This Week in the Big Sky

Montana (7-3, 5-2) at Montana State (6-4, 5-2)

Eastern Washington claimed the Big Sky title last week but a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs and intrastate bragging rights are at stake in this one. Montana State has lost 11 consecutive games to Montana, including the past five meetings in Bozeman. The playoff possibilities are much more unstable for Montana State, even with a victory. Last year, no team with more than three losses participated in the playoffs. Montana, ranked No. 11 in the Sports Network poll, is among four teams in the top 25 with three defeats. Montana was Big Sky champion the past two seasons, the national champion in 1995 and runner-up last year, and has played in the playoffs seven times since 1982. The last time Montana State finished higher than fourth place in the Big Sky was in 1984, when it won the national title. Brian Ah Yat passed for 297 yards in a 38-13 victory over Weber State last week, becoming the fifth Montana quarterback to surpass the 6,000-yard mark. Rob Compson passed for three touchdowns in Montana State’s 30-6 victory over Cal State Sacramento, giving him 20 this season, the second-highest single-season total in school history.

Idaho State (3-7, 2-5) at Weber State (5-5, 3-4)

Idaho State last week pulled off its second victory in the past three weeks. Portland State was the surprise victim, 26-24. But Idaho State is 0-4 on the road this season and Weber State is 5-0 at home. Big Sky teams have won 47 home games and lost 13. Idaho State cornerback Joe Barnes had his first two interceptions of the season against Portland State, both in the fourth quarter as the Bengals rallied from a 17-7 deficit. Barnes was picked as Big Sky defensive co-player of the week.

Cal State Sacramento (1-9) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (9-1)

A loss would give Sacramento its fifth one-victory season in school history and second in a row. How bad are the Hornets? Their punter, Steve Thorns, leads the Big Sky with 61 punts. He averages 43.6 yards, tops in the conference and seventh in I-AA. The Hornets are eighth in the conference in scoring at 18.8 points per game, last in third-down conversions at 29.7% (43 of 145) and eighth in first downs at 15.9 per game. San Luis Obispo, a I-AA independent, is ranked 18th. The Mustangs are looking for only their second season with 10 victories and an at-large bid to the division playoffs.