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This Week’s Sky Highlights
Second-ranked Montana can clinch at least a share of its 12th straight Big Sky Conference regular-season title with a victory this Saturday against winless Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho. Montana (5-0, 8-0) could clinch the automatic bid to the playoffs with a victory and a loss by Montana State to Portland State…This week’s slate includes three conference games, as well as Northern Arizona taking on Mississippi of the SEC…Montana has captured five straight victories over the Bengals, who’ve lost nine in a row overall... Montana State takes on Portland State at PGE Park. Montana State has won three straight in the series…Sacramento State, fresh off an upset of nationally-ranked Northern Arizona, takes on Northern Colorado in Greeley. The Bears are coming off a win over South Dakota…Northern Arizona steps out of conference to take on Ole Miss, the school current Lumberjack QB Michael Herrick left after the 2007 season…Eastern Washington and Weber State do not play this week. The three conference games will be available on Big Sky TV. The NAU/Ole Miss game is on ESPN Gameplan and Comcast Sports South.
This Week’s Sky Schedule
Saturday, Nov. 7 Time
*Sacramento State (3-3) at Northern Colorado (1-5, 3-6) 12:05
Series: Sacramento State leads 3-0. Last Meeting: Sacramento State won 45-25 in 2008.
Series Streak: Sacramento State has won three.
Internet: Big Sky TV
*Montana State (3-2, 5-3) at Portland State (1-5, 2-7) 1:05
Series: MSU leads 14-9. Last Meeting: MSU won 49-32 in 2008.
Series Streak: MSU has won three.
Internet: Big Sky TV
TV: Max Media Montana
*No. 2 Montana (5-0, 8-0) at Idaho State (0-6, 0-9) 3:35
Series: UM leads 38-13. Last Meeting: UM won 29-10 in 2008.
Series Streak: UM has won five.
Internet: Big Sky TV
TV: Montana’s News Stations
Northern Arizona (5-3) at Mississippi (5-3) 6:35
Series: First Meeting
Internet: espn360
TV: Comcast Sports South, ESPN Gameplan.
*Big Sky Conference game
Times local to site/subject to change
Around the Big Sky
ON THE VERGE: The University of Montana is on the verge of extending its record of consecutive conference championships to 12 following last week’s action. No. 2 Montana beat No. 14 Weber State 31-10 in Missoula, improving its conference record to 5-0, and handing Weber State its second league loss. Northern Arizona, which entered the day 4-1 in conference, suffered a 27-24 upset at Sacramento State. Montana is the only undefeated team in conference. Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington, Montana State and Weber State all have two league losses. Montana will clinch no worse than a tie for the regular-season title with a win on Saturday at winless Idaho State. Montana could clinch the automatic bid to the playoffs with a victory and a Montana State loss to Portland State. A win by Montana and a loss by Montana State would eliminate MSU from title contention. Eastern Washington and Weber State are off this week, while NAU plays a non-conference game at Mississippi. Montana has beaten EWU, NAU and WSU this season. Only Oklahoma, which won 14 straight title championships, has won more consecutive conference titles in the history of Division I football. UM has qualified for the playoffs a record 16 straight seasons. After Idaho State, Montana returns home to face Northern Colorado and closes the regular-season at Montana State.
GRIZ ROLL: Last Saturday’s matchup between No. 2 Montana and No. 14 Weber State was billed as the “Game of the Week” in the Football Championship Subdivision. It turned out to be not much of a game. Montana’s defense, which has given up its share of points and yards in recent weeks, put together one of its best efforts of the season. Five of UM’s first seven opponents threw for at least 300 yards. Montana intercepted Walter Payton Award candidate Cameron Higgins four times, including two by sophomore Trumaine Johnson. Another interception was returned 57 yards for a touchdown by Jace Palmer. Higgins finished the game 16-of-34 for 243 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions. UM held the league’s top offense to just 13 first downs, 56 rushing yards, and 299 total yards. On offense, Chase Reynolds rushed for a career-high 241 yards, helping Montana win the time of possession battle 37:24 to 22:36. UM led 13-3 at the half and 20-7 after three quarters. WSU didn’t score its first touchdown until 11:16 remained in the game.
JOHNSON TIES RECORD: Eastern Washington linebacker Matt Johnson tied a Big Sky single-game record with four interceptions in the Eagles’ 47-10 win over Portland State. He’s the first player in 20 years to pick off four passes in a game in the Big Sky. Weber State’s Mike Babb picked off four Idaho State passes in a 1989 game. Ed Cerkovnik picked off intercepted four Portland State passes in 1977. Johnson’s first interception came in the first quarter. He returned a Drew Hubel pass 19 yards. He added another before the first quarter ended, returning another Hubel pass 8 yards to the PSu 29-yard line. It set up and EWU touchdown. He intercepted Hubel again in the second quarter, stopping an PSU scoring chance at the EWU 3-yard line. His fourth interception came in the fourth quarter at the EWU 9-yard line. The pass was thrown by backup QB Justin Engstrom. EWU allowed just 163 passing yards in the win. Last season, Hubel threw for 623 yards against the Eagles in an upset victory.
HORNETS TAKE DOWN JACKS: Northern Arizona suffered an upset loss to Sacramento State for the second time in three seasons on Saturday. The Hornets, a 38-9 winner over NAU two years ago, edged No. 21 NAU 27-24 at Hornet Stadium. It was Sacramento State’s first win over a ranked opponent since upsetting No. 17 Montana State on Nov. 6, 2004. The Hornets picked off Michael Herrick twice, who entered the game without a pick in his last four games. Christian Clark sacked Herrick four times, setting the school’s FCS era record for sacks in a game. Sacramento State’s offensive line did not allow a sack, and paved the way for a career-high 130 rushing yards from freshman Sam McCowan. He is now the fifth roster member to have a 100-yard rushing game. Sacramento State was penalized just two times for 10 yards - its lowest total since 2001. Sacramento State trailed 24-17 at the half, but shut out NAU in the second half. QB Jason Smith scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with 2:09 left in the third quarter. NAU’s Matt Myers missed a 55-yard field goal try on the final play of the game.
Around the Big Sky
NICHOLS UP TO THIRD: Eastern Washington senior QB Matt Nichols moved into third place on the Big Sky’s all-time passing list after throwing for 413 yards in the Eagles’ 47-10 win over Portland State. Nichols enters the Eagles’ bye week with 11,367 career passing yards. He is just 34 yards from passing Northern Arizona’s Travis Brown. Nichols remained fourth on the career total offense list. He’ll enter the game against Southern Utah on Nov. 14 with 11,985 yards of total offense. He is now just 303 yards away from surpassing Weber State’s Jamie Martin as the all-time leader. The Walter Payton Award candidate completed 21-of-30 passes for 413 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions against PSU. In his last two games he’s thrown for 740 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. On the season, he’s completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,581 yards with 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Nichols has 84 career TD passes, tying him with Erik Meyer for the school record. The 84 TD passes ties him for sixth in conference history. UM’s Dave Dickenson holds the record with 96, followed Idaho’s Doug Nussmeier at 91, Montana’s Brian Ah Yat with 89, Martin with 87 and Brown with 86
Big Sky’s Career Total Offense Yardage Leaders
Player, School Years Games Yards
1. Jamie Martin, Weber State 1988-1992 41 12,287
2. Travis Lulay, Montana State 2002-2005 47 12,205
3. Doug Nussmeier, Idaho 1990-1993 39 12,027
4. Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington 2006-09 43 11,985
5. Dave Dickenson, Montana 1992-95 35 11,513
Big Sky’s Career Passing Yardage Leaders
Player, School Years Games Yards
1. Jamie Martin, Weber State 1988-1992 41 12,207
2. Travis Brown, Northern Arizona 1996-99 41 11,400
4. Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington 2006-09 44 11,367
4. Dave Dickenson, Montana 1992-95 35 11,080
5. Doug Nussmier, Idaho 1990-93 39 10,824
SKY IN THE SAGARIN: The Big Sky is ranked third this week among the Football Championship Subdivision Conferences. The Big Sky is behind the CAA and the Great West, but moved back in front of the Missouri Valley. Five Big Sky teams are ranked among the top 25 FCS teams. Montana is ranked 69th overall and fourth among FCS teams. Eastern Washington is 10th, followed by Northern Arizona at 12, Weber State at 16 and Montana State at 22.
Extra points: Montana set a Washington-Grizzly Stadium record for attendance Saturday with 25,811 on hand in the win over Weber State...Montana State closed its 41-10 win over Idaho State with 38 unanswered points...MSU held ISU to 144 yards of total offense...EWU RB Taiwan Jones needs 97 rushing yards to reach 1,000...Northern Colorado has three wins this season, matching its combined total for the first three years it was in the league...Montana remained second in both the Sports Network and FCS Coaches’ polls. Eastern Washington is 21st in the Sports Network poll and 16th in the Coaches’ poll. 16th in the Sports Network poll. Weber State is ranked 21st in the Coaches’ poll and 19th in the Sports Network...Idaho State’s Jon Vanderwielen had punts of 73 and 71 yards in the loss to Montana State, becoming just the second player in school history with two 70-plus yard punts in the same game...Portland State is looking to avoid its first five-game home losing streak since 1959...Idaho State will retire Jared Allen’s No. 41 this Saturday at Holt Arena. The Minnesota Vikings have a bye this weekend, so Allen will be at the game.