FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 17, 2025) – The Big Sky will have 11 football teams in action for Week 4, with Northern Arizona's Top 20 matchup against Incarnate Word highlighting the slew of games. Below are news and notes for Week 4 of the football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 4)
NAU-Incarnate Word Featured Game on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
No. 17 Northern Arizona hosts No. 19 Incarnate Word this Saturday, as the Lumberjacks look to build off of Week 3’s 52-49 win at Southern Utah.
The meeting between NAU and UIW will mark just the second ever meeting for the two programs, with the Cardinals winning the first contest last season in San Antonio, 38-14.
The Lumberjacks will put an 8-game winning streak at the Walkup Skydome on the line, which matches the program’s longest since the Dome opened in 1977. That streak is tied for seventh longest in the FCS, with South Dakota State’s 31-game streak being the nation’s longest.
This Saturday’s game also marks the first ranked-vs-ranked game at the Walkup Skydome since No. 18/20 NAU hosted No. 6/5 Eastern Washinton on Sept. 8, 2018.
Montana Hosts Indiana State to Round Out the Scheduled Portion of the Big Sky-MVFC Challenge
Montana will face its second-straight foe from the Missouri Valley Football Conference this week as the Griz welcome Indiana State to Missoula. Montana is fresh off a thrilling 24-23 win against No. 16 North Dakota in Week 3. Saturday’s game will mark just the second meeting all-time for the Griz against Indiana State, with Montana winning the first matchup 49-14 in Terre Haute in 2022.
2025 Big Sky-MVFC Challenge
8/30: South Dakota State 20, Sac State 3
9/6: South Dakota State 30, Montana State 24
9/6: North Dakota 50, Portland State 20
9/13: Montana 24, North Dakota 23
9/13: South Dakota 24, Northern Colorado 17
9/13: Northern Iowa 17, Eastern Washington 14
9/20: Indiana State at Montana
Big Sky Has One More Chance at FBS Upset in 2025
The Big Sky will face one FBS foe in Week 4, 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 4 vs. FBS Games
Idaho at San Jose 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)
Big Sky Present vs. Big Sky Future
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.
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 (W/46-24)
9/13: vs. Northern Arizona (L/49-52)
9/20: at UC Davis
Utah Tech vs. Big Sky Foes in 2025
8/30: vs. UC Davis (L/24-31)
9/6: at Northern Arizona (L/31-38)
9/13: at Idaho (L/6-20)
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Sept. 15, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona (QB, So., Sand Springs, Okla.)
Ty Pennington led NAU to a 52-49 Grand Canyon Trophy rivalry win at Southern Utah, completing 20-of-31 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. He set career-highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns, while also adding a touchdown on the ground. Pennington was impressive on the game-winning drive, leading NAU on a 13-play, 79-yard drive spanning nearly four minutes for the go-ahead touchdown with 29 seconds left. Pennington capped the drive with a two-point conversion to Jayson Raines, putting NAU ahead 50-49.
Defensive Player of the Week: Hudson Voggesser, Northern Colorado (LB, Jr., Fort Collins, Colo.)
Northern Colorado's Hudson Voggesser recorded 16 total tackles in the overtime loss at ranked South Dakota. The linebacker's 16 tackles highlighted a defensive day where he also had a tackle for loss and a QB hurry as well to help the UNC defense limit South Dakota to 17 points in regulation. UNC also held South Dakota to 99 receiving yards and forced its sixth turnover in the last two games for the defense.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week: Sloan Calder, Weber State (K, Jr., Morgan, UT.)
Weber State's Sloan Calder was a perfect 5-of-5 on extra point attempts and pulled off a special teams touchdown in Saturday’s win at McNeese, tallying 11 points on the day. Late in the second quarter, he lined up for a field goal, but ran a fake and ran the ball in for a 10-yard touchdown run that put Weber State up 21-7 at halftime. Sloan also had seven kickoffs with four touchbacks.
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week: Ty Morrison, Montana (K/P, Jr., Valencia, Calif.)
Ty Morrison kicked what would prove to be the game-winning field goal with 4:23 to play from 42 yards out and had a strong day overall in the kicking game to help Montana beat North Dakota. In the punting game he totaled 335 yards and averaged just under 40 yards on nine attempts with two inside the 20. He also totaled 317 yards on five kickoffs with three touchbacks, and went 3-for-3 on PATs for a personal haul of six points for UM.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Michael Briscoe (CP), Nate Bell (EWU), Art Williams (UI), Brooks Davis, (UM), Justin Lamson (MSU), Eric Gibson (UNC), Damian Henderson II (SAC), Jackson Gilkey (WSU)
Defense: Mikey D'Amato (CP), Bryce Smith (EWU), Dylan Layne (UI), Elijawah Tolbert (UM), Bryson Ross (PSU), Oscar Moore (SAC), BJ Carey (WSU)
Special Teams: Landon Ogles (EWU), Owen Forsman (UI), Ben D'Aquila (NAU), Jacob Willig (UNC), Cru Newman (PSU)
Six Big Sky Teams Ranked in FCS Top 25 Polls
Half of the Big Sky is currently ranked in FCS Top 25 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 for the 2025 season.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 4: Montana State
No. 5: Montana
No. 8: Idaho
No. 9: UC Davis
No. 17: Northern Arizona
No. 24: Sacramento State
AFCA FCS Top 25 (Big Sky Teams)
No. 5: Montana
No. T6: Montana State
No. 8: Idaho
No. 9: UC Davis
No. 19: Northern Arizona
No. 22: Sacramento State
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
Over 20 Former Big Sky Players Make 53-Man NFL Roster
The 2025 NFL season is underway, with 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.
Eastern Washington, Montana State, and Idaho are tied for the most former players on NFL rosters with four each. Sacramento State, UC Davis, Weber State are not far behind with three each on NFL rosters.
Big Sky in the NFL (as of Sept. 10, 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)
San Francisco 49ers: Kendrick Bourne, WR (EWU)
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 4)
Saturday, Sept. 20
Mercyhurst at #4/T6 Montana State // ESPN+ & Scripps Sports // 1:00 p.m. MT
Indiana State at #5/5 Montana // ESPN+ & Scripps Sports // 1:00 p.m. MT
#19/14 UIW at #17/19 Northern Arizona // ESPN+ // 3:00 p.m. MT
#8/8 Idaho at San Jose State // Mountain West Network // 3:00 p.m. MT
Lincoln at Idaho State // ESPN+ // 4:00 p.m. MT
Western Illinois at Eastern Washington // ESPN+ & SWX // 5:00 p.m. MT
Northern Colorado at Houston Christian // ESPN+ // 5:00 p.m. MT
Cal Poly at RV/RV Stephen F. Austin // ESPN+ // 6:00 p.m. MT
NR/RV Central Arkansas at #24/22 Sac State // ESPN+ & KMAX 31 // 7:00 p.m. MT
Butler at Weber State // ESPN+ // 7:00 p.m. MT
Southern Utah at #9/9 UC Davis // ESPN+ // 8:00 p.m. MT
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform FCS/AFCA Coaches Poll