FARMINGTON, Utah (Nov. 19, 2025) – The highest-ranked Brawl of the Wild ever highlights the Week 13 slate for Big Sky football, as multiple teams around the conference make their final push for the FCS Playoffs heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Below are news and notes for Week 13 of the 2025 football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 13)
Montana-Montana State Featured Game on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
In the highest-ranked matchup ever for the Brawl of the Wild, No. 2 Montana and No. 3 Montana State will battle for not only in-state bragging rights, but also for the Big Sky title and the conference’s AQ in the FCS Playoffs.
The Griz and Bobcats each own a 7-0 mark in league play, with Montana having a perfect 11-0 record overall and a 9-2 mark for Montana State. The matchup will feature the league’s top scoring offense in Montana (42.0), going up against the league’s top scoring defense in Montana State (16.2).
Montana leads the all-time series 74-43-5, with the first meeting coming in 1897. Montana State has been successful more recently however, going 6-4 in the last 10 meetings.
The home team has won every game in the series since 2019, with those wins usually being blowouts. The average margin of victory over that time span has been 28 points per contest.
Kickoff is slated for high noon in Missoula, with the game airing on ESPN+ and Scripps Sports, who will also air an hour-long pregame show prior to Saturday's contest. The showdown in Missoula 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
With last week’s win over Portland State, Bobby Hauck moved into first place for most conference wins for a Big Sky coach. Hauck, who has 86 wins in conference play, passed Jerome Souers for the top spot all-time.
Hauck is now the all-time winningest coach for overall wins (149) and conference wins (86) in Big Sky history. Additionally, Hauck is the only coach in both categories to have above a 75% win percentage in the Top 10.
Idaho State Earns Back-to-Back Wins Over Weber State for First Time Since 1984
Idaho State downed Weber State 31-3 in the battle for the Train Bell Trophy, marking the first time since 1984 that the Bengals have defeated the Wildcats in back-to-back years.
Montana’s Dillon Botner Named a Finalist for the Doris Robinson Award
Montana center Dillon Botner was named a finalist for the 2025 Doris Robinson Award this past week, as he adds to his lengthy off-field resume. The Doris Robinson Award, first presented in 2015 and in its 11th season, honors FCS student-athletes who exemplify excellence on the field, in the classroom and across the community. The values embody the leadership and integrity championed by Doris Robinson, a former schoolteacher and the wife of legendary Grambling State University coach Eddie Robinson.
The Big Sky’s first and only win for the award came in 2023, as Montana State’s Tommy Mellott was honored as the recipient after his stellar career on and off the field.
Numerous Big Sky Players Rank in Top 10 Nationally for Multiple Categories
Entering Week 13 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 (155.3/3rd)
Rodney Hammond, Sac State (151.1/5th)
Big Sky Leaders in Passing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Jordan Cooke, Idaho State (284.0/3rd)
Keali'i Ah Yat, Montana (269.8/5th)
Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona (260.5/8th)
Caden Pinnick, UC Davis (246.8/10th)
Big Sky Leaders in Rushing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Eli Gillman, Montana (99.5/8th)
Big Sky Leaders in Receiving Touchdowns
Name, School (TDs/National Rank)
Samuel Gbatu, UC Davis (9/T-9th)
Kolbe Katsis, Northern Arizona (9/T-9th)
Big Sky Leaders in Tackles for Loss Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Jacob Psyk, UC Davis (1.40/10th)
Big Sky Leaders in Tackles Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Mikey D'Amato, Cal Poly (11.9/2nd)
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 nine of the Top 16 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 UC Davis 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) - 1-10
3. Northern Iowa (MVFC) - 3-8
4. North Dakota (MVFC) - 7-4
5. Utah Tech (UAC) - 2-9
6. Montana State (Big Sky) - 9-2
7. Indiana State (MVFC) - 3-8
8. Weber State (Big Sky) - 3-8
9. South Dakota (MVFC) - 8-4
10. UC Davis (Big Sky) - 7-3
11. Abilene Christian (UAC) - 7-4
12. Cal Poly (Big Sky) - 3-8
13. Idaho State (Big Sky) - 5-6
14. Northern Colorado (Big Sky) - 3-8
15. Idaho (Big Sky) - 4-7
16. Northern Arizona (Big Sky) - 7-4
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Nov. 17, 2025)
Co-Offensive Player of the Week: Jordan Cooke, Idaho State (QB, R-Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif.)
Idaho State’s Jordan Cooke had 428 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, as the Bengals defeated Weber State 31-3 and secured their first back-to-back wins over the Wildcats since 1984. Cooke finished 24-of-39 passing for 363 yards, tossing two touchdowns and no interceptions, while adding 65 yards on the ground and two scores. The weekly conference honor is the first of the season for Cooke.
Co-Offensive Player of the Week: Kolbe Katsis, Northern Arizona (WR, R-Sr., Owasso, Okla.)
Northern Arizona’s Kolbe Katsis had six catches for 148 yards and three touchdowns, as the Lumberjacks won their seventh game of the season in a 35-27 victory over Cal Poly. The 148 yards and three touchdowns were both career highs for Katsis, while he became the first Lumberjack since 2019 to record three receiving touchdowns in a game. Katsis scored on passes of 6, 75, and 38 yards on the day. Katsis is just the third Big Sky player this season to record three or more touchdown catches, while the weekly conference honor is the second of the season for the senior.
Defensive Player of the Week: Caden Dowler, Montana State (DB, Jr., Billings, Mont.)
Montana State’s Caden Dowler had one of the best defensive performances of the season in the 38-17 win over No. 9 UC Davis on Saturday night. The junior had two interceptions, one of which he returned 83 yards for a touchdown, to headline his night, while also tallying 12 tackles, nine being solos, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble to cap off his sensational performance. The interception return for a touchdown came with MSU leading just 17-7 late in the third quarter, while his second takeaway came with the score at 24-14 and the Aggies driving. The Top 10 victory for the Bobcats on ESPN2 sets up a winner-take-all game for the Big Sky title next weekend in Missoula. Dowler has now won weekly conference honors in back-to-back weeks.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Colby Frokjer, Montana State (P/K, Fr., West Haven, Utah)
Montana State’s Colby Frokjer contributed to UC Davis having a starting field position on their own 23-yard line this past Saturday night in the 38-17 win over the ninth-ranked Aggies. The freshman averaged 51.2 yards on four punts, while producing five touchbacks on seven kickoffs. Of his four punts, two went over 50 yards and one pinned the Aggies at their own 11-yard line. The weekly conference honor is the first of the season for Frokjer.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Jake Schakel (EWU), Ah Yat Keali'l (UM), Cardell Williams (SAC)
Defense: Isaac Redford (EWU), Maka Tu'akoi (ISU), Peyton Wing (UM), Cam Chapa (UNC), Elliott Spencer (PSU), Oscar Moore (SAC)
Special Teams: Gianluca Dimauro (CP), Landon Ogles (EWU), Mason Lindberg (ISU), Michael Wortham (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 13.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana
No. 3: Montana State
No. 15: UC Davis
No. 23: Northern Arizona
RV: Sacramento State
AFCA FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana
No. 3: Montana State
No. 14: 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. 22
#3/3 Montana State at #2/2 Montana // ESPN+ & Scripps // 12:00 p.m. MT
Portland State at Northern Colorado // ESPN+ // 12:00 p.m. MT
#23/RV Northern Arizona at Weber State // ESPN+ // 1:00 p.m. MT
#RV/RV Sac State at #15/14 UC Davis // ESPN+ & KCRA // 2:00 p.m. MT
Idaho State at Idaho ESPN+ // 2:00 p.m. MT
Eastern Washington at Cal Poly // ESPN+ & SWX // 3:00 p.m. MT
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform FCS/AFCA Coaches Poll