FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 2, 2026) – Big Sky football enters Week 1 with 12 non-conference games following a dramatic Week 0 that saw five league contests come down to the wire. Below are news and notes for Week 1 of the football season.
Big Sky Football Weekly Notebook (Week 1)
EXCITING FINISHES HIGHLIGHT WEEK 0
The 2026 Big Sky football season opened with a bang in Week 0, as the conference slate featured many exciting finishes with five games decided by seven points or less. Aside from Montana State’s 54-0 win over Utah Tech to open the season, the Big Sky’s other five conference games had an average margin of victory of 5.2 points.
Week 0 was the first time in Big Sky history that the league began conference play in Week 0, with six in-conference matchups highlighting the schedule.
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 first of three non-conference games between Big Sky foes will kick off in Week 1, as Weber State travels to Southern Utah.
Non-Conference Games Featuring Big Sky Foes
9/5 Weber State at Southern Utah
9/12 Utah Tech at Montana
9/19 Northern Arizona at Utah Tech
WEBER STATE-SOUTHERN UTAH FEATURED GAME ON "THIS WEEK IN BIG SKY FOOTBALL"
Familiar foes Weber State and Southern Utah will battle it out in Cedar City this Saturday, as the Wildcats and Thunderbirds face off for the non-conference contest. Weber State holds a 21-8 series lead over Southern Utah, but this will be the first meeting between the two programs in five years. The Wildcats shutout the Thunderbirds 62-0 in its last meeting coming in 2021.
The showdown in Cedar City will be the Game of the Week for “This Week in Big Sky Football” which airs each Thursday on @BigSkyConf’s YouTube and every Saturday Scripps Sports.
Watch the Week 1 show on Thursday, by
clicking here.
TACO DOWLER BREAKS BIG SKY RECORD
Montana State’s Taco Dowler broke the Big Sky record for most punt return yards in a career after his performance in Week 0 for the Bobcats.
Dowler surpassed Montana’s Levander Segars who had 1,441 yards on 143 returns. Dowler now sits at 1,462 yards on 110 returns, with the FCS record of 1,668 yards by Hampton’s Marquay McDaniel in sight.
BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOREES FOR WEEK 0
Offensive Player of the Week
Anthony Grigsby Jr., Cal Poly (QB, 5th, Stockton, Calif.)
Cal Poly’s Anthony Grigsby Jr. led the Mustangs to a thrilling 38-34 victory over Idaho, as the fifth-year quarterback racked up 381 yards of total offense and five touchdowns in the conference opener on ESPN. Grigsby Jr., who was responsible for all five of Cal Poly’s touchdowns on Friday night, had two of the Mustangs biggest plays after running in a 15-yard score with 2:16 remaining to tie the game before tossing the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds remaining on a 34-yard touchdown pass that came on 4th and 8. Grigsby Jr. completed 26-of-35 passes for 319 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions, while rushing the ball 14 times for 62 yards on the night. The victory for Cal Poly was the program’s first over Idaho in six attempts.
Others Nominated: Nate Bell (EWU), Joshua Wood (UI), Jordan Cooke (ISU), Eli Gillman (UM), Dane Steel (MSU), Jeter Purdy (NAU), Kenny Lueth (UNC), Tyrese Smith (PSU), Noah Kjar (WSU)
Defensive Player of the Week
Trehsyn Fesili, Idaho State (DL, Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii)
Trehsyn Fesili made an immediate impact in his first collegiate game, turning in the most disruptive defensive performance on the field as Idaho State opened the 2026 season with a 38-10 win over VMI. The true freshman finished with three tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble that he also recovered himself.
Others Nominated: Mikey D’Amato (CP), Bryce Smith (EWU), Braeden Orlandi (UM), Franky Morales (UNC), Eddie Vega (PSU), Tinirauarii Raimoana (WSU)
Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
Lindsey Graves, Northern Arizona (KR, Fr., Clovis, Calif.)
Lindsey Graves provided Northern Arizona the spark they needed in the 34-27 victory over Eastern Washington in the conference opener, as the freshman housed a 100-yard kickoff return in his first collegiate game. Graves’ kick return touchdown came when NAU trailed 24-3 late in the second quarter, sparking 24 unanswered points as the Lumberjacks outscored the Eagles 31-3 to close out the game. The win snapped a 20-game losing streak for NAU when trailing at halftime. Graves becomes just the second Big Sky player in the last two seasons to return a kickoff 100 yards for a score, joining former Lumberjack and current Denver Bronco Kolbe Katsis, who achieved the feat in 2025.
Jake Mason, Montana (LB, Sr., Ferndale, Wash.)
Jake Mason was a leader on a Montana special teams unit that blocked both a Southern Utah field goal and PAT attempt and stuffed a pair of two-point conversion attempts as well. No. 2 Montana defeated Southern Utah 28-21 in the conference opener, with Mason’s blocked PAT coming early in the fourth quarter with the Thunderbirds poised to take a 22-21 lead after their touchdown. Mason blocked the PAT and totaled six tackles in the game with one TFL.
Others Nominated: Jaden Green (CP), Owen Forsman (UI), Robert Freeman IV (ISU), Taco Dowler (MSU), Cru Newman (PSU), David Dellenbach (WSU)
EIGHT TEAMS FEATURED ACROSS TWO NATIONAL POLLS FOR WEEK 1
The Big Sky was well-represented once again in the Stats Perform and AFCA Coaches polls after Week 1, as Montana State was ranked atop both polls following its impressive Week 0 victory. The Big Sky had five total teams ranked in the Stats Perform Top 25, with Montana State (No. 1), Montana (No. 3), and UC Davis (No. 7) sitting in the Top 10, while Northern Arizona (No. 22) was joined by Idaho State (No. 23) in the latter half of the poll.
FCS Stats Perform Top 25
1. Montana State (1-0, 1-0)
3. Montana (1-0, 1-0)
7. UC Davis (1-0, 1-0)
22. Northern Arizona (1-0, 1-0)
23. Idaho State (1-0, 0-0)
RV: Southern Utah (0-1, 0-1), Cal Poly (1-0, 1-0)
AFCA Coaches Top 25
1. Montana State (1-0, 1-0)
3. Montana (1-0, 1-0)
6. UC Davis (1-0, 1-0)
20. Northern Arizona (1-0, 1-0)
RV: Idaho State (1-0, 0-0), Southern Utah (0-1, 0-1), Cal Poly (1-0, 1-0), Idaho (0-1, 0-1)
BOBCATS PICKED AS PRESEASON FAVORITES AND NO. 1 TEAM NATIONALLY
After winning its first national title since 1984 this past January, Montana State was picked to win the Big Sky by league voters and was tabbed as the No. 1 team in both Top 25 preseason polls on the national stage ahead of the 2026 season.
Montana State will be seeking its third-straight Big Sky championship, a feat that hasn’t been done since Weber State won at least a share of the title in 2018, 2019, and the spring season of 2021. The last team to win three-straight outright Big Sky titles was Montana who reeled off four-straight championships from 1998-2001.
If the Bobcats should go 8-0 again to win the Big Sky, it will mark the first time in league history a team has won all of its scheduled conference games in three-straight seasons.
BOBCATS, BIG SKY CONFERENCE LOOKS TO REPEAT AS NATIONAL CHAMPS IN 2026
Montana State will have a tall task in 2026 as the defending national champions will be attempting to accomplish a feat that has never been done by a Big Sky team and that is repeating as a national champion.
Overall, South Dakota State and North Dakota State are the only teams to repeat as champions since 2007. Overall, there have been five schools that have repeated as FCS national champions since 1978. South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, and Youngstown State.
Schools Who Have Won At Least Two-Straight FCS National Titles
South Dakota State (2022-2023)
North Dakota State (2017-2019 & 2011-2015)
Appalachian State (2005-2007)
Georgia Southern (1999-2000, 1989-90, 1985-86)
Youngstown State (1993-1994)
The Big Sky Conference has had seven FCS national champions overall, but only once did the league have a winner in back-to-back seasons, as Boise State and Idaho State marked the first and only time back in 1980 and 1981.
Big Sky FCS National Champions
2025 Montana State (W/35-34 vs. Illinois State)
2010 Eastern Washington (W/20-19 vs. Delaware)
2001 Montana (W/13-6 vs. Furman)
1995 Montana (W/22-20 vs. Marshall)
1984 Montana State (W/19-6 vs. Louisiana Tech)
1981 Idaho State (W/34-23 vs. Eastern Kentucky)
1980 Boise State (W/31-29 vs. Eastern Kentucky)
BIG SKY LANDS 13 PLAYERS ON NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LISTS
The nation’s best players reside in the Big Sky Conference, and that is evident each year with the list of standouts on national award watch lists. The league had eight players make the cut for the Walter Payton Award Watch List, while five were named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List.
The Walter Payton Award, affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS, is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame career. The Big Sky has won the award 11 times, with the most recent winner being Tommy Mellott of Montana State following the 2024 season.
The Buck Buchanan Award, in its 32nd season, is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious “Buck” Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career. The Big Sky has won the award seven times, with the most recent being Dante Olson of Montana following the 2019 season.
Walter Payton Award Watch List (July 14, 2026)
Keali’I Ah Yat, QB, Montana
Justin Lamson, QB, Montana State
Ty Pennington, QB, Northern Arizona
Dason Brooks, RB, Idaho State
Eli Gillman, RB, Montana
Adam Jones, RB, Montana State
Taco Dowler, WR, Montana State
Samuel Gbatu Jr., WR, UC Davis
Buck Buchanan Award Watch List (July 14, 2026)
Mikey D’Amato, LB, Cal Poly
Peyton Wing, LB, Montana
Rex Connors, DB, UC Davis
Caden Dowler, DB, Montana State
Jaylon Jenkins, DB, Eastern Washington
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2026 Big Sky Football Schedule (Week 1)
Thursday, Sept. 3
#RV Idaho at Utah // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPNU)
Saturday, Sept. 5
Drake at #3/3 Montana // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+/Scripps)
#23/RV Idaho State at Utah State // 5:00 p.m. MT (CBSSN)
Northern Iowa at Eastern Washington // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+/SWX)
Utah Tech at BYU // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Central Washington at #RV/RV Cal Poly // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
#11/12 South Dakota at Northern Colorado // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Weber State at #RV/RV Southern Utah% // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Butler at #1/1 Montana State // 6:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+/Scripps)
#22/20 Northern Arizona at Arizona // 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Portland State at San Diego State // 7:30 p.m. MT (USA)
#7/6 UC Davis at San Diego // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
All Times Mountain
% - Non-Conf. Game vs. Big Sky Team
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform FCS/AFCA Coaches Poll