WEEK 5 SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28 TV TIME (MT)
Cal Poly at Northern Colorado*
ESPN+ 1:00 p.m.
#10 Sacramento State at Northern Arizona*
ESPN+ 2:00 p.m.
#3 Montana State at Idaho State*
ESPN+/Scripps 4:00 p.m.
Portland State at Chattanooga
ESPN+ 5:00 p.m.
McNeese at #25 Weber State
ESPN+ 6:00 p.m.
#8 Montana at Eastern Washington*
ESPN+/Scripps 6:00 p.m.
#4 Idaho at #14 UC Davis*
ESPN+ 8:00 p.m.
FCS Rankings: Stats Perform
* – Denotes Conference Game
LAST WEEK RESULTS
SATURDAY, SEPT. 21 LOCATION
Nevada 49, Eastern Washington 16 Reno, NV
#9 Montana 46, #24 Western Carolina 35 Missoula, MT
#3 Montana State 52, Mercyhurst 13 Bozeman, MT
Idaho State 38, #RV Southern Utah 28 Pocatello, ID
#15 Incarnate Word 38, #RV Northern Arizona 14 San Antonio, TX
#11 Sacramento State 34, Texas A&M-Commerce 0 Commerce, TX
Weber State 39, Northwestern State 0 Natchitoches, LA
Stephen F. Austin 48, Northern Colorado 7 Nacogdoches, TX
#4 Idaho 27, #19 Abilene Christian 24 Abilene, TX
Boise State 56, Portland State 14 Boise, ID
#13 UC Davis 32, Utah Tech 14 Davis, CA
NEWS & NOTES
UC DAVIS-IDAHO SHOWDOWN HIGHLIGHTS WEEK 5
No. 14 UC Davis hosts No. 4 Idaho this Saturday, as both teams hope to open Big Sky play 1-0. The Top 15 showdown between the Aggies and Vandals will mark just the sixth meeting all-time between the two football programs.
UC Davis-Idaho Head-to-Head Series
Nov. 12, 2022: UC Davis 44, Idaho 26 (Moscow)
Nov. 11, 2021: UC Davis 27, Idaho 20 (Davis)
March 6, 2021: UC Davis 27, Idaho 17 (Moscow)
Sept. 22, 2018: UC Davis 44, Idaho 21 (Davis)
Oct. 11, 1997: Idaho 44, UC Davis 14 (Moscow)
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY NOT DONE YET
After opening their conference play in Week 2, Weber State and Portland State will play their final non-conference games of the regular season this Saturday, as the Wildcats host McNeese and the Vikings sail down to Chattanooga.
BAD LUCK ON THE RED TURF
Montana makes a trip to Eastern Washington on Saturday, as the Griz look to break an unwanted streak, which is being winless on the Red Turf. Montana is 11-11 at Eastern Washington dating back to 1947 but is 0-6 in games played on the Red Turf, which was installed in 2010.
Montana-EWU History on the Red Turf
Oct. 2, 2021: Eastern Washington 34, Montana 28
Oct. 29, 2016: Eastern Washington 35, Montana 16
Dec. 6, 2014: Eastern Washington 37, Montana 20
Nov. 8, 2014: Eastern Washington 36, Montana 26
Sept. 29, 2012: Eastern Washington 32, Montana 26
Sept. 18, 2010: Eastern Washington 36, Montana 27
Idaho-UC Davis Featured Team on “This Week in Big Sky Football”
No. 14 UC Davis hosts No. 4 Idaho this Saturday, as both teams hope to open Big Sky play 1-0. The Top 15 showdown between the Aggies and Vandals will mark just the sixth meeting all-time between the two football programs. The contest will be featured on “This Week in Big Sky Football” which airs each Friday on @BigSkyConf’s YouTube.
UC Davis-Idaho Head-to-Head Series
Nov. 12, 2022: UC Davis 44, Idaho 26 (Moscow, ID)
Nov. 11, 2021: UC Davis 27, Idaho 20 (Davis, CA)
March 6, 2021: UC Davis 27, Idaho 17 (Moscow, ID)
Sept. 22, 2018: UC Davis 44, Idaho 21 (Davis, CA)
Oct. 11, 1997: Idaho 44, UC Davis 14 (Moscow, ID)
Bad Luck on the Red Turf
Montana makes a trip to Eastern Washington on Saturday, as the Griz look to break an unwanted streak, which is being winless on the Red Turf. Montana is 11-11 at Eastern Washington dating back to 1947, but is 0-6 in games played on the Red Turf, which was installed in 2010.
Montana-EWU History on the Red Turf
Oct. 2, 2021: Eastern Washington 34, Montana 28
Oct. 29, 2016: Eastern Washington 35, Montana 16
Dec. 6, 2014: Eastern Washington 37, Montana 20
Nov. 8, 2014: Eastern Washington 36, Montana 26
Sept. 29, 2012: Eastern Washington 32, Montana 26
Sept. 18, 2010: Eastern Washington 36, Montana 27
Non-Conference Play Not Over Yet
After opening their conference play in Week 2, Weber State and Portland State will play their final non-conference games of the regular season this Saturday, as the Wildcats host McNeese and the Vikings sail down to Chattanooga.
Bobcats Seek 5-0 Start to the 2024 Season
Montana State travels to Idaho State this Saturday, as the Bobcats seek a 5-0 start to the season. The 5-0 start would be the best for Montana State since going 6-0 to open the season in 2012.
Big Sky Owns 4-1 Mark in Ranked vs. Ranked Games
In ranked versus ranked foes, Big Sky teams have earned a 4-1 record this season with Idaho owning a pair of those wins. Additionally, Idaho is the only team in 2024 to own two wins over ranked foes this season.
Ranked Big Sky vs. Ranked FCS Opponents
Week 2: #23 North Dakota 27, #4 Montana 24
Week 3: #4 Idaho 41, #17 UAlbany 13
Week 3: #11 Sacramento State 34, #24 Nicholls 7
Week 4: #9 Montana 46, #24 Western Carolina 35
Week 4: #4 Idaho 27, #19 Abilene Christian 24
Three Big Sky Standouts Named Campbell Trophy Semifinalists
The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced its 203 semifinalists for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, with Eastern Washington’s Efton Chism III, Montana’s Trevin Gradney, and Montana State’s Brody Grebe being named to the list.
Players of the Week Announced for Big Sky Football
Offensive Player of the Week:
Eli Gillman, Montana (RB, R-So., Dassel, Minn.)
Eli Gillman rushed for a career-high 175 yards and one touchdown in Montana’s 46-35 win over ranked Western Carolina. The redshirt sophomore had two runs for 50-plus yards, averaging 12.5 yards on 14 carries. The first touchdown for Gillman was on a burst of 66 yards. His 175 yards are one of the top-25 rushing games of all-time for Montana, tied with his position coach Justin Green’s 2003 game against Eastern Washington and just one yard shy of last week’s 176-yard performance from teammate Malae Fonoti.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week:
Elias Mullican, Sacramento State (DB, So., Rocklin, Calif.)
Sacramento State’s Elias Mullican picked off a pair of passes, including one for a touchdown, in the Hornets’ 34-0 shutout at Texas A&M-Commerce. Mulican played a large role in helping the team to its first road shutout since 2011. The Hornet defense has not surrendered a point in the last two games and has a streak of 126 minutes, 55 seconds of scoreless ball.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week:
Kemari Munier-Bailey, Weber State (DL, Sr., Birmingham, England)
Weber State’s Kemari Munier-Bailey racked up eight total tackles, six for loss, and had three sacks in the Wildcats’ 39-0 shutout at Northwestern State. The six tackles for loss accounted for 22 total yards. As a team, Weber State had 17 tackles for loss in the shutout win.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ross Bolger, Idaho State (P, Sr., Laois, Ireland)
Idaho State’s Ross Bolger had an impressive day punting the ball, averaging 51.8 yards per attempt in the Bengals’ 38-28 win over Southern Utah. Bolger’s efforts were needed in the game, as he flipped the field multiple times, including two punts over 50 yards. Bolger’s long was a 57-yarder that pushed the Thunderbirds inside their own 20-yard line.
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