SECOND ROUND SCHEDULE
Saturday, December 7, 2024
#14 Montana at #3 South Dakota State // 12:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
UT Martin at #1 Montana State // 1:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
#12 Illinois State at #5 UC Davis // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Lehigh at #8 Idaho // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
NEWS & NOTES
Three Big Sky football teams will start their 2024 postseason runs, while Montana takes on South Dakota State in national title game rematch from last season. Below are news and notes for the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
Four Teams in Action for Second Round of FCS Playoffs This Saturday
Four Big Sky teams will be in action this Saturday for the second round of the FCS Playoffs, with three officially starting their postseason run.
No. 1 Montana State will host UT Martin, No. 5 UC Davis will host No. 12 Illinois State and No. 8 Idaho will welcome Lehigh to round out the Big Sky’s three home playoff games.
No. 14 Montana will travel to No. 3 South Dakota State as the pair meet for the first time since last season’s FCS National Championship game.
Big Sky Looks to Stack the Quarterfinals Wither Conference Teams
Aside from the spring season in 2021, the Big Sky has had at least two teams in the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs since 2018. The Big Sky’s most quarterfinal teams during that period was three in 2018 and 2019. The only two seasons the Big Sky had multiple semifinal teams was during the 2018 and 2019 years.
Big Sky Quarterfinal Teams Since 2018
Year Big Sky Team (# National Seed)
2023 #2 Montana, #4 Idaho
2022 #2 Sac State, #4 Montana State
2021 #6 Montana, #8 Montana State
2019 #3 Weber State, #5 Montana State, #6 Montana
2018 #2 Weber State, #3 EWU, #6 UC Davis
Montana State Earns No. 1 Seed for FCS Playoffs
After finishing the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record, Montana State was awarded a No. 1 seed in the FCS Playoffs. The top seed is the first-ever for Montana State and the first for a Big Sky team since 2009.
Four different Big Sky teams have earned the No. 1 seed since the FCS Playoffs began seeding in 1981. Montana has the most No. 1 seeds for a Big Sky team with four, while Nevada earned a No. 1 seed twice and Idaho claimed the top seed once.
