Big Sky Predictions - Week 5

[AZGrizFan]

Still think Davis has the better Pass D?

They certainly weren't yesterday. That being said, the Griz pass-D stats on the season still aren't good (143.4 efficiency rating allowed).

Yesterday's game was certainly a good performance by the Griz, but Davis would've gotten their asses kicked if they'd played like that in Fargo last week (Dalton Sneed effectively said as much in the postgame). I expect UM to beat Idaho State this week, of course, but I expect a more motivated effort from ISU since—if nothing else—Rob Phenicie is a lunatic & Mike Ferriter seems to desperately want revenge against Hauck for not retaining him.

You seem to be blaming the way UCD played entirely on UCD. I dont’ See it that way. I’m also still not sold on NDSU being NDSU of old...at least not yet.

[Mvemjsunpx]

They certainly weren't yesterday. That being said, the Griz pass-D stats on the season still aren't good (143.4 efficiency rating allowed).

Yesterday's game was certainly a good performance by the Griz, but Davis would've gotten their asses kicked if they'd played like that in Fargo last week (Dalton Sneed effectively said as much in the postgame). I expect UM to beat Idaho State this week, of course, but I expect a more motivated effort from ISU since—if nothing else—Rob Phenicie is a lunatic & Mike Ferriter seems to desperately want revenge against Hauck for not retaining him.

You seem to be blaming the way UCD played entirely on UCD. I dont’ See it that way. I’m also still not sold on NDSU being NDSU of old...at least not yet.

I never thought NDSU was the NDSU of the last several years (I'm one of the few that doesn't have them #1), but they're still a national-title contender. Davis looked kinda listless & lackadaisical until it was 38-7—kinda like Northern Iowa in first half of their Griz game last year—and things wouldn't go well if you play a low-energy game like that in Fargo. Montana was dialed in and ready for yesterday's game, and for some inexplicable reason (overconfidence? NDSU hangover?) the Aggies weren't. I don't know who would've won if Davis was dialed in, but I don't think UM is truly 25 points better than UC Davis. I mean, Montana only beat Monmouth by 20 and only beat a weak South Dakota team by 14.

[SDHornet]

They certainly weren't yesterday. That being said, the Griz pass-D stats on the season still aren't good (143.4 efficiency rating allowed).

Yesterday's game was certainly a good performance by the Griz, but Davis would've gotten their asses kicked if they'd played like that in Fargo last week (Dalton Sneed effectively said as much in the postgame). I expect UM to beat Idaho State this week, of course, but I expect a more motivated effort from ISU since—if nothing else—Rob Phenicie is a lunatic & Mike Ferriter seems to desperately want revenge against Hauck for not retaining him.

You seem to be blaming the way UCD played entirely on UCD. I dont’ See it that way. I’m also still not sold on NDSU being NDSU of old...at least not yet.

I think people are still drastically underestimating the impact that the graduation of Doss has on their offense. He's a NFL talent and now defenses don't have to dedicate 2+ defenders to him. Also safe to say their defense isn't as good as advertised as well. I didn't see any of the UM game, but watched a lot of the NDSU game. While the dungpilers are a good team, they are no where near elite or as good as people think they are/were going to be. NDSU had a lot of drive killing penalties that game.

[JBB]

Thanks to BV here is the top 25 by Sagarin. We like Montana with a bullet to challenge the Bison supremacy

46 North Dakota State AA = 75.02 4 0 45.49( 190) 0 0 | 0 0 | 73.81 52 | 75.83 43 | 74.37 47 MISSOURI VALLEY
76 South Dakota State AA = 66.55 3 1 37.06( 230) 0 0 | 0 0 | 65.79 80 | 67.40 74 | 64.65 84 MISSOURI VALLEY
87 James Madison AA = 64.49 4 1 41.56( 211) 0 0 | 0 0 | 64.39 85 | 64.21 88 | 65.17 80 COLONIAL
96 Montana AA = 61.89 4 1 51.37( 155) 0 1 | 0 1 | 62.69 94 | 60.03 105 | 66.56 77 BIG SKY
102 Northern Iowa AA = 61.32 2 2 56.34( 130) 0 0 | 0 1 | 61.72 98 | 61.59 102 | 58.93 105 MISSOURI VALLEY
107 Weber State AA = 59.04 2 2 58.99( 119) 0 0 | 0 0 | 59.68 104 | 57.89 109 | 61.22 95 BIG SKY
109 Youngstown State AA = 58.04 4 0 34.79( 242) 0 0 | 0 0 | 58.17 111 | 57.06 115 | 60.73 97 MISSOURI VALLEY
110 Princeton AA = 58.02 2 0 22.15( 255) 0 0 | 0 0 | 58.43 107 | 57.46 111 | 58.58 110 IVY LEAGUE
114 Eastern Washington AA = 56.41 2 3 54.09( 141) 0 0 | 0 1 | 56.31 115 | 57.05 116 | 53.75 133 BIG SKY
115 Illinois State AA = 56.21 3 1 39.38( 220) 0 0 | 0 0 | 54.07 129 | 57.72 110 | 54.99 126 MISSOURI VALLEY
117 Villanova AA = 56.12 5 0 40.20( 216) 0 0 | 0 0 | 56.11 116 | 54.53 126 | 61.42 94 COLONIAL
120 Kennesaw State AA = 55.95 4 1 44.44( 195) 0 0 | 0 0 | 57.49 113 | 54.43 127 | 57.43 115 BIG SOUTH
121 Towson AA = 55.56 3 2 51.50( 153) 0 0 | 0 1 | 55.13 120 | 55.44 120 | 56.38 120 COLONIAL
124 Montana State AA = 55.12 4 1 45.34( 191) 0 0 | 0 0 | 54.62 125 | 54.34 129 | 58.46 111 BIG SKY
129 UC Davis AA = 54.38 2 3 58.63( 122) 0 0 | 0 0 | 54.65 124 | 54.57 125 | 52.52 138 BIG SKY
130 Dartmouth AA = 54.07 2 0 28.07( 254) 0 0 | 0 0 | 54.33 127 | 53.49 133 | 54.96 127 IVY LEAGUE
132 Furman AA = 53.74 3 2 45.07( 193) 0 0 | 0 0 | 54.14 128 | 53.25 135 | 54.03 131 SOUTHERN
137 Central Arkansas AA = 52.58 3 1 54.06( 142) 0 0 | 0 0 | 52.17 139 | 51.56 138 | 56.61 117 SOUTHLAND
138 Sacramento State AA = 52.36 2 2 69.01( 34) 0 0 | 0 1 | 56.78 114 | 48.26 158 | 56.39 119 BIG SKY
139 Sam Houston State AA = 52.09 3 2 47.60( 181) 0 0 | 0 0 | 53.12 136 | 51.17 140 | 52.52 137 SOUTHLAND
140 Idaho State AA = 52.09 2 2 63.58( 84) 0 0 | 0 1 | 53.66 132 | 50.31 143 | 54.34 129 BIG SKY
142 South Dakota AA = 51.32 1 3 52.82( 147) 0 1 | 0 1 | 50.91 144 | 52.10 136 | 48.73 154 MISSOURI VALLEY
143 Nicholls State AA = 50.97 2 2 50.99( 160) 0 0 | 0 1 | 50.67 147 | 51.27 139 | 49.94 145 SOUTHLAND
145 Maine AA = 50.72 2 3 51.02( 159) 0 0 | 0 0 | 50.91 145 | 51.05 142 | 48.46 156 COLONIAL
146 Southern Illinois AA = 50.45 2 2 49.35( 172) 0 0 | 0 0 | 51.03 143 | 49.82 149 | 50.83 142 MISSOURI VALLEY

[Silenoz]

NoDak 27-35 EWU — Was Eastern's second-half rally in Moscow a good sign, or just last throes?

Montana 31-45 Davis — Both teams have strong passing attacks, but Davis has the better pass D

Portland St. 31-35 Idaho St. — The "Clarity is Needed" Game of the Week

Cal Poly 35-28 Suutah — The T-Birds are 1/7 on field goals this season

NAU 27-38 Montana St. — Case Cookus has been on fire so far, but his defense sucked against ISU(r)

Idaho 27-17 NoCo — I'm not sure about Idaho, but I am sure about Northern Colorado

Yunie 14-23 Weber — Northern Iowa's temporary Big Sky membership finally expires this week

Still think Davis has the better Pass D?

Any given Saturday

[SuperHornet]

Montana looks like a favorite to me right now. May be returning to their old form.

Right up until they get stung 19 OCT....

[JBB]

Maybe so, I’ll put it on the radar. I can’t quite get that Oregon game out of my head though. They showed some metal.

[Silenoz]

Maybe so, I’ll put it on the radar. I can’t quite get that Oregon game out of my head though. They showed some metal.