FARMINGTON, Utah (Nov. 5, 2025) – All 12 teams will be in action for Week 11 of the football season, as the race to make the FCS Playoffs heats up. Below are news and notes for Week 11 of the 2025 football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 11)
Idaho-UC Davis Featured Game on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
Idaho hosts No. 11 UC Davis at home on Saturday, as the Vandals look to keep their playoff hopes alive. Idaho knocked off No. 19 Northern Arizona on the road last Friday night, with the Vandals winning 35-32 in overtime on ESPN2.
UC Davis enters this weekend’s game having lost its first conference game of the season after falling to Idaho State 38-36 in Week 10.
UC Davis leads the all-time series 5-1 against Idaho, having won the last five matchups overall since dropping the first overall meeting between the two programs in 1997. Last season’s game in Davis came down to the wire however, with the Aggies winning 28-26.
The showdown in Moscow will be the Game of the Week for “This Week in Big Sky Football” which airs each Thursday evening on @BigSkyConf’s YouTube.
Second Top 10 Released by Playoff Committee
The Division I Football Championship Committee announced its second in-season Top 10 live on ESPN2 this past Wednesday, with three Big Sky teams being featured in the Top 10 reveal.
FCS Top 10 Rankings for Nov. 5
School (Record) - Strength of Schedule
1. North Dakota State (9-0) - 24th
2. Montana State (7-2) - 7th
3. Montana (9-0) - 35th
4. Lehigh (9-0) - 92nd
5. Tarleton State (9-1) - 30th
6. South Dakota State (7-2) - 19th
7. Tennessee Tech (9-0) - 96th
8. Monmouth (8-1) - 67th
9. Harvard (7-0) - 92nd
10. UC Davis (6-2) - 20th
Numerous Big Sky Players Rank in Top 10 Nationally for Multiple Categories
Entering Week 11 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 second 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 (162.2/2nd)
Rodney Hammond, Sac State (1134.8/6th)
Big Sky Leaders in Passing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Keali'i Ah Yat, Montana (281.6/3rd)
Jordan Cooke, Idaho State (275.3/4th)
Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona (248.9/10th)
Big Sky Leaders in Rushing Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Eli Gillman, Montana (107.2/8th)
Big Sky Leaders in Receiving Yards Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Carver Cheeks, Northern Colorado (92.3/6th)
Big Sky Leaders in Sacks Per Game
Name, School (YPG/National Rank)
Jacob Psyk, UC Davis (.94/8th)
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. Portland State (Big Sky) - 1-8
2. Murray State (MVFC) - 0-9
3. Northern Iowa (MVFC) - 2-7
4. Abilene Christian (UAC) - 5-4
5. Indiana State (MVFC) - 3-6
6. Northern Arizona (Big Sky) - 5-4
7. Montana State (Big Sky) - 7-2
8. Idaho State (Big Sky) - 3-6
9. North Dakota (MVFC) - 6-3
10. Utah Tech (UAC) - 2-7
11. Youngstown State (MVFC) - 5-4
12. Weber State (Big Sky) - 3-6
13. Idaho (Big Sky) - 4-5
14. Eastern Washington (Big Sky) - 4-5
15. Cal Poly (Big Sky) - 3-6
16. Northern Colorado (Big Sky) - 3-6
17. South Dakota (MVFC) - 6-4
18. Southern Illinois (MVFC) - 6-3
19. South Dakota State (MVFC) - 7-2
20. UC Davis (Big Sky) - 6-2
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Nov. 3, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Dason Brooks, Idaho State (RB, R-Jr., Chandler, Ariz.)
Idaho State’s Dason Brooks powered the Bengal offense in a 38-36 upset of No. 6 UC Davis on the road. The redshirt junior rushed for 219 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 9.1 yards per attempt on the day. His 219 yards rushing ranks sixth all-time in Idaho State history and marks the program’s first 200-yard rushing performance since 2017. Brooks scored on runs of 57 and 15 yards. The weekly honor is the second of the season for Brooks.
Defensive Player of the Week: Nathan Reynolds, Idaho State (LB, Jr., Meridian, Idaho.)
Idaho State’s Nathan Reynolds anchored the Bengal defense with seven tackles and a game-sealing interception in the 38-36 upset win over No. 6 UC Davis on the road. Reynolds’ interception killed the potential UC Davis game-winning drive, as he picked off a pass on the Idaho State 36-yard line with 15 seconds remaining in the game. The Top-10 win for Idaho State was the first for the program since 2021 as Reynolds aided the defensive effort to force three UC Davis turnovers on the day and limit the Aggies to just 2-of-8 on third downs on the day. The weekly honor is the first of the season for Reynolds.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Trajan Sinatra, Idaho State (K, So., San Jose, Calif.)
Idaho State’s Trajan Sinatra delivered the game-winner in the Bengals’ 38-36 upset of No. 6 UC Davis, nailing a 50-yard field goal with 52 seconds remaining on the road. The sophomore was a perfect 6-of-6 kicking, converting five PATs and a field goal to total 11 points on the day. Sinatra’s kick capped Idaho State’s first Top-10 win since 2021. The kick was Sinatra’s second made field goal over 50 yards of the 2025 season. The weekly honor is the fourth of the year for Sinatra.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Elisha Cummings (UI), Keali’i Ah Yat (UM), Justin Lamson (MSU), Baryden Munroe (UNC), Delon Thompsen (PSU), Rodney Hammond Jr. (SAC), Jayleen Record (WSU)
Defense: Jonathan Landry (EWU, Clay Oven (UM), Cam Chapa (UNC), Carsten Mamaril (PSU), Koa Auki (SAC)
Special Teams: Cameron Pope (UI), Tanner Huff (UM), Ben D'Aquilla (NAU), Leo Blumentritt (UNC), Mathias Uribe (PSU), Cal McGough (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, and UC Davis all been tabbed in multiple Top 25 polls for the 2025 season, with Northern Arizona and Sacramento State receiving votes outside of the Top 25 for Week 11.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana
No. 3: Montana State
No. 11: UC Davis
RV: Northern Arizona
RV: Sacramento State
AFCA FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana
No. 3: Montana State
No. 12: 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 11)
Saturday, Nov. 8
Eastern Washington at #2/2 Montana // ESPN+ & Scripps Sports // 1:00 p.m. MT
Weber State at #3/3 Montana State // ESPN+ & Scripps Sports // 1:00 p.m. MT
RV/RV Sac State at Portland State // ESPN+ // 3:00 p.m. MT
Northern Colorado at RV/RV Northern Arizona // ESPN+ // 4:00 p.m. MT
Cal Poly at Idaho State // ESPN+ // 4:00 p.m. MT
#11/12 UC Davis at Idaho // ESPN+ & SWX // 5:00 p.m. MT
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform FCS/AFCA Coaches Poll