Big Sky Power Rankings 9/20

[JALMOND]

What a year so far and we are only three weeks in. Most teams have not started their conference season and some interesting storylines are emerging. Is this the year the Grizzlies let someone else get the AQ from the conference? How about Taiwan Jones? Is this finally Sacramento State's year? Is Montana State beginning to gel? Many things are becoming clear, some more painful than others. Here are this week's Big Sky conference power rankings. All of course are my opinions only and all are open for discussion. This week (last week).

1. Montana State (1)---In a year of chaos, the Bobcats keep rolling along. After Drake gave them a bit of a fight, the Bobcats came through and ran away with the game in the second half. Hard to imagine this team is only a last minute field goal away from being 3-0, yet most of the talk is still about Montana. What can they do? How about beating Eastern Washington this weekend. Then maybe the talk will be about Montana State.

2. Eastern Washington (3)---Taking care of business, that is what the Eagles are doing. A strong fourth quarter showing and an inspired performance from Taiwan Jones and the Eagles were finally able to put away the mighty Montana squad last week. How much more can Jones carry this team? Hopefully, they can get some help as this week may be an even bigger game as they go on the road to Montana State. Hard to imagine that this may be the game that could decide a conference favorite.

3. Montana (2)---The Grizzlies lost another game and the fanbase is getting nervous. This time the loss came at conference foe Eastern Washington and not many enjoy the fact of starting the conference season with a loss. This is a proud team used to winning in the conference so an opening loss does not sit well with this team. This week, they welcome Sacramento State to Wash-Griz, usually a great time to feel good. However, the opponent is not the old Sacramento State team and one more loss may push this proud squad over the edge.

4. Sacramento State (5)---Talk, talk, talk. Sure the Hornets may be good. Sure, they may make some noise. But can they compete this year for the conference top spot? Last week, they took great strides in knocking down Higgins and the boys from Weber State, an opening statement from a team that believes they can be good. It is one this to win, it is another to have it continue. This week, a big game on the road at Montana, a place the Hornets absolutely abhor. Well, no one said it was going to be easy.

5. Northern Arizona (4)---While things seem to be getting relatively clear around the conference, the Jacks took the week off after a loss at Arizona State. Questions still exist for this Jacks team, mainly who will be the second option on the offense after Herrick. A blowout win over DII and a loss to the Pac-10 is all they have to hang their hat on right now. That will change, though, starting this weekend as they head to Idaho State. A good chance to answer some of their questions.

6. Weber State (6)---After dispensing with one upstart, the Wildcats were poised to put Sacramento State back in their place. However, the Hornets proved to be more of a formidable foe than back in the old days and the Wildcats found themselves on the short end when they got back home. Nothing too terrible, just a tough loss on the road. This week, they return home and entertain future Big Sky opponent UC-Davis. A good chance to get back on the winning track for the conference run.

7. Northern Colorado (7)---The Bears want this year to be a good year. They are hoping to take big strides and finally be a player in the conference. They may be on the right path, after dismantling Idaho State last week. Hard to imagine this perennial conference loser is just one score in overtime away from sitting 3-0 right now. Will it continue this weekend? A chance to shock the world as they play at the Big 10's Michigan State (who is ranked right now). May be interesting.

8. Portland State (8)---So the Vikings played at #5 Oregon last week in a game brought to you by Central Michigan, who bought their way out of a game with Oregon. All hopes of shocking the world came crashing down in the face of a LaMichael James run up the middle for a touchdown the fourth play of the game. The Vikings have played all their non-conference games and will start conference play next week. This week, a chance to regroup and prepare for the conference season.

9. Idaho State (9)---Any chance for the Bengals to continue their good fortunes and start the conference season with a win came crashing down at Northern Colorado. The Bengals are playing better and are clearly not the Bengals of old, yet the conference as a whole has improved and the Bengals are still at the bottom. However the length between them and the rest of the conference has narrowed. This week, they welcome Northern Arizona to their comfy compact dome. How about a win here?

Where they are...MSU on top, EWU close, UM on an island, followed by a close group of Sac State, NAU, WSU and UNC. PSU a bit behind and ISU close to PSU.

[native]

Taiwan Jones is unstoppable and EWU has a good chance to take the contest this week in Bozeman, but otherwise I cannot quibble with you this week, JALMOND.

[SDHornet]

Another awesome write up. Well done J!

[NAU_Alum10]

Nice write up as all ways JALMOND, theres only a few things I would change. Montana and Sac St. need to be flipped. Lets be honest if any other team in this conference had the same circumstances as Montana we would be at the bottom of the conference. Reputation can only carry you so far, eventually youve got to show up and play. I would also drop my jacks because we still haven’t proved a thing.

1.Montana State
2.Eastern Washington
3.Sac State
4.Montana
5.Weber State
6.Northern Colorado
7.Northern Arizona
8.Portland State
9.Idaho State

[cats2506]

Good points NAU, but having seen the um/EWU game this weekend, UM has an awful lot of talent, they had somthing like 7 turnovers. If they can get it together they will be tough to beat. In years past they started slow and got stronger, I dont know if this staff can put it together or not but I think they deserve one more week where they are, If Sac wins then um can drop like a rock. Sac is looking pretty good (dont let superwhorenut hear that) but I dont know if they have enough to knock off a girz team that looks like it is in dissarray.

I have a lot of expectation for NAU but they have a lot of tough games late in the season

1.Montana State
2.Eastern Washington
3.Montana
4.Sac State
5.Northern Arizona
6.Weber State
7.Northern Colorado
8.Portland State
9.Idaho State

I agree with Jalmond's order, for this week

[weberwildcat]

Good points NAU, but having seen the um/EWU game this weekend, UM has an awful lot of talent, they had somthing like 7 turnovers. If they can get it together they will be tough to beat. In years past they started slow and got stronger, I dont know if this staff can put it together or not but I think they deserve one more week where they are, If Sac wins then um can drop like a rock. Sac is looking pretty good (dont let superwhorenut hear that) but I dont know if they have enough to knock off a girz team that looks like it is in dissarray.

I have a lot of expectation for NAU but they have a lot of tough games late in the season

1.Montana State
2.Eastern Washington
3.Montana
4.Sac State
5.Northern Arizona
6.Weber State
7.Northern Colorado
8.Portland State
9.Idaho State

I agree with Jalmond's order, for this week

the team that needs to start off hot which hasn't is weber state. wsu's ending of the season is brutal. no home games in november, all on the road:

@MSU
@NAU
@Texas Tech

Beating UNC in 10 overtimes and losing to sac isn't the best way to get going...

my team needs to prove they are anything higher than 6th for me to move em up. here's my order thus far.

1.Montana State
2.Eastern Washington
3.Northern Arizona* (still haven't seen the jacks play)
3.Montana
5.Sac State
6.Weber State
7.Northern Colorado
8.Portland State
9.Idaho State

this yr will be tough. the bottom 3 will NOT all have 1 conf win a piece in 2010.


but i can agree with jalmond as is.

[GtFllsGriz]

I agree with Jalmond as well. The Griz lost two games that I thought would be the toughest of the year given that they were early in the season and on the road. The played ugly and were still in it. I give them one more week against a formidable Sac State to see if improvement is made or they are really in disarray. Every game is going to be a dogfight this year, for everyone.

The Cats and Eagles are in a great position to take control of the conference. We will see who is up to the challenge this weekend. I think the super bowl is over for the Eagles and we have now all seen that ugly red field. It is back to reality and and tough Bobcat team. I would rather lose at the biggining of the season then at the end. It will be interesting.

[EWURanger]

1.) MSU
2.) Eastern
3.) Sac State
4.) Montana
5.) NAU
6.) Weber
7.) UNC
8.) PSU
9.) ISU