Football Notes - Aug. 26
The 51st season of Big Sky Conference football opens on Thursday with five teams in action...Three-time co-defending Big Sky champion and second-ranked Montana State opens at home against Monmouth, an FCS Independent. North Dakota plays host to Valparaiso of the FCS Pioneer Football League, while Portland State is at home against Eastern Oregon...Sacramento State travels to San Jose State. It’s the first ever meeting between the Hornets and Spartans...Southern Utah is at South Alabama of the FBS Sun Belt Conference...On Friday night, No. 18 Northern Arizona opens its season against Arizona on the Pac-12 Network...Six teams are in action on Saturday. The day features four Big Sky teams facing other FCS teams in non-conference action...No. 20 Montana plays host to Southern Conference power and No. 12 Appalachian State in a battle of two of the premier FCS powers of the last 20 years...No. 14 Cal Poly plays host to San Diego of the Pioneer League...Weber State welcomes Stephen F. Austin of the Southland Conference to Stewart Stadium...The Ron Gould era at UC Davis begins against Missouri Valley squad South Dakota and former Montana coach Joe Glenn...Northern Colorado opens its season against NAIA Langston. The Bears begin the the 2013 campaign riding a three-game winning streak...No. 4 Eastern Washington takes to the road to face Oregon State of the Pac-12. The game will air live on the Pac-12 Network...Idaho State opens its 2013 season next Saturday.
This Week’s Sky Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 29........................................................................ Time
Southern Utah at South Alabama........................................................................... 6:35 p.m.
Internet: ESPN3
Monmouth at #2 Montana State.............................................................................. 7:05 p.m.
TV: Max Media/Altitude (outside Montana) Internet: Watch Big Sky
Valparaiso at North Dakota.......................................................................................... 7:05 p.m.
TV: Midco Sports Network. Internet: Watch Big Sky
Eastern Oregon at Portland State........................................................................... 7:05 p.m.
Internet: Watch Big Sky
Sacramento State at San Jose State..................................................................... 7:05 p.m.
Internet: www.themwc.com
Friday, Aug. 30............................................................................ Time
#18 Northern Arizona at Arizona............................................................................. 7:05 p.m.
TV: Pac-12 Network.
Saturday, Aug. 31......................................................................... Time
Langston at Northern Colorado............................................................................... 1:35 p.m.
Internet: Watch Big Sky
UC Davis at South Dakota............................................................................................ 2:05 p.m.
TV: Midco Sports Network
#4 Eastern Washington at #25 Oregon State................................................. 3:05 p.m.
TV: Pac-12 Network
San Diego at #14 Cal Poly.............................................................................................. 4:05 p.m.
Internet: Watch Big Sky
Stephen F. Austin at Weber State........................................................................... 6:05 p.m.
Internet: Watch Big Sky
#12 Appalachian State at #20 Montana................................................................ 7:05 p.m.
TV: Max Media Montana. Internet: ESPN3
Times Local to Site/Subject to Change
Around the Big Sky
FINAL GO FOR MCGHEE: Montana State senior QB DeNarius McGhee enters his final collegiate season eyeing several Big Sky career records. McGhee has 714 completions on 1,124 attempts for 9,116 yards and 71 touchdowns. He has amassed 10,001 yards of total offense. He needs 283 completions to become the league’s all-time leader. He had 284 last season. McGhee needs 28 touchdown passes to become the league’s all-time leader. He’s thrown 24 each of the past two seasons. He needs 3,501 passing yards to become the all-time leader. McGhee had 3,154 passing yards last season. McGhee is 3,308 yards away from the total offense record. McGhee has compiled a 30-8 record as a starting quarterback. It is believed the all-time record for victories by a quarterback is held by Montana’s Dave Dickenson, who won 33 games from 1993-95. McGhee is a preseason candidate for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top offensive player in the FCS.
BAUMAN CLOSE TO TOP 10: Northern Arizona senior running back Zach Bauman enters Friday’s opener against Arizona needing just 34 yards to move into the Big Sky’s top 10 list in career rushing. Bauman, who had played in 33 career games, enters his final season with 3,676 career rushing yards. Portland State’s Ryan Fuqua is 10th with 3,709. Idaho’s Sherriden May is ninth with 3,748. Bauman needs 1,354 yards to become the Big Sky’s third leading rusher in history. The top two spots (6,553 yards by Charles Roberts and 6,007 yards by Charles Dunn) are likely out of reach. Bauman has 4,552 all-purpose yards in his career. He needs 877 all-purpose yards to move into the top 10 in league history. Bauman is a preseason candidate for the Walter Payton Award.
FIVE TEAMS RANKED: Five Big Sky Conference teams enter the 2013 ranked in the two major FCS polls. Montana State, which has shared the league title each of the past three seasons, is second in the Sports Network and the Coaches’ Poll. Two-time defending national champion North Dakota State is first in both polls. Eastern Washington, which advanced to the national semifinals last season, is ranked third by the coaches and fourth by the Sports Network. Cal Poly, which shared the Big Sky title with MSU and EWU last season, is 11th in the coaches’ poll and 14th in the Sports Network Top 25. Northern Arizona is 18th in both polls. Montana is 20th in the Sports Network poll, and 22nd in the coaches’ poll.
AGAINST THE FBS: Last year, Big Sky teams notched four wins over teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision. The four wins led all FCS conferences. This year, Big Sky teams will face FBS teams 17 times. Only Montana and North Dakota do not face an FBS team this season. Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Sacramento State, Southern Utah and Weber State will each face two FBS teams. The Big Sky will go head-to-head with the Pac-12 seven times and the Mountain West six times. Southern Utah will face South Alabama of the Sun Belt, while Montana State faces SMU of the newly-formed American Athletic Conference. Idaho State faces BYU, and independent. Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State and Northern Arizona notched FBS wins last season. Sacramento State has beaten Pac-12 teams (Oregon State and Colorado) the past two seasons.
Extra points: NAU coach Jerome Souers needs one win to tie Don Read for second on the Big Sky’s all-time wins list with 85...UC Davis’ Ron Gould is the only new coach in the league this season...Montana State is third in the Sagarin Rating amongst FCS teams. Eastern Washington is sixth and Montana is 10
th.