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The too early 2016 Big Sky Poll

G

George Ferguson

Well-known member
Spring ball almost over, voting for the preseason poll still a few months away, I thought I'd take a stab at it based on the few things I've seen, read about and know about the Big Sky going into next year. Last year, I was only two off from picking the preseason media poll correctly. So, fun to see how I do this year. Feel free to rip it to shreds and tear it apart. It's still fun.

1. Northern Arizona (Lots of talent, Jacks win on the road, and Jerome might get his own ring)
2. Eastern Washington (Dangerous offense, always. Brutal non-con schedule, but will always be a factor)
3. Montana (Unproven talent, and brutal road schedule, but, Montana is always there)
4. Portland State (key losses, but a good defense and momentum keep them in the hunt)
5. Montana State (Still think Cats will better than most think, but no way D improves enough in one year)
6. North Dakota (Wanted to put them higher, but UND still has to prove it in key games)
7. Southern Utah (Back to reality for the T-Birds)
8. Cal Poly (Every year, everybody loves Poly early. They are always forgotten by November)
9. Weber State (Also wanted to rank them higher, but too much talent above them)
10. Northern Colorado (Getting better and better, but not top half of Big Sky better)
11. Idaho State (who cares)
12. UC Davis (who cares)
13. Sac State (who cares)
 
UND will be @ least a spot higher than state ag. Santiago is one of the three best players and the best back in the conference.

Oh yeah, and state ag sucks.
 
havgrizfan said:
Spring ball almost over, voting for the preseason poll still a few months away, I thought I'd take a stab at it based on the few things I've seen, read about and know about the Big Sky going into next year. Last year, I was only two off from picking the preseason media poll correctly. So, fun to see how I do this year. Feel free to rip it to shreds and tear it apart. It's still fun.

1. Northern Arizona (Lots of talent, Jacks win on the road, and Jerome might get his own ring)
2. Eastern Washington (Dangerous offense, always. Brutal non-con schedule, but will always be a factor)
3. Montana (Unproven talent, and brutal road schedule, but, Montana is always there)
4. Portland State (key losses, but a good defense and momentum keep them in the hunt)
5. Montana State (Still think Cats will better than most think, but no way D improves enough in one year)
6. North Dakota (Wanted to put them higher, but UND still has to prove it in key games)
7. Southern Utah (Back to reality for the T-Birds)
8. Cal Poly (Every year, everybody loves Poly early. They are always forgotten by November)
9. Weber State (Also wanted to rank them higher, but too much talent above them)
10. Northern Colorado (Getting better and better, but not top half of Big Sky better)
11. Idaho State (who cares)
12. UC Davis (who cares)
13. Sac State (who cares)
Click to expand...

Griz may win a conference title this year......
 
1. Griz. The offense works and is deadly when it's rolling. An Improved O line is vital but everything I've seen and heard is all positive
2. PSU. Picked up a couple transfers and return a few key players
3. EWU. Their O line is bigger and will help Hennessy or West. Guessing West will be #2 this season
4. UNDies. Santiago will be a terror for the next 3 years. They can't seem to find a decent QB tho
5. NAU. Offense should be good but not great. I believe the defense lost a few guys for 2016 that'll be costly
6. Dweebs. They'll still allow more points than the can score on average
7. CP. Defense will improve
8. SUU. Lots of guys on that defense will be gone and the offense is bland and won't be able to keep them in games
9. UC-D. O and D should be improved a bit but still won't matter much
10. UNC. Defense won't be much better but offense might keep them in a few games
11. MSU. The offense can't seem to do anything against that shithouse defense. I should probably put them dead last. FTC
12. ISU. These guys are gonna suck
13. Sac St. So are these guys
 
1. Griz- We got another year under Stitt's system, hes got HIS guy at D coordinator. Talented roster, lots of battle tested kids returning.
2. EWU- Brutal schedule, specially the 1st half. Too much talent on the roster and in coaching to suck. It will be an uphill climb tho.
3. UND- Cupcake schedule, should be good ground game, always tough defense (also dirty)
4.NAU- always talented on offense, best QB in the conference keeps them in it.
5. PSU- Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in its life....wont happen again this year.
6. MSU- Be tough replacing their PAC12 talent at QB that they still managed to suck with. Heard the new computer they bought to call plays this year is legit however. The computer gets them to .500
7. SUU- has good momentum but that program cant replace 3 NFL draft talents leaving.
8. Everyone else sucks so bad they aren't worth talking about.
 
bgbigdog said:
UND will be @ least a spot higher than state ag. Santiago is one of the three best players and the best back in the conference.

Oh yeah, and state ag sucks.
Click to expand...

UND has maybe the easiest conference schedule. As another fan pointed out to me they very well could win the Big Sky much like SUU did last season, without having to play the most of the more traditional power teams.

Their conference schedule is:

@ MSU
vs CPLSO
@ Sac
vs SUU
@ ISU
vs Weebz
@ UNC
vs NAU

Their bookends may be their toughest two games and NAU has a knack for crumbling late (probably why they wear blue and gold).
 
As always for the cats, it will come down to whether or not Coach Ron Chote chooses the correct cardboard playbook.

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With the addition of Gregorek, something tells me the coaching staff in Bozeman knows all about poles...........
 
1 und ( best rb in conference easy schedule) not best team just best schedule
2 EWU (always have talented teams defense will be better. Second half of their season they will be great)
3 um ( not quite ready to get back on top)
4a psu ( lots to play for this year, tough off season. Barney Ball!)
4b msu ( new coach, new dc, new qb. Still have good athletes and will win some games
5a Nau
5b suu
 
Top 4: EWU, UM, PSU, then some other team who doesn't deserve to be there but is because they don't have to play all the top teams in the conference...
 
Sam A. Blitz said:
You guys put a lot of value on having the best RB
Click to expand...

Well when 99% of the big sky doesn't have a defense, the best RB in the conference is going to be unleashed.
 
Big Sky Conference Headline, 2015, in a galaxy far away.
EWU, MSU Top Football Preseason Polls

PARK CITY, Utah (July 21, 2015) - The battle for the 2015 Big Sky Conference football championship figures to be led by a two-horse race between Montana State and Eastern Washington, as the coaches and media were split between the two as slight favorites in the preseason polls.

The Bobcats narrowly topped the coaches' poll, while defending champion EWU ranked first in the media poll.
Click to expand...
Who wudda guessed?

http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2015/7/17/FB_0717152224.aspx
 
UND drops at least one of those road games, and likely another one sleeper. They're still not that good, not nearly as good as SUU was this season. Fact of the matter is that the Big Sky is pretty weak...if the Griz don't win it we will have had some serious blunders.
 
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