Big Sky Power Rankings 10-9

[JALMOND]

Around this time, the conference begins to resemble a sloppy joe sandwich, that is solid on top, solid on the bottom, and mushy in-between. Only three games last weekend, but out of those three games, two of them featured teams from that mushy middle. So, perhaps more movement than otherwise would have been expected from a short slate of games. Here are this week's power rankings for the conference (last week's rankings in parenthesis). All are my opinion only. Everyone is back playing this weekend.

1. Montana State (1)---Last week, bye, this week Cal Poly at home---Not one to be looking behind, the Bobcats flew threw the bye week near the top of all the FCS. They get back in the swing of things with a home date with one of the bottom feeders. A game on paper but really, maybe another bye week.

2. Idaho (2)---Last week won at Cal Poly 42-14, this week Montana at home---No bye week for the Vandals and they didn't really seem to care, putting away one of the cellar dwellers in the conference. Things do get tougher at home this week as they welcome one of the middle teams in the conference. Be cautious!

3. Sacramento State (3)---Last week, bye, this week at Northern Colorado---The Hornets had to have headed in to the bye week feeling good. The new coaching regime has them still near the top of the conference. That should not change this weekend as they face one of the bottom teams. They do have to go on the road.

4. Eastern Washington (4)---Last week, bye, this week at Idaho State---Soaring high into the bye week, the Eagles have to be feeling pretty good about themselves and how they've been playing. They hit the road coming out of the bye week and face one of the teams near the bottom. Road games can be tough.

5. Northern Arizona (8)---Last week won at Weber State 27-10, this week Portland State at home---Three weeks of conference play under their belts and the Lumberjacks are playing about as well as any of the top teams in the conference. The issue is they need to be perfect in order to combat their slow start. It continues at home this week.

6. Montana (6)---Last week won at UC Davis 31-23, this week at Idaho---Maybe the Grizzlies want to be given up for dead because just when it seems they can't get a win, they come out and look like gangbusters. A good win has them feeling good. This week is a tough matchup on the road against an old rival. Can it continue?

7. UC Davis (5)---Last week lost to Montana at home 31-23, this week at Weber State---In one of the "mushy" games last week, the Aggies could not get the win at home. These are the games they need if they want to make noise in the playoffs. They get another "mushy" game this weekend, but it is on the road against another desperate squad.

8. Portland State (9)---Last week, bye, this week at Northern Arizona---It is still hard to tell who exactly the Vikings are, but the bye week did come at a good time for them. They still have questions, but they better find some answers as the stretch run begins this weekend with a road date against one of the conference upstarts.

9. Weber State (7)---Last week lost to Northern Arizona at home 27-10, this wee UC Davis at home---The Wildcats were supposed to be contending for a playoff spot this year, yet some strange plays has got them off to a rocky start in conference play. They need a win now, and they have a formidable foe coming to town.

10. Idaho State (10)---Last week bye, this week Eastern Washington at home---Anxious to get to the bye week to rest and relax, the Bengals are back at it this weekend, entertaining one of the conference surprise teams at home. They should feel good after the bye, but any advantage is negated as their opponent also had a bye.

11. Northern Colorado (11)---Last week bye, this week Sacramento State at home---Close or not, one thing was true last week which was the Bears did not lose any games. They are hopeful the be week has prepared them to start winning. However, one of the conference heavies is coming to town. A win this week will be tough.

12. Cal Poly (12)---Last week lost to Idaho at home 42-14, this week at Montana State---The Mustangs played last week for awhile. They took a tough loss at home to one of the big boys in the conference. This week they get the really big boy who is coming off a bye week. And they have to face them at their play. Yikes!

RECAP: 1-2 out front, 3-4 holding on, 5-9 in the middle, 10-12 fading.

[dbackjon]

I'd put EWU and NAU in the same category, but with NAU ahead of the Tampons