FARMINGTON, Utah (Dec. 3, 2025) – All three Big Sky playoff teams kick off their postseason runs this Saturday, as Montana State, Montana, and UC Davis begin their trek for Nashville. Below are news and notes for the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (2nd Round of FCS Playoffs)
Big Sky Playoff Preview
#2 Montana State vs. Yale // Saturday, Dec. 6 at 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Montana State is 17-13 overall in the FCS Playoffs and has never faced Yale or an Ivy League team in its program history. Since arriving in Bozeman in 2021, head coach Brent Vigen has earned eight of MSU’s 17 playoff wins, with a pair of national championship game appearances coming in 2021 and 2024.
#3 Montana vs. #14 South Dakota State // Saturday, Dec. 6 at 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Montana is 39-26 overall in the FCS Playoffs and 2-2 vs. South Dakota State in the postseason since 2009. The Griz and Jackrabbits also played in the second round of the FCS Playoffs last season, with SDSU winning 35-18 at home.
#8 UC Davis vs. Rhode Island // Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN2)
UC Davis is 2-3 all-time in the FCS Playoffs and has never faced Rhode Island in its program history. The Aggies have made two trips to the quarterfinals since making its first appearance in the FCS Playoffs back in 2018. The game will also mark the first time UC Davis has hosted a linear ESPN network game in the regular season or postseason.
National Title Game Moves to Nashville for 2026, 2027
For the first time since 2010, the FCS National Title Game will have a new location, as the city of Nashville will host the game for 2026 and 2027. The games, which will be co-hosted by the Ohio Valley Conference and the Nashville Sports Council, will be played at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt.
Nashville becomes the 11th city to host the Football Championship Subdivision championship game since 1978. It will be the first time the game has been played in Tennessee since Chattanooga hosted from 1997 to 2009.
Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, the host of the game since 2010, originally had been slated to host through 2027.
Due to a recently announced multiyear renovation project to begin after this year's contest, it became necessary to look at other sites. The location of the game beyond 2027 will be determined in a future bid cycle.
Big Sky Looks to Stack the Quarterfinals Wither Conference Teams
Aside from the spring season in 2021, the Big Sky has had at least two teams in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs since 2018. The Big Sky’s most quarterfinal teams during that period was three in 2018 and 2019. The only two seasons the Big Sky had multiple semifinal teams was during the 2018 and 2019 years.
Big Sky Quarterfinal Teams Since 2018
Year Big Sky Team (# National Seed)
2024 #1 Montana State, #5 UC Davis
2023 #2 Montana, #4 Idaho
2022 #2 Sac State, #4 Montana State
2021 #6 Montana, #8 Montana State
2019 #3 Weber State, #5 Montana State, #6 Montana
2018 #2 Weber State, #3 EWU, #6 UC Davis
Big Sky Earns 10 Finalists for National Awards
Award voting for the Stats Perform FCS National Awards were announced this past week, with the Big Sky earning 10 finalists for the national honors. The highest finish so far has been UC Davis quarterback Caden Pinnick finishing second in voting for the Jerry Rice Award.
Walter Payton Award (Voting Result) - Top Offensive Player
Justin Lamson, Montana State (7th, 40 points)
Keali’I Ah Yat, Montana (9th, 30 points)
Michael Wortham, Montana (t-18th, 6 points)
Rodney Hammond Jr., Sac State (t-29th, 0 points)
Buck Buchanan Award (Voting Result) - Top Defensive Player
Caden Dowler, Montana State (4th, 65 points)
Jaco Psyk, UC Davis (20th, 9 points)
Jerry Rice Award (Voting Result) - Top Freshman Player
Caden Pinnick, UC Davis (2nd, 149 points)
Brooks Davis, Montana (t-12th, 10 points)
Eddie Robinson Award (Voting Result) - Top Coach
Bobby Hauck, Montana (TBA)
Doris Robinson Award (Voting Result) - Top Scholar-Athlete
Dillon Botner, Montana (TBA)
Treasure State Headlines Postseason Honors
The Big Sky announced its annual football individual awards and all-conference teams last week, highlighted by a pair of Treasure State standouts in Offensive Player of the Year Eli Gillman of Montana and Defensive Player of the Year Caden Dowler of Montana State.
In addition to Dowler's Defensive MVP honor, Montana State took home three of the five individual honors on Wednesday, with Brent Vigen being voted the Coach of the Year and Justin Lamson winning the title of Newcomer of the Year. Rounding out the individual award winners for the 2025 season, Caden Pinnick of UC Davis was a unanimous selection for Freshman of the Year.
For the full release, click here.
2025 Big Sky Football Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Eli Gillman, RB, Montana
Defensive Player of the Year: Caden Dowler, DB, Montana State
Newcomer of the Year: Justin Lamson, QB, Montana State
Freshman of the Year: Caden Pinnick, QB, UC Davis*
Coach of the Year: Brent Vigen, Montana State
* - Unanimous selection
Skipper Named New Head Football Coach at Cal Poly
Cal Poly Athletic Director Carter Henderson announced this past Wednesday that Tim Skipper, most recently the interim head coach at UCLA, has been named the 19th head football coach in program history for the Mustangs.
Skipper arrives in San Luis Obispo with 25 years of collegiate coaching experience and a ton of positive momentum following the job he did this past season at UCLA. He began the 2025 season at UCLA as special assistant to the head coach before being elevated to interim head coach following the Bruins’ 0-3 start. Under his direction, the Bruins went 3-6 the rest of the way with victories over Penn State, Michigan State and Maryland.
Skipper is also familiar with the Big Sky Conference, having served as Sacramento State’s defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2003–05. A New Orleans native, Skipper earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from Fresno State in 2001.
A formal introductory press conference will take place Monday, Dec. 8 at 10:30 a.m. PT in the lobby of the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center.
For the full release, click here.
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 (2nd Round of FCS Playoffs)
Saturday, Dec. 6
#14 South Dakota State at #3 Montana // ESPN+ // 12:00 p.m. MT
Yale at #2 Montana State // ESPN+ // 12:00 p.m. MT
#9 Rhode Island at #8 UC Davis // ESPN2 // 8:00 p.m. MT