utah waited until after the game with the Wildcats to look forward to Oregon State, leaving the Wildcats to wonder what hit them. Still, no worries losing to a top 20 FBS team that is trying to bust the BCS party. The big game for the Wildcats is this week as they host Montana. A good opportunity to bust the upper level of the conference.

4. Northern Arizona (4)---Shaky, but the Jacks will take the win on the road last week at Northern Colorado. Any road win in the conference is a good win, regardless of the record. But how good are they? This week is a good test as they host the upstart Sacramento State team. Who's the pretender and who's the contender?

5. Montana State (5)---Last week's game with South Dakota was to be a good indicator as to if the Bobcats had put the FCS games out of their minds. After three quarters, it was clear that they had. The Bobcats totally shut the Coyotes down. Momentum is a good thing. Will they keep it rolling this week as they head on the road to the dangerous Idaho State team?

6. Sacramento State (6)---Homecoming is always a great time around campus and to get a win on homecoming is always something special. The Hornets did just that is disposing of a pesky Portland State team last week. Nothing fancy, just get the win and enjoy the festivities. Now is the time to see what they are made of as they head on the road to Northern Arizona. Could be a big game for the Hornets.

7. Northern Colorado (7)---The Bears would be doing fine if they could just get a break or two. The two point conversion to win the game against Northern Arizona ends up heading the other way, leaving heartbreak in the minds of the Bears faithful. This week, a nonconference game against UC-Davis, another team that likes to keep things close. Which team will have their luck turn around (and which will write another chapter in futility)?

8. Portland State (8)---After the debacle in Sacramento, the Vikings are left to scratch their heads. The run and shoot works well when you have a clear leader at quarterback, something that the Vikings do not have right now. The schedule does not give them much time to right the ship. This week comes Eastern Washington. At least it is finally at home, after three straight road games.

9. Idaho State (9)---Encouraging, to say the least about the Bengals, to be tied with Eastern Washington after the third quarter on the road. The fourth quarter, well that was a different story. This week, they play Montana State in front of the Bengal fans. Get the Dome rocking, people!

[uofmman1122]

I disagree with your top three.

Considering how all three played, and the momentum they have coming into this week, I'd have it like this:

1. Weber State
2. Eastern Washington
3. Montana

I think Weber is playing the hottest football right now.

I'd never pick against my Griz, but Weber has a great shot at hitting us in the mouth this week. xreadx

[already123]

I would agree....

Weber is playing the best RIGHT NOW

EWU is a bit shaky to me

Montana is solid, but has their ups and downs

We have simply beat who we were supposed to beat...no real test yet

[GOKATS]

This is getting downright boring. All of us in the conference have played FBS teams (and lost, some better than others) and DII teams (and won, some better than others). As a result, do we really know the top teams and the bottom teams yet? Luckily, conference play opened for most last week. Hopefully, the cream will rise to the top

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuUMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,

not all teams in the conference played a FBS team (I assume you're talking this year and not past history).xsmiley_wix

[UNCBears2010]

I would agree....

Weber is playing the best RIGHT NOW

EWU is a bit shaky to me

Montana is solid, but has their ups and downs

We have simply beat who we were supposed to beat...no real test yet

Did you watch the NAU/UNC game? If that's not a test, what is?

[GOKATS]

[QUOTE=JALMOND;1127554]This is getting downright boring. All of us in the conference have played FBS teams (and lost, some better than others) and DII teams (and won, some better than others). As a result, do we really know the top teams and the bottom teams yet? Luckily, conference play opened for most last week. Hopefully, the cream will rise to the top. Here are this week's power rankings, this week (last week). All are my opinion only and all are open for discussion. QUOTE]

......uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuUMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... .......

Not all Big Sky teams played an FBS team this year (though several played two).xsmiley_wix xnodx

[uofmman1122]

......uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuUMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... .......

Not all Big Sky teams played an FBS team this year (though several played two).xsmiley_wix xnodxYou're right.

We instead played a game that actually mattered (Cal Poly), instead of a money game. xwhistlex xlolx:p

[GolfingGriz]

Like last week, there are a clear top three and then its kindof blurred from there. We'll settle the number one spot with the winner in Ogden.

[JALMOND]

I disagree with your top three.

Considering how all three played, and the momentum they have coming into this week, I'd have it like this:

1. Weber State
2. Eastern Washington
3. Montana

I think Weber is playing the hottest football right now.

I'd never pick against my Griz, but Weber has a great shot at hitting us in the mouth this week. xreadx

I understand what you are saying. I've liked Weber all along (have given them more credit than most of the people on this site). However, being down 37-7 to a non-BCS team with six minutes left, then getting a couple scores to make it appear closer than it was, I cannot justify vaulting them over the top two dogs this week. Maybe after the Griz game.

Safest way to appear like a genius ("appear" is the key word here) is to keep Weber State at number three this week and see what happens next week.

[EdubAlum]

i'm not sure exactly what happened. I felt like EWU and Montana started out playing some really good football during the first few weeks, seems like both teams have played just well enough to win these past two weeks.

Weber is the team i'm most scared to play at the moment, they just feel like the x factor of this league this year.

[Tailbone]

i'm not sure exactly what happened. I felt like EWU and Montana started out playing some really good football during the first few weeks, seems like both teams have played just well enough to win these past two weeks.

Weber is the team i'm most scared to play at the moment, they just feel like the x factor of this league this year.

Hopefully, they will be an ex-factor after Saturday.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Hopefully, they will be an ex-factor after Saturday.

Fixed it for you. :D

[Walkon79]

Like last week, there are a clear top three and then its kindof blurred from there. We'll settle the number one spot with the winner in Ogden.

I honestly don't see a clear top three. How is that determined based on non-con schedules this year especially? I'm not pulling a homer here. The Cats haven't proven anything at this point but in my mind no one else has either.

I think we're looking at a couple of conference co-champs with at least 2 losses when this is all said and done. More balance top to bottom in the BSC than we've had in years.

[Wolfman]

My top 5 in the Pig Sty Conference are:

1) EWU (will finish with zero losses in conference)
2) Weber (1 loss)
3) MSU (2 losses)
4) Montana (3 losses)
5) Sac. State (3 losses)

This is the year in which Montana fails to win (or tie) the conference. We are too young, and have no running game against a quality team.

[CopperCat]

My top 5 in the Pig Sty Conference are:

1) EWU (will finish with zero losses in conference)
2) Weber (1 loss)
3) MSU (2 losses)
4) Montana (3 losses)
5) Sac. State (3 losses)

This is the year in which Montana fails to win (or tie) the conference. We are too young, and have no running game against a quality team.

EWU doesn't have the defense to go undefeated.

And WTF is NAU in this mix? They are RANKED right now and you don't have them in the top five? Sac St. is improved, but if you think NAU will finish behind them, you truly are crazy.

[Grizzaholic]

EWU doesn't have the defense to go undefeated.

And WTF is NAU in this mix? They are RANKED right now and you don't have them in the top five? Sac St. is improved, but if you think NAU will finish behind them, you truly are crazy.

What he said.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

EWU doesn't have the defense to go undefeated.


We do have the defense... it's just they don't show up to play anymore. They showed up against BCS Colorado... holding their two powerful RBs Darell Scott and Rodney Stewart to 39 and 38 yards respectively on a combined 33 attemts. xrulesx

We'll see if they decide to play Saturday.

[already123]

Did you watch the NAU/UNC game? If that's not a test, what is?



yes i saw the game...it was a great one. But ill say it again, NAU has inly beaten who they were EXPECTED to beat.

No smack...just saying

[CopperCat]

We do have the defense... it's just they don't show up to play anymore. They showed up against BCS Colorado... holding their two powerful RBs Darell Scott and Rodney Stewart to 39 and 38 yards respectively on a combined 33 attemts. xrulesx

We'll see if they decide to play Saturday.

And that is why I say they don't have the defense to go undefeated. They don't have enough consistency. Say what you will, but EWU needs to make the most improvements on defense if they want to run the table.

[EWashEagle]

The Eastern Wash/Portland State game has the potential to be a shootout of all shootouts. This is how they match up so far this season, ranking is nationally of the 118 FCS teams;

Passing O; PSU First, EWU Third
Rushing O; EWU 88TH PSU 116TH
Total Offense; EWU 11TH PSU 33TH
Total yards given up by D; EWU 115TH PSU 116
Scoring; EWU 11TH PSU ?TH

I may look at EWU with rose-colored glasses, but I like what they are doing in the forth quarter after what happened in Colorado. EWU has out gained their opponent in yards 418 to 11 and out scored them 35-0. Maybe Colorado showed them how to win.

This should be a great game to watch, hopefully the BigSky Network will be working!!

[GolfingGriz]

I honestly don't see a clear top three. How is that determined based on non-con schedules this year especially? I'm not pulling a homer here. The Cats haven't proven anything at this point but in my mind no one else has either.

I think we're looking at a couple of conference co-champs with at least 2 losses when this is all said and done. More balance top to bottom in the BSC than we've had in years.

Montana has beaten #9 Cal Poly and thus proven something.

EWU lost by 7 to a good Big 12 team and by 21 to an even better one.

I will agree that WSU hasn't shown much yet, but there offensive statistics are pretty eye opening.

All three have shown me something that the rest haven't. This will probably change in the next few weeks, but as of now this is how I see it.

[kalm]

Our defense is a liability right now. But I think we are better athletically and schematically than last year. And last year, we got stronger on d as the season went and effectively shut down NAU, Weber, and McNeese in a row before meeting up with the juggernaut from Boone. We also get a projected starter in Taiwan Jones back at corner who might be the best athlete on the team, and and linebacker JC Sherrit should be getting healthier after missing the game against Western Washington.

But I also like our chances in a shoot-out. xthumbsupx

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Our defense is a liability right now. But I think we are better athletically and schematically than last year. And last year, we got stronger on d as the season went and effectively shut down NAU, Weber, and McNeese in a row before meeting up with the juggernaut from Boone. We also get a projected starter in Taiwan Jones back at corner who might be the best athlete on the team, and and linebacker JC Sherrit should be getting healthier after missing the game against Western Washington.

But I also like our chances in a shoot-out. xthumbsupx

xthumbsupx

[Green26]

Cal Poly is 8th in the Sports Network poll, and 5th in the AGS poll.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Cal Poly is 8th in the Sports Network poll, and 5th in the AGS poll.

Point?

[UNCBears2010]

yes i saw the game...it was a great one. But ill say it again, NAU has inly beaten who they were EXPECTED to beat.

No smack...just saying

I know you were supposed to beat UNC, but you said NAU hadn't had a real test yet. I'd say that game was a test for NAU. If UNC's coach isn't a complete idiot and kicks his extra point, you're facing overtine against the best red zone defense in the conference, and I think UNC probably wins that game if it gets to OT, so it was definitely a test for the Lumberjacks.

[GolfingGriz]

Point?

I incorrectly referred to them as #9, thats all.

[JALMOND]

What I find interesting about Weber is that most have admitted that Weber is playing maybe the best of anyone within the conference, yet no one will give them any love in the poll. I have them third in the power rankings, people have great arguments about them being too low, yet they cannot break into the top 25 in the country.

[I Bleed Purple]

No history. Or...history of mediocrity. NAU has been in the playoffs recently. EWU obviously has. They'll be in if they're 4-2 next week.

[GolfingGriz]

What I find interesting about Weber is that most have admitted that Weber is playing maybe the best of anyone within the conference, yet no one will give them any love in the poll. I have them third in the power rankings, people have great arguments about them being too low, yet they cannot break into the top 25 in the country.

I think it is because we really are not too sure yet. Their only measuring stick game was against Sac. State. If they win saturday I think they enter the poll between 17 and 22 depending on how thorough the win is.

[JALMOND]

I think it is because we really are not too sure yet. Their only measuring stick game was against Sac. State. If they win saturday I think they enter the poll between 17 and 22 depending on how thorough the win is.

If Weber wins, and Montana State and NAU win as well, we could possibly have 5 conference teams in the top 25. Are we finally getting some (dare I say it) RESPECT around here?

[GolfingGriz]

If Weber wins, and Montana State and NAU win as well, we could possibly have 5 conference teams in the top 25. Are we finally getting some (dare I say it) RESPECT around here?

Hopefully, but it doesn't really matter too much to me. We all know what caliber football we play in the BSC. Its a dog fight every saturday regardless of who is playing.

[SactoHornetFan]

If Weber wins, and Montana State and NAU win as well, we could possibly have 5 conference teams in the top 25. Are we finally getting some (dare I say it) RESPECT around here?

Or is SAC can upset NAU, SAC could be ranked too.....crazy season this year.

[Green Cookie Monster]

Or is SAC can upset NAU, SAC could be ranked too.....crazy season this year.

Why is it an upset, we throttled NAU last year 38-9?

[SactoHornetFan]

Why is it an upset, we throttled NAU last year 38-9?

For this year since they are ranked, at least in the eyes of folks here....I know it shouldn't be an upset to them where we have won 3 times in the last 10 years.

[already123]

We will see who the better team is.
Last year in SAC, you beat us with our 3rd string QB, this year in FLAG you are playing with your 3rd stringer...

My how the tables have turned xnodx


Should be a great game...Go Jacks! xthumbsupx