FARMINGTON, Utah (Aug. 27, 2025) – Eleven teams will be in action this Saturday, as Sacramento State's Top 15 showdown at South Dakota State highlights the Week 1 slate. Below are news and notes for Week 1 of the football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 1)
Sac State-South Dakota State Featured Game on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
The Top 15 showdown in Brookings between No. 15 Sacramento State and No. 3 South Dakota State will be the featured game on “This Week in Big Sky Football” as both teams hope to open the season with a ranked win.
The Hornets bring a new coaching staff led by head coach Brennan Marion and add over 70 new players to the roster in 2025, as Sacramento State looks to rebound from its 3-9 season from a year ago. South Dakota State also had a major upheaval following the 2024 season. Head coach Jimmy Rogers left for Washington State and was replaced by Dan Jackson.
Big Sky Poised to Add More FBS Upsets in 2025
The Big Sky will face five FBS foes in Week 1, with another chance to add to its growing total of upsets over the past few years. Since 2021, Big Sky teams have earned 10 upsets over FBS foes, which is the most of any other FCS conference during that same timespan.
Week 1 vs. FBS Games
Montana State at Oregon
Weber State at James Madison
Portland State at BYU
Idaho at Washington State
Northern Arizona at Arizona State
Big Sky Wins Over FBS Foes Since 2021
2024
Idaho 17, Wyoming 13 (Mountain West)
Montana State 35, New Mexico 31 (Mountain West)
2023
Sacramento State 30, Stanford 23 (Pac-12)
Idaho 33, Nevada 6 (Mountain West)
2022
Sacramento State 41, Colorado State 10 (Mountain West)
Weber State 35, Utah State 7 (Mountain West)
2021
Northern Arizona 21, Arizona 19 (Pac-12)
Montana 13, #20 Washington 7 (Pac-12)
UC Davis 19, Tulsa 17 (American)
Eastern Washington 35, UNLV 33 (Mountain West)
Future Big Sky Schools in Action Against Idaho State, UC Davis on Saturday
Effective July 1, 2026, Southern Utah and Utah Tech will join the league as full members and compete in the Big Sky starting with the 2026-27 academic year, the conference office announced this past June.
Those two future members will host Big Sky opponents this Saturday, as Southern Utah takes on Idaho State and Utah Tech faces UC Davis. Overall, both Southern Utah and Utah Tech will face three Big Sky foes each during the 2025 regular season, as the two gear up to join the league in 2026.
Southern Utah vs. Big Sky Foes in 2025
8/30: vs. Idaho State
9/13: vs. Northern Arizona
9/20: at UC Davis
Utah Tech vs. Big Sky Foes in 2025
8/30: vs. UC Davis
9/6: at Northern Arizona
9/13: at Idaho
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Aug. 25, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Dason Brooks, Idaho State (RB, R-Jr., Chandler, AZ)
Dason Brooks was a force against the UNLV Rebels Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas. The Bengal redshirt senior put on a show, carrying the ball for 132 yards on 18 carries, scoring two touchdowns, including a game-long 27-yard score. Brooks also grabbed six receptions for another 38 yards to add to his statline in the 38-31 loss at FBS foe UNLV.
Defensive Player of the Week: Rylan Leathers, Idaho State (S, R-Fr., Amarillo, TX)
Rylan Leathers led the Bengal defensive backs against the UNLV Rebels Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas. The Bengal safety finished the game with a career-best 12 total tackles (4 solo, 8 assists) including an open field, one-on-one tackle to force a three and out of the Rebels. Leathers also added on a tackle-for-loss in the 38-31 loss at FBS foe UNLV.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Trajan Sinatra, Idaho State (K, Jr., San Jose, CA)
Sophomore transfer Trajan Sinatra made a spark for the Bengals in his first appearance for Idaho State against the Rebels of UNLV. Sinatra scored the first points of the year for ISU on a made 26-yard field goal. Sinatra then followed it up with four made PATs, finishing the night 5-of-5 for his attempts, scoring seven points for the Bengals in the 38-31 loss at FBS foe UNLV.
Six Big Sky Teams Ranked in the Preseason Top 25 Polls
Half of the Big Sky is currently ranked in Top 25 preseason polls, which is becoming common place with each passing year. Montana State, Montana, UC Davis, Idaho, Sacramento State, and Northern Arizona have all been tabbed in multiple Top 25 polls entering the 2025 season.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana State
No. 7: Montana
No. 8: UC Davis
No. 12: Idaho
No. 15: Sacramento State
No. 19: Northern Arizona
AFCA FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 2: Montana State
No. 7: UC Davis
No. 9: Montana
No. 12: Idaho
No. 14: Sacramento State
No. 18: Northern Arizona
RV: Eastern Washington
Future Vegas Kickoff Classic to Feature Montana, Montana State
ESPN Events announced a pair of future Vegas Kickoff Classic games at Allegiant Stadium that will feature matchups of top FCS programs from the Big Sky Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference. Montana State will take on North Dakota State in 2027, while Montana will face South Dakota State in 2029. Both games will be played during Labor Day weekend at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with the game dates, times and networks to be announced at a later date.
The last four FCS National Championship Games have featured Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State or South Dakota State playing one another, while every title game since 2017 has featured at least one of those four teams in the championship game.
Six Big Sky Standouts Named to Preseason Award Watchlists
Six Big Sky standouts were named to the preseason watchlists for the Walter Payton Award and Buck Buchanan Award, as the league garners more national recognitions.
2025 Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List
Big Sky honors only // Full List Here
RB – Adam Jones, Montana State
RB – Eli Gillman, Montana
RB – Jamar Curtis, Sacramento State
2025 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List
Big Sky honors only // Full List Here
DL – Paul Brott, Montana State
LB – Peyton Wing, Montana
DB – Rex Connors, UC Davis
Montana State Picked by Coaches and Media to Win Big Sky
Defending Big Sky champion Montana State was picked by coaches and media to win the league once again, as the Bobcats were voted first in both preseason polls. The Bobcats, who received 30 first-place votes from the media and seven from the league's head coaches, won the Big Sky title last season after a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play. Big Sky Freshman of the Year Adam Jones leads a Bobcat roster that looks to win its third conference title since 2022.
Preseason Media Poll
1. Montana State (30) - 488
2. Montana (6) - 434
3. UC Davis (4) - 399
4. Idaho (1) - 364
5. Northern Arizona - 354
6. Sacramento State (1) - 282
7. Idaho State - 247
8. Eastern Washington - 225
9. Weber State - 192
10. Portland State - 140
11. Cal Poly - 94
12. Northern Colorado - 57
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Montana State (7) - 117
2. UC Davis (1) - 100
3. Montana (2) - 96
4. Northern Arizona (1) - 94
5. Idaho - 81
6. Sacramento State (1) - 73
7. Idaho State - 56
8. Weber State - 55
9. Eastern Washington - 48
10. Portland State - 32
11. Cal Poly - 25
12. Northern Colorado - 15
Over 20 Former Big Sky Players Make 53-Man NFL Roster
With the 2025 NFL season just days away there are over 20 players who finished their collegiate playing careers in the Big Sky that are currently on NFL rosters. The New England Patriots are Big Sky East, with the club sport five former Big Sky players on their roster heading into the 2025 season.
Montana State and Idaho are tied for the most former players on NFL rosters with four each. Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, UC Davis, and Weber State are not far behind with three each on NFL rosters.
Big Sky in the NFL (as of Aug. 27, 2025)
Atlanta Falcons: Troy Andersen, LB (Montana State), Kaden Elliss, LB (Idaho)
Baltimore Ravens: Teddye Buchanan*, LB (UC Davis)
Buffalo Bills: Taron Johnson, DB (Weber State)
Chicago Bears: Daniel Hardy, DL (Montana State), Braxton Jones, OL (Southern Utah)
Cleveland Browns: DeAndre Carter, WR (Sac State), Winston Reid, DL (Weber State)
Denver Broncos: Alex Singleton, LB (Montana State)
Detroit Lions: Khalil Dorsey, DB (Northern Arizona), Hogan Hatten, LS (Idaho)
Green Bay Packers: Daniel Whelan, P (UC Davis)
Indianapolis Colts: Samson Ebukam, DL (EWU)
Las Vegas Raiders: Jacob Bobenmoyer, LS (UNC)
Miami Dolphins: Tanner Conner, TE (Idaho State)
New England Patriots: Christian Elliss, LB (Idaho), Marte Mapu, LB (Sac State), Efton Chism III, WR (EWU), Elijah Ponder, DL (Cal Poly), Lan Larison, RB (UC Davis)
New Orleans Saints: Rashid Shaheed, WR (Weber State)
Pittsburgh Steelers: Miles Killebrew, DB (Southern Utah)
Seattle Seahawks: Cooper Kupp, WR (EWU), Ty Okada, DB (Montana State)
Tennessee Titans: Jackson Slater, OL (Sac State), Marcus Harris*, DB (Idaho)
* - earned a degree from a Big Sky school, but finished career elsewhere
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Upcoming Big Sky Football Games (Week 1)
Saturday, Aug. 30
Chadron State at Northern Colorado // ESPN+ // :00 p.m. MT
#2/2 Montana State at Oregon // BTN // 2:00 p.m. MT
Weber State at James Madison // ESPN+ // 4:00 p.m. MT
NR/RV Eastern Washington at #5/4 Incarnate Word // ESPN+ // 5:00 p.m. MT
#15/14 Sacramento State at #3/3 South Dakota State // ESPN+ // 5:00 p.m. MT
Portland State at BYU // ESPN+ // 6:00 p.m. MT
Cal Poly at San Diego // ESPN+ // 6:00 p.m. MT
Idaho State at RV/RV Southern Utah // ESPN+ // 6:30 p.m. MT
#12/12 Idaho at Washington State // The CW // 8:00 p.m. MT
#19/18 Northern Arizona at Arizona State // ESPN+ // 8:00 p.m. MT
#8/7 UC Davis at Utah Tech // ESPN+ // 8:00 p.m. MT
Rankings: Stats Perform FCS/AFCA Coaches Poll