FARMINGTON, Utah (Oct. 14, 2026) – A pair of trophy rivalries headlines a six-game Week 7 slate in Big Sky football, as Idaho visits No. 7 Montana for the Little Brown Stein and No. 21 Idaho State travels to Weber State for the Train Bell Trophy. Below are news and notes for Week 7 of the football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 7)
PAIR OF RIVALRY GAMES HIGHLIGHT WEEK 7
A pair of storied rivalries takes center stage in Week 7, as Idaho travels to No. 7 Montana for the 91st meeting between the two programs, while No. 21 Idaho State visits Weber State for the 67th installment of their rivalry. The Vandals and Grizzlies will battle for the Little Brown Stein, while the Bengals and Wildcats will renew their clash for the Train Bell Trophy.
Idaho leads the overall series against Montana, 56-32-2, but the Grizzlies have won 13 of the last 16 meetings. Weber State holds a 49-17 all-time series lead against Idaho State, but the Bengals have won the last two meetings. Idaho State has not won three-straight games in the series since 1962-64.
Week 7 Rivalry Games
Little Brown Stein (Idaho vs. Montana) // First Meeting 1903 // Idaho leads 56-32-2
History (Via GoGriz.com): The Stein was created by UM student newspaper writer John T. Campbell in 1938 for the cost of $25, paid for by a group of students to be crafted by a local carpenter.
Train Bell Trophy (Idaho State vs. Weber State) // First Meeting 1962 // Weber State leads 49-17
History (Via WeberStateSports.com): The Train Bell Trophy rivalry between Idaho State and Weber State dates to the early 60s when students from the two schools traveled by train between Pocatello and Ogden for the annual matchup. The trophy, which features an old locomotive bell, was discontinued in 1973 before being revived ahead of the 2024 season.
GAME OF THE WEEK FOR THIS WEEK IN BIG SKY FOOTBALL
No. 14 UC Davis travels to Southern Utah on Saturday, as both teams seek a win after coming off a bye week in Week 6. The contest in Cedar City will serve as the Game of the Week for "This Week in Big Sky Football” which airs each Thursday on @BigSkyConf’s YouTube and every Saturday on Scripps Sports. To watch the weekly show on YouTube, click here.
EVERY POINT COUNTS IN THE BIG SKY
Big Sky football has featured plenty of tight contests through the first four weeks of conference play, with 18 of 23 league games decided by an average margin of just 6.5 points. Of those 23 Big Sky games, eight have been decided by four points or fewer.
Average Point Difference for Conference Games
Team (Conf. Rec.) // Point Diff. // Average Margin
Montana State (2-1) // +67 // +22.3
Montana (3-1) // +64 // +16.0
Weber State (3-1) // +17 // +4.3
Portland State (2-1) // +12 // +4.0
Northern Arizona (3-1) // +5 // +1.3
Southern Utah (1-2) // +2 // +0.7
Cal Poly (3-1) // +1 // +0.3
Idaho State (1-2) // -4 // -1.3
Northern Colorado (1-3) // -8 // -2.0
Eastern Washington (1-3) // -13 // -3.3
Idaho (1-2) // -14 // -4.7
UC Davis (2-1) // -22 // -7.3
Utah Tech (0-4) // -107 // -26.8
NORTHERN ARIZONA LEADS FCS WITH 18 TAKEAWAYS
The Northern Arizona defense has been on an impressive run this season with the Lumberjacks topping the FCS in takeaways after forcing 18 turnovers. NAU has earned 10 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries to total their 18 takeaways this year. Portland State has 13 takeaways, which is second in the league and tied for 11th in the FCS.
SEVERAL BIG SKY PLAYERS RANK HIGH NATIONALLY FOR INDIVIDUAL STATS
The Big Sky has 12 players ranking in the Top 10 for the six major stat categories below, with the top area being rushing yards per game and receiving yards per game, as five conference standouts rank in the Top 5 for those two categories.
Big Sky Passing Leaders
Name, School (FCS Rank) // YPG
1. Joshua Wood (6th) // 283.8
2. Keali’i Ah Yat, UM (10th) // 277.4
3. Nate Bell, EWU (12th) // 275.9
Big Sky Rushing Leaders
Name, School (FCS Rank) // YPG
1. Floyd Chalk, SUU (1st) // 137.2
2. Eli Gillman, UM (4th) // 125.3
3. Jaden Green, CP (5th) // 118.7
Big Sky Receiving Leaders
Name, School (FCS Rank) // YPG
1. Brooks Davis, UM (2nd) // 115.7
2. Samuel Gbatu Jr., UCD (3rd) // 110.5
3. Noah Kjar, WSU (7th) // 95.9
Big Sky Tackles Leaders
Name, School (FCS Rank) // TPG
1. Kenny Olson, CP (13th) // 9.9
2. Cruz Hepburn, UI (T25th) // 9.2
3. Myles Mayovsky, EWU (27th) // 9.1
Big Sky Sack Leaders
Name, School (FCS Rank) // Sacks
1. Tyler King, UM (T11th) // 5.5
T2. Kaleb Pleis, CP (T28th) // 4.0
T2. Myles Amey, SUU (T28th) // 4.0
Big Sky Interception Leaders
Name, School (FCS Rank) // INTs
1. Parker Vance, SUU (T2nd) // 4
T2. RL Miller, CP (T6th) // 3
T2. Jaylon Jenkins, EWU (T6th) // 3
T2. Jahaad Fort, NAU (T6th) // 3
BIG SKY TEAMS DOMINATE FCS TEAM OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
The Big Sky features some of the best offenses in the nation, with six of the Top 20 for total yards per game in the FCS hailing from the league. The next closest is the SWAC with four, followed by the MVFC with three teams each for yards per game.
Big Sky Top Offenses
School (FCS Rank) // YPG
1. Montana (6th) // 467.9
2. Southern Utah (12th) // 457.5
3. Weber State (15th) // 445.9
4. UC Davis (17th) // 443.5
5. Montana State (18th) // 441.3
6. Idaho State (20th) // 436.7
BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOREES FOR WEEK 6
Offensive Player of the Week
Ty Pennington, Northern Arizona (QB, Sr., Sand Springs, Okla.)
Ty Pennington scored six touchdowns in Northern Arizona’s 49-44 upset of No. 2 Montana on Saturday, as the quarterback did a little bit of everything in the upset win at home. Pennington threw for 322 yards and a touchdown, led the team with a career-high 16 rushes for 52 yards and four touchdowns and caught a 7-yard touchdown reception. The honor was the first of the season for Pennington and also earned him national recognition from FCS Stats Perform.
Others Nominated: Anthony Grigsby Jr. (CP), Nate Bell (EWU), Trey Olsen (UNC), Tyrese Smith (PSU), Spencer Ferguson (WSU)
Co-Defensive Players of the Week
Trevian Tribble, Weber State (DB, 5th Year, Fontana, Calif.)
Trevian Tribble had two interceptions and five tackles in Weber State’s 38-27 win over Idaho. Tribble returned the two interceptions for a combined 50 yards, including a return of 31 yards. Both interceptions led to Wildcat touchdowns on the next drive and were his first career interceptions in 41 games.
JoJo Maxey-Johnson, Eastern Washington (DB, R-Jr., Tacoma, Wash.)
JoJo Maxey-Johnson had two interceptions and five tackles in Eastern Washington’s 31-22 win over Northern Colorado. Maxey-Johnson’s two picks came in the final quarter of Saturday’s win, including one under two minutes to seal the victory.
Others Nominated: RL Miller (CP), Hudson Voggesser (UNC), Jaxton Helmstetler (PSU)
Co-Special Teams Players of the Week
Lindsey Graves, Northern Arizona (KR, Fr., Clovis, Calif.)
Lindsey Graves returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, his second of the season, in the 49-44 victory for Northern Arizona over No. 2 Montana. Graves’ kickoff return came immediately after Montana closed within 35-32 early in the fourth quarter and pushed NAU’s lead back to 10 points in an eventual 49-44 victory. Graves is one of two players in the FCS with two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season and the first Lumberjack with multiple 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career.
Mason Lindberg, Idaho State (K, So., Mesa, Ariz.)
Mason Lindberg connected on all five of his field goal attempts in a 25-24 loss to Cal Poly on Saturday, while adding a PAT to account for 16 of the Bengals’ 24 points. Lindberg connected from 27, 45, 50, 43 and 30 yards, including a 45-yarderas time expired in the first half and a 50-yarder in the third quarter that gave Idaho State an 18-10 lead. The sophomore also put five of his six kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. It is the second time this season Lindberg has gone 5-for-5 on field goals, with the last coming in the 29-17 Week 1 win at Utah State.
Others Nominated: Soren McKee (EWU), Landon Richardson (UNC), Zui Shelton (PSU), David Dellenbach (WSU)
MONTANA’S GILLMAN BREAKS BIG SKY RUSHING RECORD
Eli Gillman scored four touchdowns on the ground in the Week 4 win at UC Davis, becoming the Big Sky’s all-time leader in rushing TDs. Gillman now sits at 62 career rushing TDs, which officially surpasses the previous record of 56 set by Charles Roberts of Sacramento State in 2000.
Gillman now has his sights set on a record thought impossible to break, the Big Sky record for most total TDs, set by Cooper Kupp after he scored 77 for his career.
Most Career Rushing TDs in Big Sky History
1. Eli Gillman, UM (2022-26) – 62
2. Charles Roberts, SAC (1997-00) – 56
3. Charles Dunn, PSU (1997-00) – 54
T-4. Charvez Foger, NEV (1985-88) – 52
T-4. Chase Reynolds, UM (2007-10) – 52
Most Career Total TDs in Big Sky History
1. Cooper Kupp, EWU (2013-16) – 77
2. Eli Gillman, UM (2022-26) – 70
T3. Charles Dunn, PSU (1997-00) – 61
T3. Sherriden May, UI (1991-94) – 61
NON-CONFERENCE GAMES FOR BIG SKY FOES
New members Southern Utah and Utah Tech will both play Big Sky foes in non-conference action this season, due to previously contracted games dating back to previous years. The final non-conference game between Big Sky foes for the regular season concluded in Week 3, as Northern Arizona defeated Utah Tech, 35-23.
Non-Conference Games Featuring Big Sky Foes
9/5 Weber State at Southern Utah (SUU 47, WSU 42)
9/12 Utah Tech at Montana (UM 35, UTU 14)
9/19 Northern Arizona at Utah Tech (NAU 35, UTU 23)
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2026 Big Sky Football Schedule (Week 7)
Saturday, Oct. 17
Idaho at #7 Montana* // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+/Scripps/SWX)
#21 Idaho State at #RV Weber State* // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+/KJZZ/KMYU)
Portland State at #8 Northern Arizona* // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
#5 Montana State at Eastern Washington* // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+/Scripps/SWX)
#14 UC Davis at Southern Utah* // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
#RV Cal Poly at Northern Colorado* // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
All Times Mountain
* - Big Sky Conference Game
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform FCS