FARMINGTON, Utah (July 18, 2025) – The Big Sky is doubling up on ESPN2 this fall, as the league office announced today two more conference football games airing on the network, bringing the total to four ESPN2 broadcasts for the 2025 conference slate.
The Idaho at Montana game on Saturday, Sept. 27, and the UC Davis at Montana State game on Saturday, Nov. 15, were added to the ESPN2 lineup on Thursday, with both Treasure State-hosted games kicking off at 8:15 p.m. MT.
The pair of games join back-to-back Friday night contests on ESPN2 in late October, as Montana travels to Sacramento State on Oct. 24, before Idaho faces off against Northern Arizona on Oct. 31. Both October ESPN2 games for the Big Sky are slated for 8:30 p.m. MT kickoffs.
The full national TV schedule Includes:
Saturday, Sept. 27: Idaho at Montana (8:15 p.m. MT // ESPN2)
Friday, Oct. 24: Montana at Sacramento State (8:30 p.m. MT // ESPN2)
Friday, Oct. 31: Idaho at Northern Arizona (8:30 p.m. MT // ESPN2)
Saturday, Nov. 15: UC Davis at Montana State (8:15 p.m. MT // ESPN2)
The six Big Sky teams selected for linear games this fall finished with a combined 56-27 record in 2024 and have made at least one trip to the FCS Playoffs in the last two seasons. All six teams were ranked in the
Hero Sports FCS Preseason Poll earlier this summer, with Montana State (No. 2), Montana (No. 7), Idaho (No. 10), UC Davis (No. 11), Sacramento State (No. 12), and Northern Arizona (No. 19) slated inside the Top 25.
Friday's ESPN2 network designations are part of its
new deal with the Big Sky Conference, which begins in the 2025-26 athletic year and goes through 2029-30. The new contract doubles the Big Sky’s exposure for nationally televised football games, with a minimum of four regular-season contests televised on a Friday or Saturday. A minimum of two of those games will air on ESPN or ESPN2.
Since the Big Sky’s latest partnership with ESPN began in 2021, the league has had eight of its football teams (more than half of the league) featured on linear network conference games on ESPN2 or ESPNU.
A full release of network designations and kickoff times were released for the Big Sky Conference on July 9, with that release being found
here.
Friday's news comes following Thursday's preseason poll announcement in anticipation of the 2025 Big Sky Kickoff Weekend, sponsored by the Northern Quest Resort & Casino and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, which is slated for July 18-21 in Spokane, Washington.
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Big Sky Football Regular-Season ESPN Linear Games Since 2021
10/2/21: Montana at Eastern Washington (ESPN2)
10/15/21: Montana State at Weber State (ESPNU)
10/1/22: UC Davis at Montana State (ESPNU)
10/22/22: Montana at Sacramento State (ESPN2)
10/14/23: Montana at Idaho (ESPN2)
10/21/23: Montana State at Sacramento State (ESPN2)
10/12/24: Idaho at Montana State (ESPN2)
11/9/24: UC Davis at Montana (ESPN2)
9/27/25: Idaho at Montana (ESPN2)
10/24/25: Montana at Sacramento State (ESPN2)
10/31/25: Idaho at Northern Arizona (ESPN2)
11/15/25: UC Davis at Montana State (ESPN2)