FARMINGTON, Utah (Oct. 30, 2025) – All 12 teams will be in action for Week 10 of the football season, with the Friday night contest on ESPN2 between Northern Arizona and Idaho highlighting the slate of games. Below are news and notes for Week 10 of the 2025 football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 10)
UC Davis-Idaho State Featured Game on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
UC Davis will host Idaho State at home on Saturday, with the Bengals seeking to spoil the perfect record in conference play for the Aggies.
UC Davis holds a 6-1 all-time record against Idaho State and a 4-0 mark at home against the Bengals. The last meeting between the two teams in 2023 was a one-score game however, as UC Davis won 21-14 in Pocatello.
The showdown in Davis will be the Game of the Week for “This Week in Big Sky Football” which airs each Thursday evening on @BigSkyConf’s YouTube.
Back-To-Back Friday Night Slate Continues
The third of four ESPN2 games will take place in Week 10, as a Friday night audience will get to watch No. 19 Northern Arizona take on Idaho for a Halloween night showdown in Flagstaff.
The game pits two playoff teams from a year ago, as Northern Arizona looks to win its 10th home game in 11 tries from the friendly confines of the Walkup Skydome. Kickoff between the Lumberjacks and Vandals will take place at 8:30 p.m. MT on ESPN2. Idaho leads the all-time series 19-6 and has won the last two matchups. NAU last defeated Idaho on Oct. 30, 2021, with a 38-31 victory in Moscow.
The Week 10 contest is the second of back-to-back Friday night games in 2025 for the Big Sky slate, following up last week’s Montana-Sac State game on ESPN2. The Big Sky will have one more game on ESPN2 for the regular season, as the Top-10 matchup between Montana State and UC Davis will get the national spotlight on Saturday, Nov. 15 in Bozeman.
Numerous Big Sky Players Rank in Top 10 Nationally for Multiple Categories
Entering Week 10 of the football season the Big Sky has numerous players in the Top 10 of stat rankings, with the top mark going to Montana’s Michael Wortham who ranks first in the FCS for all-purpose yards per game so far this season.
Big Sky Leaders in All-Purpose Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Michael Wortham, Montana (178.8/1st)
Rodney Hammond, Sac State (134.8/8th)
Big Sky Leaders in Passing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Keali'i Ah Yat, Montana (279.8/3rd)
Jordan Cooke, Idaho State (278.6/4th)
Eric Gibson, Northern Colorado (260.9/7th)
Big Sky Leaders in Rushing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Eli Gillman, Montana (105.4/9th)
Big Sky Leaders in Receiving Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Carver Cheeks, Northern Colorado (105.4/4th)
Big Sky Leaders in Sacks Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Jacob Psyk, UC Davis (1.00/T-6th)
Big Sky Leaders in Tackles Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Mikey D'Amato, Cal Poly (11.9/5th)
Big Sky Fields the Toughest Schedules in the FCS
The Big Sky is consistently one of the toughest leagues to play in among its FCS peers, with half of the Top 10 toughest schedules in the nation played by Big Sky teams. Furthermore, among the Top 10 toughest schedules in the country, only three of those teams currently have winning records against the stout competition with Big Sky members Montana State and Northern Arizona fielding above .500 marks against their tough schedules.
Massey Ratings for Strength of Schedule
Team (Conference): Record
1. Portland State (Big Sky): 0-8
2. Utah Tech (UAC): 1-7
3. Montana State (Big Sky): 6-2
4. Northern Iowa (MVFC): 2-6
5 Murray State (MVFC): 0-8
6. Abilene Christian (UAC): 4-4
7. Northern Arizona (Big Sky): 5-3
8. Cal Poly (Big Sky): 3-5
9. North Dakota (MVFC): 6-2
10. Idaho State (Big Sky): 2-6
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Oct. 27, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Michael Wortham, Montana (WR/RB/KR, R-Sr., North Highlands, Calif.)
Michael Wortham did it all for Montana this past Friday night, with a hat trick of touchdowns and 238 all-purpose yards in the 49-35 win at Sacramento State. Wortham led the Griz in rushing, receiving, and combined returns as college football’s leader in all-purpose yards made it a homecoming to remember in his hometown of Sacramento. All told he rushed for a game-high 89 yards and two touchdowns, caught five passes for 80 yards and another touchdown, and returned two kickoffs for 69 yards including a long of 44 yards. Wortham leads the FCS this season with 178.8 all-purpose yards per game.
Defensive Player of the Week: Peyton Wing, Montana (LB, Jr., Summer, Wash.)
Peyton Wing tied the Big Sky single-game high this season with three sacks in Montana’s 49-35 win at Sacramento State on Friday. With six total tackles (four solo), as half of his stops were sacks on the night. He was a leader in a Grizzly defense that shut down the Hornet run game, with Sac State totaling just 141 yards on the ground – nearly 100 less than their season average. Of his three sacks, one forced a turnover on downs late in the third quarter.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week: Landon Ogles, Eastern Washington (P, Sr., San Diego, Calif.)
Eastern Washington’s Landon Ogles recorded a career-best 10 punts in the 23-20 win at Weber State for 445 yards, averaging 44.5 yards per punt. Ogles placed 5 of his 10 punts inside the 20-yard line, matching his career-best. The senior punter also boomed three attempts over 50 yards on the day. This season, Ogles leads the Big Sky with 19 punts inside the 20-yard line. His 13 punts of 50-plus yards also ranks second in the conference. Overall, Ogles averages 40.4 yards per punt.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week: Ty Morrison, Montana (K/P, Sr., San Valencia, Calif.)
Montana’s Ty Morrison Ty Morrison had the usual solid day with his foot a Sacramento State, going 7-for-7 on PATs, to stay perfect on the year, totaling 429 yards on seven kickoffs with four touchbacks, and logging 112 yards on 3 punts. It was what he did with his arm that was special, however. Morrison helped put the nail in Sac State’s coffin early in the fourth quarter when he completed a 28-yard pass to Ian Finch on a 4th and 9 to convert a huge fourth down for the Griz that led directly to a Michael Wortham touchdown one play later.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Nate Bell (EWU), Joshua Wood (UI), Eric Gibson (UNC)
Defense: Jaylon Jenkins (EWU), Brandon Wong (NAU), Cam Chapa (UNC), Sam Goligoski (UCD), Sione Hala (WSU)
Special Teams: Gabriel Russo (ISU), Ben D'Aquila (NAU), Leo Blumentritt (UNC)
Four Big Sky Teams Ranked in FCS Top 25 Polls
Almost half of the Big Sky is currently ranked in FCS Top 25 polls, which is becoming common place with each passing year. Montana State, Montana, UC Davis, and Northern Arizona have all been tabbed in multiple Top 25 polls for the 2025 season, with Sacramento State also receiving votes outside of the Top 25.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 3: Montana
No. T4: Montana State
No. 6: UC Davis
No. 19: Northern Arizona
RV: Sacramento State
AFCA FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 3: Montana
No. 4: Montana State
No. 6: UC Davis
No. 21: Northern Arizona
RV: Sacramento State
Big Sky Conference Announces 2026 Football Schedule
The Big Sky Conference recently announced its 2026 football schedule this past week, which features 58 total games as it welcomes two new members to the 13-team league for the upcoming football season. The full release and team-by-team schedules can be found here.
Follow the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on X, Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, YouTube and TikTok for all the latest news around the league and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated to stay connected.
Upcoming Big Sky Football Games (Week 10)
Friday, Oct. 31
Idaho at #19/21 Northern Arizona // ESPN2 // 8:30 p.m. MT
Saturday, Nov. 1
#4/4 Montana State at Northern Colorado // ESPN+ & Scripps Sports // 12:00 p.m. MT
#3/3 Montana at Weber State // ESPN+ & Scripps Sports // 1:00 p.m. MT
RV/RV Sac State at Eastern Washington // ESPN+ & SWX // 2:00 p.m. MT
Idaho State at #6/6 UC Davis // ESPN+ & KCRA // 2:00 p.m. MT
Portland State at Cal Poly // ESPN+ // 3:00 p.m. MT
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform FCS/AFCA Coaches Poll