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Some conference games last week sprinkled in with a few non-conference games. Now, with the start of October signals the start of meaningful conference games. The true season begins now. Here are this week's power rankings for the Big Sky (last week's in parenthesis). As usual, all are my opinion only and all are open for discussion.

1. Eastern Washington (1)---last week won at Sacramento State 28-20, this week bye---The Eagles had become synonymous with high flying offense so it was shocking to see a low score by their standards. They get the week off this week.

2. Montana State (3)---last week beat Cal Poly 45-28 at home, this week at Northern Arizona---The Bobcats finally put together a strong showing on both sides of the ball in beating a formidable conference opponent. They must keep at it this week on the road.

3. Portland State (2)---last week beat Western Oregon (DII) 31-0 at home, this week North Dakota at home---The Vikings have not been real flashy all year so why expect it last week playing down a level. Good offense and a strong defense is all you need. They will need it this weekend.

4. Montana (5)---last week beat Northern Arizona 23-14 at home, this week at UC-Davis---Have the Grizzlies finally found their magic that had been lacking for the last two weeks. Or did they just take advantage of playing at home. That will be tested this weekend.

5. Cal Poly (4)---last week lost at Montana State 45-28, this week Idaho State at home---The Mustangs tried to make a statement for inclusion among the conference's best, yet they fell on their face. They need to recapture their glory this weekend.

6. Northern Arizona (6)---last week lost at Montana 23-14, this week Montana State at home---The Lumberjacks stayed within shouting distance at Montana but could never get over the top. They now get to complete the Montana doubleheader at home.

7. North Dakota (7)---last week beat UC-Davis 31-24 at home, this week at Portland State---The Dakotans are actually putting together a good season, with an FBS win under their belts, and a loss to the defending champions their only blemish. They face the other conference team with an FBS win this weekend.

8. Weber State (8)---last week won at Northern Colorado 38-17, this week Southern Utah at home---The Wildcats have quietly been finding their offense to go with their stout defense. They no doubt will need some offense to come out ahead this weekend.

9. Southern Utah (9)---last week beat Brevard College (DII) at home 55-7, this week at Weber State---Not much to make out of the Thunderbirds win over their DII opponent. More will be made this weekend as they play their in-state, conference "rival".

10. Sacramento State (11)---last week lost to Eastern Washington 28-20 at home, this week Northern Colorado at home---The Hornets were close to a win last week, but close is still not a win. They get a better shot this weekend. Hope it is not close.

11. UC-Davis (12)---last week lost at North Dakota 31-24, this week Montana at home---The Aggies gave all they had on the road last week but still could not get a win. Scary but they could possibly do the same this weekend with the same results.

12. Idaho State (10)---last week lost at Nevada-Las Vegas (Mountain West) 80-8, this week at Cal Poly---While most teams are off and running, the Bengals haven't even got their motor going. UNLV was supposed to be a chance for a win. Now they hope for a miracle this weekend.

13. Northern Colorado (13)---last week lost to Weber State at home 38-17, this week at Sacramento State---The Bears hopes for a conference win went by the wayside last weekend. They now have to hope Sacramento State shows some leniency.

RECAP: 1-4 pretty tight, 5-8 running behind, 9 alone, 10-11 just behind 9, 12-13 off the pace.

Weber State / SUU game is a huge game for both schools concerning winning records and possibly playoffs, and Even though I don't think Weber or SUU will make the playoffs, the Big Sky this year is open for anybody to take. SUU is definitely the best team Weber has faced since NDSU, there is going to be a lot of emotions in this game and there is a lot riding on this game. Weber needs to the win to help them take a lot of momentum into Missoula and then Flagstaff afterwards.

Weber has beaten the teams they should have, now it's time to elevate and start winning the games no one thinks you can

GO WILDCATS

I’d put MSU at 1. EWU should drop for not rolling the Hornets last week. I’d put CP over UM as well (at least for one more week), but everything else looks about right.

Wildcat Ryan wrote:Weber State / SUU game is a huge game for both schools concerning winning records and possibly playoffs, and Even though I don't think Weber or SUU will make the playoffs, the Big Sky this year is open for anybody to take. SUU is definitely the best team Weber has faced since NDSU, there is going to be a lot of emotions in this game and there is a lot riding on this game. Weber needs to the win to help them take a lot of momentum into Missoula and then Flagstaff afterwards.

Weber has beaten the teams they should have, now it's time to elevate and start winning the games no one thinks you can

GO WILDCATS

I'm pretty sure no-one thinks Weber can't win this game.

SDHornet wrote:I’d put MSU at 1. EWU should drop for not rolling the Hornets last week. I’d put CP over UM as well (at least for one more week), but everything else looks about right.

EWU just beat MSU, so that's kinda odd.
Cal Poly's D has looked noticeably worse since Chris Fletcher broke his leg in Tempe, so dropping them to 5th. has merit.

Mvemjsunpx wrote:

SDHornet wrote:I’d put MSU at 1. EWU should drop for not rolling the Hornets last week. I’d put CP over UM as well (at least for one more week), but everything else looks about right.

EWU just beat MSU, so that's kinda odd.
Cal Poly's D has looked noticeably worse since Chris Fletcher broke his leg in Tempe, so dropping them to 5th. has merit.

And they got steamrolled by UNI at home.

Looks about right. Right now I'd keep EWU and MSU 1-2...EWU has a win over MSU, so they stay at the #1 spot. And there's really no compelling reason that MSU shouldn't be #2, considering they beat CP badly, who beat UM. You could make an argument for Portland St being anywhere from 1-3 as well, but I think people want to see more from them first.

The Big Sky is definitely a mess right now, but two weeks from now we should have a better feel for things.

Once again, CP beats our ass, and then looks mediocre the rest of the season

Brock Landers wrote:Once again, CP beats our ass, and then looks mediocre the rest of the season

Really? A one point, last second win is an ass beating? Does that mean we beat NDSU's ass?

There's no way in heck Sac loses to UNC, but we'll STILL find a way to do it in such a way as to look like cr@p and drop like a rock in the Power Rankings. Our season is in the torlet. SMH....

EWURanger wrote:Looks about right. Right now I'd keep EWU and MSU 1-2...EWU has a win over MSU, so they stay at the #1 spot. An<script id="gpt-impl-0.9615505085645042" src="http://partner.googleadservices.com/gpt ... </script>d there's really no compelling reason that MSU shouldn't be #2, considering they beat CP badly, who beat UM. You could make an argument for Portland St being anywhere from 1-3 as well, but I think people want to see more from them first.

The Big Sky is definitely a mess right now, but two weeks from now we should have a better feel for things.

Ah, the transitive property. My favorite fallacy.

Grizalltheway wrote:

Brock Landers wrote:Once again, CP beats our ass, and then looks mediocre the rest of the season

Really? A one point, last second win is an ass beating? Does that mean we beat NDSU's ass?

Phrasing

Once again, Cal Poly beats us*, and then looks mediocre the rest of the season

Brock Landers wrote:

Grizalltheway wrote:
Really? A one point, last second win is an ass beating? Does that mean we beat NDSU's ass?

Phrasing

Once again, Cal Poly beats us*, and then looks mediocre the rest of the season

Gotcha. Either way, the Griz hangover is real.

Mvemjsunpx wrote:

Wildcat Ryan wrote:Weber State / SUU game is a huge game for both schools concerning winning records and possibly playoffs, and Even though I don't think Weber or SUU will make the playoffs, the Big Sky this year is open for anybody to take. SUU is definitely the best team Weber has faced since NDSU, there is going to be a lot of emotions in this game and there is a lot riding on this game. Weber needs to the win to help them take a lot of momentum into Missoula and then Flagstaff afterwards.

Weber has beaten the teams they should have, now it's time to elevate and start winning the games no one thinks you can

GO WILDCATS

I'm pretty sure no-one thinks Weber can't win this game.

Talking more along the lines of games in Missoula, Flagstaff and Cheney

Wildcat Ryan wrote:

Mvemjsunpx wrote:
I'm pretty sure no-one thinks Weber can't win this game.

Talking more along the lines of games in Missoula, Flagstaff and Cheney

Ah… Your team can go 5-3 without those wins, though, which would still be a massive improvement.

Mvemjsunpx wrote:

Wildcat Ryan wrote:


Talking more along the lines of games in Missoula, Flagstaff and Cheney

Ah… Your team can go 5-3 without those wins, though, which would still be a massive improvement.

If Weber can win their home games the worst they could finish is 6-5 and that would be a huge and welcome improvement

SuperHornet wrote:There's no way in heck Sac loses to UNC, but we'll STILL find a way to do it in such a way as to look like cr@p and drop like a rock in the Power Rankings. Our season is in the torlet. SMH....

Same story across the Causeway. UNC is our main hope for UC Davis to avoid a 0-11 season.

AZGrizFan wrote:

EWURanger wrote:Looks about right. Right now I'd keep EWU and MSU 1-2...EWU has a win over MSU, so they stay at the #1 spot. An<script id="gpt-impl-0.9615505085645042" src="http://partner.googleadservices.com/gpt ... </script>d there's really no compelling reason that MSU shouldn't be #2, considering they beat CP badly, who beat UM. You could make an argument for Portland St being anywhere from 1-3 as well, but I think people want to see more from them first.

The Big Sky is definitely a mess right now, but two weeks from now we should have a better feel for things.

Ah, the transitive property. My favorite fallacy.

Well, I know...but there's really know other way to try and guess which team's are looking better than the next than this small sample size right now.

EWURanger wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
Ah, the transitive property. My favorite fallacy.

Well, I know...but there's really know other way to try and guess which team's are looking better than the next than this small sample size right now.

Maybe, but consider that MSU beat CP without CP's best linebacker; CP beat the Griz without the Griz best DT. Soooo.....if you really want to apply transitive theory....

AZGrizFan wrote:

EWURanger wrote:
Well, I know...but there's really know other way to try and guess which team's are looking better than the next than this small sample size right now.

Maybe, but consider that MSU beat CP without CP's best linebacker; CP beat the Griz without the Griz best DT. Soooo.....if you really want to apply transitive theory....

And CP still had their best corner when they beat the Griz, too.

Mvemjsunpx wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
Maybe, but consider that MSU beat CP without CP's best linebacker; CP beat the Griz without the Griz best DT. Soooo.....if you really want to apply transitive theory....

And CP still had their best corner when they beat the Griz, too.

I think that's what I meant, not LB.

AZGrizFan wrote:

Mvemjsunpx wrote:
And CP still had their best corner when they beat the Griz, too.

I think that's what I meant, not LB.

I was having a pretty good time at the game, so I don't remember everything that day...But I do remember a team that looked like they could have been Cal Poly. Guess with every good player they have gone, it could have been UC Davis we played. No WAY it could have been Cal Poly...Nope, now that I think of it, it wasn't...Cal Poly Beat the griz IN MISSOULA. There is no chance the Cats could win a game against a team THAT GOOD...Yep there are only two options..

1) Cal Polys entire team got hurt, so we played the Bobcat Back-ups (can't be that...our back-ups are better than our starters)

2) griz hangover...

SACCAT wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
I think that's what I meant, not LB.

I was having a pretty good time at the game, so I don't remember everything that day...But I do remember a team that looked like they could have been Cal Poly. Guess with every good player they have gone, it could have been UC Davis we played. No WAY it could have been Cal Poly...Nope, now that I think of it, it wasn't...Cal Poly Beat the griz IN MISSOULA. There is no chance the Cats could win a game against a team THAT GOOD...Yep there are only two options..

1) Cal Polys entire team got hurt, so we played the Bobcat Back-ups (can't be that...our back-ups are better than our starters)

2) griz hangover...

Hey now. I wasn't the one who started with the transitive property application....

AZGrizFan wrote:

SACCAT wrote:
I was having a pretty good time at the game, so I don't remember everything that day...But I do remember a team that looked like they could have been Cal Poly. Guess with every good player they have gone, it could have been UC Davis we played. No WAY it could have been Cal Poly...Nope, now that I think of it, it wasn't...Cal Poly Beat the griz IN MISSOULA. There is no chance the Cats could win a game against a team THAT GOOD...Yep there are only two options..

1) Cal Polys entire team got hurt, so we played the Bobcat Back-ups (can't be that...our back-ups are better than our starters)

2) griz hangover...

Hey now. I wasn't the one who started with the transitive property application....

My apologies, trying to do this while my son never shuts the fuck up....

I would like to know who the idiot was that made ISU's schedule. They get 4 road games in a row, no bye in between either. They had the bye opening week. They only have 11 games, which this year will probably be a good thing. And then after the 4 road games come home to play top team in league.

They have enough issues with terrible Qb play, and the defense melting down, and they have this ridiculous schedule hanging over them. I don't look for much out of them the rest of the way.