Cats picked to win Big Sky

The head coaches in the Big Sky Conference, and the members of the media who cover the league had differing views of how the 2015 Big Sky football season will shake out.

But one thing they had in common is that both the Montana State Bobcats and Montana Grizzlies will once again be factors in how the Big Sky season unfolds.

Tuesday morning in Park City, Utah, the Big Sky released its annual Preseason Coaches Poll and Media Poll. In both polls, the Montana Grizzlies, under new head coach Bob Stitt, were picked third. However, the Bobcats, under veteran head coach Rob Ash, were voted differently in each poll. MSU was picked to win the Big Sky title in the Coaches Poll, but picked to finish second in the Media Poll.

A year ago, Montana finished second and MSU third in the Big Sky, and the league and the rest of the FCS has plenty of reason to be high on the Bobcats coming into 2015. MSU returns a nearly in-tact offense, which was one of the best in the country a season ago. And that’s a big reason why the Cats garnered 134 total votes and six first-place votes in the Coaches Poll.

Two-time defending Big Sky champion Eastern Washington also received six first-place votes in the Coaches Poll and the Eagles were ranked No. 2. EWU should be an outstanding offensive team yet again, but the Eagles will have to do it without two-time Big Sky MVP Vernon Adams Jr., who transferred up to the University of Oregon last spring.

Montana, which returns the top defense in the Big Sky, but has plenty of question-marks in Stitt’s innovative and up-tempo offense, received one first-place vote in the Coaches Poll. Cal Poly, Northern Arizona and Idaho State round out the top six in the Coaches Poll, and all three of those teams also figure to be a big part of the Big Sky equation this fall.

In the Media Poll, EWU was voted first, followed by MSU, UM, Idaho State, Cal Poly and NAU.

In the first Sports Network FCS Poll released last week, Montana State is ranked No. 11 and Montana is ranked No. 13. The Grizzlies are set to open the season Aug. 29 against four-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State in a nationally televised game on ESPN. The Bobcats open their season Sept. 3 at home against Fort Lewis.

2015 Preseason

Football Polls

Coaches' Poll

1. Montana State (6) 134

2. Eastern Washington (6) 133

3. Montana (1) 121

4. Cal Poly 111

5. Northern Arizona 95

6. Idaho State 90

7. Sacramento State 66

8. Southern Utah 64

9. Portland State 51

9. North Dakota 51

11. Weber State 43

12. UC Davis 33

13. Northern Colorado 22

Media Poll

1. Eastern Washington (17) 553

2. Montana State (17) 541

3. Montana (5) 492

3. Idaho State (5) 446

5. Cal Poly (1) 433

6. Northern Arizona (1) 399

7. Sacramento State 278

8. Southern Utah 255

9. North Dakota 226

10. Weber State 160

11. UC Davis 145

12. Portland State 133

13. Northern Colorado 127

13. Northern Colorado 127