FARMINGTON, Utah (Nov. 12, 2025) – Big Sky After Dark returns to ESPN2 on Saturday, as the Top 10 showdown between Montana State and UC Davis highlights Week 12 action. Below are news and notes for Week 12 of the 2025 football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 12)
Montana State-UC Davis Featured Game on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
The Top 10 clash between Montana State and UC Davis will have a national audience on Saturday night as Big Sky After Dark returns to ESPN2. The No. 3 Bobcats and No. 9 Aggies will square off in Bozeman, with kickoff for the nationally televised game slated for 8:30 p.m. local time.
MSU leads the all-time series 8-1, with the Bobcats winning the last eight meetings overall. Last season’s game in Davis came down to the wire however, with the Bobcats winning 30-28. Both MSU and UCD won their 2024 regular season games on ESPN2, with the Bobcats taking down Idaho 38-7 at home and the Aggies winning 30-14 at Montana.
The showdown in Bozeman will be the Game of the Week for “This Week in Big Sky Football” which airs each Thursday evening on @BigSkyConf’s YouTube.
Hauck Ties All-Time Conference Win Mark
Already the winningest overall coach in Big Sky history, Montana’s Bobby Hauck has the chance to become the winningest coach in conference game history as well this week against Portland State. With 85 wins in league games, Hauck is now tied with Jerome Souers for the most conference wins of any coach in Big Sky history.
Hauck has also done the feat with a 79.4% win percentage in his 14 seasons at Montana, which is by far the highest mark among the Top 10 list for conference wins.
Coach, Big Sky School(s) (Years Coaching) // Conf. Record (Win %)
T1. Jerome Souers, NAU (1998-18) // 85-77 (52.5%)
T1. Bobby Hauck, UM (2003-09, 2018-pres.) // 85-22 (79.4%)
3. Tim Walsh, PSU/CP (1996-06, 2012-19) // 74-73 (50.3%)
4. Chris Ault, Nevada (1979-91) // 68-28 (70.8%)
5. Mike Kramer, EWU/MSU/ISU (1994-06, 2011-16) // 63-82 (43.4%)
6. Beau Baldwin, EWU/CP (2008-16, 2019-22) // 60-31 (65.9%)
7. Don Read, UM (1986-95) // 54-22 (71.1%)
8. Jay Hill, WSU (2014-22) // 50-19 (72.5%)
9. Rob Ash, MSU (2007-15) // 49-23 (68.1%)
10. Aaron Best, EWU (2017-25) // 41-27 (60.9%)
Numerous Big Sky Players Rank in Top 10 Nationally for Multiple Categories
Entering Week 12 of the football season the Big Sky has numerous players in the Top 10 of stat rankings, with four Big Sky quarterbacks ranking in the Top 10 for passing yards per game for the 2025 season.
Big Sky Leaders in All-Purpose Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Michael Wortham, Montana (162.2/3rd)
Rodney Hammond, Sac State (152.5/4th)
Big Sky Leaders in Passing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Keali'i Ah Yat, Montana (278.4/3rd)
Jordan Cooke, Idaho State (275.2/4th)
Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona (251.0/9th)
Caden Pinnick, UC Davis (248.4/10th)
Big Sky Leaders in Rushing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Eli Gillman, Montana (104.8/9th)
Big Sky Leaders in Receiving Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Carver Cheeks, Northern Colorado (85.9/10th)
Big Sky Leaders in Tackles for Loss Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Jacob Psyk, UC Davis (1.50/T-7th)
Big Sky Leaders in Tackles Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Mikey D'Amato, Cal Poly (12.0/3rd)
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 20 toughest schedules in the nation played by Big Sky teams. Furthermore, among the Top 10 toughest schedules in the country, only four 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.
Toughest Schedules in the FCS (via Massey Ratings)
Team (Conference) - Record
1. Murray State (MVFC) - 0-9
2. Portland State (Big Sky) - 1-9
3. North Dakota (MVFC) - 6-4
4. Weber State (Big Sky) - 3-7
5. Utah Tech (UAC) - 2-8
6. Indiana State (MVFC) - 3-7
7. Montana State (Big Sky) - 8-2
8. Abilene Christian (UAC) - 6-4
9. Northern Arizona (Big Sky) - 6-4
10. Idaho State (Big Sky) - 4-6
11. Eastern Washington (Big Sky) - 4-6
12. Youngstown State (MVFC) - 6-4
13. South Dakota (MVFC) - 7-4
14. Northern Iowa (MVFC) - 3-7
15. Idaho (Big Sky) - 4-6
16. Cal Poly (Big Sky) - 3-7
17. Northern Colorado (Big Sky) - 3-7
18. South Dakota State (MVFC) - 7-3
19. North Dakota State (MVFC) - 10-0
20. UC Davis (Big Sky) - 7-2
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Nov. 10, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Rodney Hammond, Sacramento State (RB, Sr., Norfolk, Va.)
Rodney Hammond rushed for 191 yards on 17 carries, while scoring two touchdowns on the ground to pace Sacramento State in its 52-24 win over Portland State. Hammond’s day included touchdown runs of 87 and 41 yards, with the 87-yarder tying a school record. Hammond has now run for over 100 yards in five of his last six games and has scored nine touchdowns in those games. The senior running back also caught a pass for 29 yards and had a 20-yard kick return to finish the game with 240 all-purpose yards.
Defensive Player of the Week: Caden Dowler, Montana State (DB, Jr., Billings, Mont.)
Caden Dowler created two Bobcat takeaways that turned into touchdowns in Montana State’s 66-14 rout of Weber State on Saturday. The first turnover came after a Weber State runner gained 36 yards and Dowler chased him down to punch out the ball from behind. The next takeaway came the following drive, as Dowler picked off a pass near midfield and returned it 54 yards to set up another Bobcat touchdown. The interception was the second of Dowler's career, and the forced fumble was his first. Dowler also finished the game with seven tackles, three being solos, and a pass breakup in the MSU win.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Kolbe Katsis, Northern Arizona (KR, R-Sr., Owasso, Okla.)
Kolbe Katsis returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown in NAU's 49-10 win over Northern Colorado. His kick return was the first by a Lumberjack since 2017. After Northern Colorado scored a touchdown to trim NAU's lead to 21-10 right before the half, Katsis' kick return completely shifted the tide back in NAU's favor, giving NAU a 28-10 halftime lead and the Lumberjacks wound up scoring 28 unanswered points. He had 194 all-purpose yards in all in the win.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Jake Schakel (EWU), Jordan Cooke (ISU), Michael Wortham (UM), Ty Pennington (NAU), Terence Loville (PSU), Samuel Gbatu Jr. (UCD)
Defense: Gabe Tahir (ISU), Kellen Detrick (UM), Slade Shufelt (PSU), Dylan Hampsten (SAC)
Special Teams: Gabriel Russo (ISU), Drew Deck (UM), Grant Meadors (SAC)
Three Big Sky Teams Ranked in FCS Top 25 Polls
Almost half of the Big Sky is currently ranked or receiving votes 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 receiving votes outside of the Top 25 for Week 12. This past week, Montana State received a first-place vote in the Stats Perform Top 25, while Montana earned a top vote from the AFCA Coaches Poll.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana
No. 3: Montana State
No. 9: UC Davis
No. 24: Northern Arizona
RV: Sacramento State
AFCA FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana
No. 3: Montana State
No. 10: UC Davis
RV: Northern Arizona
RV: Sacramento State
Big Sky Conference Announces 2026 Football Schedule
The Big Sky Conference recently announced its 2026 football schedule this past October, 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 12)
Saturday, Nov. 15
Northern Colorado at Eastern Washington // ESPN+ & SWX // 2:00 p.m. MT
Cal Poly at #24/RV Northern Arizona // ESPN+ // 2:00 p.m. MT
#2/2 Montana at Portland State // ESPN + & Scripps Sports // 3:00 p.m. MT
Weber State at Idaho State // ESPN+ // 4:00 p.m. MT
Idaho at #RV/RV Sac State // ESPN+ & KMAX // 7:00 p.m. MT
#9/10 UC Davis at #3/3 Montana State // ESPN2 // 8:30 p.m. MT
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform FCS/AFCA Coaches Poll