Big Sky Power Rankings 8-31
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2026 6:41 pm
Week Zero is completed and now teams can move on to Week 1. A full conference slate to start off play for all the teams except Idaho State led to some interesting games. Teams looking rusty, teams that surprised in both a good and bad way, and teams that took awhile to get going. Typical play for the first week of games. Here are this week's Big Sky power rankings (last week in parenthesis). All are my opinion only. All teams playing non conference games this week, including Weber State and Southern Utah, who will face each other.
1. Montana State (1)---Last week, won at Utah Tech 54-0, this week Butler (FCS Pioneer) at home---Everyone else avoided the pitfalls of playing a conference foe in the first game, the Bobcats trounced the Trailblazers on the road. This week, they come back home and welcome a Pioneer foe.
2. Montana (2)---Last week beat Southern Utah at home 28-21, this week Drake (FCS Pioneer) at home---The Grizzlies gave their new coach something to smile about while welcoming the Thunderbirds back into the conference. They bring in a team from the Pioneer League.
3. UC Davis (3)---Last week, won at Portland State 31-24, this week at San Diego (FCS Pioneer)---It took a full half for the Aggies to get started, but they were able to avoid a costly conference loss right off the bat. They hit the road again this week, heading south for a game against a Pioneer team.
4. Idaho State (4)---Last week, beat Virginia Military Institute (FCS Southern) at home 38-10, this week at Utah State (FBS Pac-12)---The Bengals also got off to kind of a slow start, but they never were threatened in their win at home. They play up a level this week, making the short trip south.
5. Southern Utah (6)---Last week, lost at Montana 28-21, this week Weber State at home---In their return to the conference, the Thunderbirds put up a game effort on the road in a hostile place before succumbing with the loss. They bring in a fellow conference member for a game this weekend.
6. Northern Arizona (7)---Last week, beat Eastern Washington at home 34-27, this week at Arizona (FCS Big 12)---The Lumberjacks recovered just in time to get a tough conference home win against the Eagles. They will head south to the desert and play their in-state brethren.
7. Cal Poly (10)---Last week, beat Idaho at home 38-34, this week Central Washington (DII) at home---Going for broke in the first game of the season, the Mustangs were able to eke out a win at home, getting their first win over the Vandals. They bring in a strong DII program this weekend.
8. Idaho (5)--Last week, lost at Cal Poly 38-34, this week at Utah (FBS Big 12)---Surprising and devastating for the Vandals to drop their first game of the season. A long road for them to recover. This weekend is tough, as they step up a level and play a top Big 12 program.
9. Weber State (11)---Last week, won at Northern Colorado 30-29, this week at Southern Utah---The Wildcats hung around long enough last weekend and prevailed at the end for a strong conference win against the Bears. They head down the road and meet another conference opponent.
10. Eastern Washington (8)---Last week, lost at Northern Arizona 34-27, this week Northern Iowa (FCS Missouri Valley) at home---The Eagles were firmly in control of the game until they lost it in the end. They get a strong FCS program this weekend in their season home opener.
11. Northern Colorado (9)---Last week lost to Weber State at home 30-29, this week South Dakota (FCS Missouri Valley) at home---The Bears put themselves in position to steal a win at the end against the Wildcats only to miss the extra point. A strong team from the Missouri Valley now waits.
12. Portland State (12)---Last week, lost to UC Davis at home 31-24, this week at San Diego State (FBS Pac-12)---A tale of good and bad for the Vikings last week. The first half, up 21-0, good. The second half, down 31-3, bad. They move up a level this weekend, at a strong Pac-12 team.
13. Utah Tech (13)---Last week, lost to Montana State at home 54-0, this week at Brigham Young (FBS Big 12)---Nothing went right for the Trailblazers pretty much from the start against the Bobcats. And nothing probably will go right for the Trailblazers this weekend either.
RECAP: 1, then 2-4, then 5-8 behind them, then 9-12 with 13 bringing up the rear.
1. Montana State (1)---Last week, won at Utah Tech 54-0, this week Butler (FCS Pioneer) at home---Everyone else avoided the pitfalls of playing a conference foe in the first game, the Bobcats trounced the Trailblazers on the road. This week, they come back home and welcome a Pioneer foe.
2. Montana (2)---Last week beat Southern Utah at home 28-21, this week Drake (FCS Pioneer) at home---The Grizzlies gave their new coach something to smile about while welcoming the Thunderbirds back into the conference. They bring in a team from the Pioneer League.
3. UC Davis (3)---Last week, won at Portland State 31-24, this week at San Diego (FCS Pioneer)---It took a full half for the Aggies to get started, but they were able to avoid a costly conference loss right off the bat. They hit the road again this week, heading south for a game against a Pioneer team.
4. Idaho State (4)---Last week, beat Virginia Military Institute (FCS Southern) at home 38-10, this week at Utah State (FBS Pac-12)---The Bengals also got off to kind of a slow start, but they never were threatened in their win at home. They play up a level this week, making the short trip south.
5. Southern Utah (6)---Last week, lost at Montana 28-21, this week Weber State at home---In their return to the conference, the Thunderbirds put up a game effort on the road in a hostile place before succumbing with the loss. They bring in a fellow conference member for a game this weekend.
6. Northern Arizona (7)---Last week, beat Eastern Washington at home 34-27, this week at Arizona (FCS Big 12)---The Lumberjacks recovered just in time to get a tough conference home win against the Eagles. They will head south to the desert and play their in-state brethren.
7. Cal Poly (10)---Last week, beat Idaho at home 38-34, this week Central Washington (DII) at home---Going for broke in the first game of the season, the Mustangs were able to eke out a win at home, getting their first win over the Vandals. They bring in a strong DII program this weekend.
8. Idaho (5)--Last week, lost at Cal Poly 38-34, this week at Utah (FBS Big 12)---Surprising and devastating for the Vandals to drop their first game of the season. A long road for them to recover. This weekend is tough, as they step up a level and play a top Big 12 program.
9. Weber State (11)---Last week, won at Northern Colorado 30-29, this week at Southern Utah---The Wildcats hung around long enough last weekend and prevailed at the end for a strong conference win against the Bears. They head down the road and meet another conference opponent.
10. Eastern Washington (8)---Last week, lost at Northern Arizona 34-27, this week Northern Iowa (FCS Missouri Valley) at home---The Eagles were firmly in control of the game until they lost it in the end. They get a strong FCS program this weekend in their season home opener.
11. Northern Colorado (9)---Last week lost to Weber State at home 30-29, this week South Dakota (FCS Missouri Valley) at home---The Bears put themselves in position to steal a win at the end against the Wildcats only to miss the extra point. A strong team from the Missouri Valley now waits.
12. Portland State (12)---Last week, lost to UC Davis at home 31-24, this week at San Diego State (FBS Pac-12)---A tale of good and bad for the Vikings last week. The first half, up 21-0, good. The second half, down 31-3, bad. They move up a level this weekend, at a strong Pac-12 team.
13. Utah Tech (13)---Last week, lost to Montana State at home 54-0, this week at Brigham Young (FBS Big 12)---Nothing went right for the Trailblazers pretty much from the start against the Bobcats. And nothing probably will go right for the Trailblazers this weekend either.
RECAP: 1, then 2-4, then 5-8 behind them, then 9-12 with 13 bringing up the rear.