Big Sky Week 12 Recap

Eastern Washington cruised past Northern Colorado thanks to QB Jake Schakel’s 299-yard, two-touchdown performance and a defense that came up with five interceptions, setting the tone on a day when UNC’s promising yardage totals were wiped out by turnovers and penalties. Northern Arizona kept its playoff hopes alive behind QB Ty Pennington’s four-touchdown explosion and a disruptive defensive front that delivered four sacks and three interceptions to fend off a big-play Cal Poly offense led by WR Fidel Pitts. Meanwhile, #2 Montana rolled to 63–17 over Portland State behind a deep rotation of offensive weapons and a swarming defense led by CB TJ Rausch’s two interceptions, while Idaho State’s dominant win over Weber State and Sacramento State’s tight victory over Idaho set up a season-defining rivalry weekend this Saturday across the Big Sky.

Eastern Washington 27, Northern Colorado 7 (Cheney, WA)

Eastern Washington handled Northern Colorado 27–7 in Cheney, doing most of their damage in the first half before going quite with just a single touchdown for either team in the second half. QB Jake Schakel steered the Eagles with 299 passing yards and two touchdowns, spreading the ball across 11 receivers, capped by a 12-play, 80-yard third-quarter touchdown march finished off by RB Kevin Allen III’s one-yard plunge. Northern Colorado briefly grabbed a second-quarter lead on a short-field touchdown pass from QB Eric Gibson, but five UNC interceptions, 11 penalties, and a stalled second-half offense allowed EWU to pull away comfortably despite the Bears finishing with over 320 total yards and winning the time-of-possession battle.

Northern Colorado’s passing game alternated between short timing throws and deeper sideline shots, with QBs Gibson and Peter Costelli combining to find eight different receivers, most notably WR Brayden Munroe, who led the Bears with multiple intermediate gains, and WR Carver Cheeks, who hauled in the team’s lone touchdown on a red-zone concept. The Bears’ ground game provided steady support through a balanced trio of RBs Brandon Johnson, Justin Guin, and Mathias Price, each contributing chain-moving runs that helped UNC surpass the 30-minute possession mark even as negative plays and backfield penetration limited their overall rushing efficiency. EWU countered with a diversified aerial attack from Schakel, including big-play contributions from WRs Miles Williams, Nolan Ulm, and Drew Carlson—and paired it with a committee rushing effort led by RBs Kaden Rolfsness and Allen III to keep the offense on schedule and capitalize on short fields created by those five interceptions.

Northern Colorado’s defense leaned on steady tackling across all three levels, with LB Darrell Bryant Jr. and S Cam Chapa combining for 17 total stops as Chapa added both an interception and a pass breakup to provide the Bears’ lone takeaway. The front seven generated occasional backfield disruption through DL Dominic Butts, DL Franky Morales, and DL Makur Abram, each contributing tackles for loss, while LB Hudson Voggesser and LB Ayden Merrihew added key assists and pressures, but the unit ultimately struggled to produce consistent havoc or limit Eastern Washington’s sustained drives. Eastern Washington’s defense spread production widely across the roster, with LB Read Sunn leading the way through ten total tackles and steady support from LB Isaac Redford, who added an interception, and DBs Bryce Smith and Myles Mayovsky, who each contributed six stops and key pass breakups. The Eagles generated sporadic backfield disruption through defenders like Drew Carter, Jaylon Jenkins, Josiah Goode, and Justis La’ulu, each recording tackles for loss, while multiple players, including Carter, Jenkins, and JoJo Maxey-Johnson, produced interceptions that helped stall Northern Colorado drives despite EWU not recording any sacks in the contest.

Eastern Washington will finish their season on the road this weekend at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, while Northern Colorado hosts Portland State for their final contest of the 2025 campaign.

Northern Arizona 35, Cal Poly 27 (Flagstaff, AZ)

Northern Arizona outlasted Cal Poly 35–27 in a fast-paced matchup defined by explosive passing plays, with QB Ty Pennington throwing four touchdowns—including scoring strikes of 75, 38, and 6 yards to WR Kolbe Katsis—while Cal Poly countered with long touchdowns of their own from WR Fidel Pitts on throws of 20 and 57 yards. The Lumberjacks paired their 356-yard passing performance with a steady run game and three successful field goals from K Samuel Hunsaker, while Cal Poly leaned on timely deep shots, a 51-yard field goal from K Gianluca Dimauro, and a late QB Anthony Grigsby Jr. rushing score to stay within reach despite being outgained 495–356. NAU controlled possession, converted twice on fourth down, and recorded four sacks that helped swing momentum in key moments, while Cal Poly struggled on third down and threw three interceptions in a competitive but ultimately narrow road defeat.

Cal Poly relied on a two-quarterback approach, with Grigsby Jr. supplying the Mustangs’ biggest downfield punches, while QB Ty Dieffenbach added another scoring throw but also committed multiple turnovers under heavy pressure. The Mustang run game offered modest support through balanced carries from RBs Tyrei Washington, Kendric Sanders, and Grigsby himself, yet frequent backfield penetration limited their efficiency and forced Cal Poly to lean on explosive passing plays to stay competitive. Northern Arizona complemented Pennington’s precision passing with a steady ground effort led by RB Seth Cromwell and a deep, diversified receiving corps headlined by Katsis’ third multi-touchdown performance, allowing the Lumberjacks to stretch the field vertically and sustain drives.

Cal Poly’s defense was anchored by LB Mason Rivera’s 14 tackles and LB Mikey D’Amato’s 11-tackle performance, with D’Amato adding 1.5 tackles for loss and the team’s only partial sack as the Mustangs tried to contain Northern Arizona’s high-flying offense. Key contributions also came from DB Jeremiah Bernard, who logged 10 tackles and a 32-yard interception return, while DL Mason Barbour, DL Antonio Vakameilalo, and DL Ish Taliauli combined for several backfield stops and breakup plays in an otherwise high-volume tackling effort across all three levels of the defense. Northern Arizona’s defense was led by LB Brandon Wong, who tallied nine total tackles along with 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack, while LB Bobby Nivens added eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss to anchor a disruptive front seven. CB Michael Beresford contributed four tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup, while CB Quentin Moten added four pass breakups of his own in a standout coverage performance that repeatedly challenged Cal Poly’s passing game. Additional backfield pressure came from DL Micah Carreon, DL Braeden Kaczmarek, LB Quinlan Popham, and LB Jerry Johnson III, who combined for multiple tackles for loss and sacks, rounding out a defensive unit that produced consistent disruption at all levels.

Northern Arizona hits the road for what is likely their final game of the season, heading to Ogden to face Weber State in the Melee in the Mountains with the winner laying claim to the Red Rock Rivalry trophy. Meanwhile, Cal Poly will spend their final game of the season at home, hosting Eastern Washington.

#2 Montana 63, Portland State 17 (Hillsboro, OR)

Montana rolled to a 63–17 victory behind a dominant offensive showcase led by QB Keali‘i Ah Yat, who accounted for multiple touchdowns through the air and on the ground, while RB Eli Gillman sparked the early surge with two explosive first-quarter scoring runs and WR Drew Deck added key receiving production. Portland State briefly struck first behind QB Tyrese Smith, who produced the Vikings’ opening touchdown run and later broke loose for a 75-yard fourth-quarter score, with QB John-Keawe Sagapolutele and WR Terence Loville contributing to PSU’s passing output. Despite their early punch, the Vikings’ defense struggled to contain a Montana offense that piled up five rushing touchdowns, four passing scores, and controlled the game with a deep rotation of playmakers including RB Malae Fonoti, WR Brooks Davis, WR Josh Gale, WR Stevie Rocker Jr., WR Korbin Hendrix, and RB Hashim Jones, pushing the Grizzlies to 11–0 on the season.

Montana’s quarterbacks were efficient, with QB Keali‘i Ah Yat completing the bulk of the passing work, including three touchdown throws, while backup QB Jake Jensen added a fourth scoring strike and QB Luke Flowers chipped in short-range completions to keep drives moving. The Grizzlies’ rushing attack featured a deep rotation, as Gillman broke loose for multiple explosive gains, Jones powered through for additional yardage and a score, and Fonoti complemented the group with tough interior runs, while both Ah Yat and Jensen added mobility from the quarterback spot. Portland State countered with Loville, WR Jaylen Lynch, WR Kristian Ingman, WR Zachary Dodson-Greene, WR/QB Cru Newman, and RB Delon Thompson, who combined to support Sagapolutele and Smith in a passing game that produced several intermediate completions but could not find the end zone.

Montana’s defense delivered another suffocating performance, highlighted by LB Peyton Wing, who produced a team-leading interception return and a tackle for loss, while LB Caleb Otlewski and LB Clay Oven repeatedly clogged running lanes and generated backfield pressure that forced hurried decisions from Portland State’s quarterbacks. CB TJ Rausch turned in the game’s biggest defensive swing with two interceptions—including a long return—while S Diezel Wilkinson added a key pass breakup, and DL Jareb Ramos, DL Geno Leonard, and DL Matai Mata‘afa each contributed tackles for loss that helped collapse the Vikings’ protection. Additional support came from CB Kenzel Lawler, DE Kellen Detrick, DE Hunter Peck, LB Kade Boyd, and S Micah Harper, whose 55-yard interception return set up prime field position, as the Grizzlies’ depth across all three levels smothered PSU’s offense and maintained Montana’s defensive identity as one of the most opportunistic units in the FCS. Portland State’s defense was anchored by LB Pierce Walker and S Jerome Roberts, who each posted eight total tackles, with Walker adding a forced fumble and a pass breakup while Roberts wreaked havoc in the backfield with four tackles for loss. DL Spencer Elliott delivered the Vikings’ lone sack as part of a dominant 3.0-TFL performance and also forced a fumble, while LB Jaxton Helmstetler and DL Daniel Matagi added key stops at the line of scrimmage to slow Montana’s downhill rushing attack. CB Isaiah Green contributed a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, CB Carsten Mamaril notched three breakups to lead the secondary, and DL Slade Shufelt, CB Dionte Thornton, S Theo Thompson, and LB Tuaoa Tauili‘ili (with a quarterback hurry) rounded out a defense that flashed disruptive individual moments despite being overwhelmed by Montana’s offensive depth.

Montana will head back to Missoula for this weekend’s Brawl of the Wild against in-state rival Montana State to decide the Big Sky champion and playoff seeding. Meanwhile, Portland State will hit the road to face Northern Colorado to end the season with one of the toughest schedules played in all of the FCS.

Idaho State 31, Weber State 3 (Pocatello, ID)

Idaho State dominated Weber State 31–3 behind a commanding performance from QB Jordan Cooke, who threw for 363 yards, ran for 65 more, and accounted for three total touchdowns while leading five scoring drives of 67 yards or longer. RB Dason Brooks added a short rushing score, and WR Damien Morgan powered the passing game with 122 yards and a 29-yard touchdown, helping the Bengals rack up 531 yards of offense and a 27–0 halftime lead, while Weber State struggled to sustain drives despite 192 passing yards from QB Dijon Jennings and a lone fourth-quarter field goal by K Sloan Calder. The Wildcats’ offense mustered just 35 rushing yards, paced by RB Robert Young’s 39 yards, and converted only three third downs, while Idaho State’s defense consistently controlled the line of scrimmage, producing two sacks, limiting explosive plays, and allowing WSU inside the red zone only once.

Jennings continued to shoulder Weber State’s offensive load, completing 24 passes while also leading the Wildcats in rushing attempts, though the ground game never found traction behind modest contributions from RB Colter May, WR/RB Bird Butler, and RB Spencer Ferguson. His receiving corps spread the ball horizontally rather than vertically, with Young, WR Marvin Session, and TE AJ Jayroe each providing short-to-intermediate gains, supplemented by slot targets WR Ammon Munyer, WR Jayleen Record, and WR Dahlyn Jones, none of whom were able to turn catches into explosive plays. Idaho State supplemented Cooke’s production with a potent supporting cast, including Brooks as both a runner and checkdown option, possession work from WR Tsion Nunnally, route efficiency from TE Ian Duarte, and big-play support from WR Jonah Burton and WR Michael Shulikov, while backup QB Davis Harsin and WR Raiden Brown chipped in late to round out the Bengals’ 373-yard passing showcase.

LB Mayson Hitchens led Weber State’s defense with 11 total tackles and a quarterback hurry, while LB Sione Hala delivered one of the unit’s most disruptive performances with eight tackles and two tackles for loss. CB Ishaan Daniels added seven stops, a forced fumble, and two pass breakups, with support from S Angel King, DL Ashden Oberg (two TFLs), LB Breken Bowen, CB Kao Hansen, DE Logan Mackey, and DT Chevy Robinson, who chipped in pressures and key stops in an otherwise overwhelmed Wildcat defense. LB Rylan Leathers led Idaho State’s defense with seven tackles and a tackle for loss, while DL Teilor Tuioti and LB Dekker Haggler each added five stops to anchor the second level. DE Maka Tu'akoi was the Bengals’ most disruptive force up front with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and a quarterback hurry, supported by DL Bronson Childs, DT Jacob Perez, DE Cam’ron Willis, and CB Nathan Reynolds, who contributed pressures, backfield hits, and multiple pass breakups in a strong all-around defensive showing.

Weber State will round out their 2025 campaign at home this weekend against rival NAU in the Melee in the Mountains, while Idaho State takes the road trip up to Moscow to face in-state rival Idaho in the Battle of the Domes.

Sacramento State 23, Idaho 20 (Sacramento, CA)

QB Cardell Williams guided Sacramento State with 176 passing yards and a touchdown while also scoring the controversial game-winning TD, supported by RB JaQuail Smith, who powered the Hornets’ ground attack with 122 rushing yards, and WR Ernest Campbell, who added 61 receiving yards and a third-quarter touchdown. Idaho QB Joshua Wood kept the Vandals in the game with 162 passing yards and a late 10-yard rushing score, while RB Nolan McWilliams contributed 49 yards on the ground and RB Nate Thomas broke loose for a pivotal seven-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. K Grant Meadors was essential for Sacramento State, converting field goals from 30, 38, and 31 yards, while Idaho K Owen Forsman countered with two field goals of his own before the Vandals’ fourth-quarter rally ultimately fell short in a 23–20 Hornet victory.

Wood threw just one interception for Idaho while distributing completions to McWilliams (49 yards), WR Chance Bogan (33 yards), and WR Trenton Swanson (25 yards), and on the ground he led the Vandals with 117 rushing yards and a touchdown alongside RB Carlos Matheney and Thomas, who combined for 78 more rushing yards. For Sacramento State, Williams spread the rest to WR Jordan Williams, RB Sam Adams II, RB Rodney Hammond, WR Damian Henderson, WR Onterrio Smith Jr., and WR Jordan Anderson. The Hornets’ run game remained dominant behind Smith and Hammond, who together piled up 242 rushing yards.

LB Cruz Hepburn led Idaho’s defense with 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble, while LB Zach Wusstig added 10 stops and a tackle for loss, and DL Ryder Bordner and DL Zach Krotzer each delivered eight tackles, including a combined 3.0 TFL and a sack from Bordner. DB Isiah King, DB Will Cornelson, LB Jhamell Blenman, LB Dylan Layne, and DL Matyus McLain all contributed between five and seven tackles, with McLain adding a sack. LB Oscar Moore led Sacramento State with 10 tackles and a tackle for loss, while DB Anta’Veon McKenzie, LB Fata Puloka, DL Diego Davis, DB Koa Akui, and DB DeSean Watts each added between four and six stops to anchor a balanced defensive front.

Sacramento State will hit the road and head across the causeway to face rival UC Davis this weekend, while Idaho will head home to face their own in-state rival, Idaho State, at the Kibbie Dome to finish their own season.

#3 Montana State 38, #10 UC Davis 17 (Bozeman, MT)

UC Davis opened the game with a sharp scoring drive as QB Caden Pinnick found WR Ian Simpson for a 29-yard touchdown, but Montana State’s offense responded behind QB Justin Lamson, who led two second-quarter scoring drives, including a three-yard keeper and an 18-yard strike to WR Chris Long, to take control by halftime. The Bobcats extended their lead in the third quarter with a field goal from K Myles Sansted and a pivotal 83-yard pick six by S Caden Dowler, while the Aggies stayed within reach thanks to RB Jordan Fisher’s steady ground production and a late touchdown catch by RB Samuel Gbatu Jr. Montana State ultimately sealed the game with fourth-quarter rushing scores from RB Julius Davis and another from Lamson, overcoming UC Davis’ advantages in yardage, first downs, and time of possession.

UC Davis leaned on Pinnick, who threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns while also contributing as a runner, with Fisher and RB Kai Acia adding efficient production on the ground and Gbatu Jr. leading all Aggie receivers with 80 yards and a score. Montana State countered with a balanced attack built around Lamson, whose 144 passing yards paired with 97 rushing yards and two touchdowns kept the Bobcats in control, supported by Davis’ strong outing and Long’s red-zone reliability. WR Taco Dowler emerged as Lamson’s top target with 78 receiving yards, helping MSU maintain steady chunk gains through the air.

LBs Nate Rutchena, Ty Richardson, and Jayden Stanley anchored the UC Davis defense with steady tackling, while DLs Jackson Sievers and Jacob Psyk each contributed a shared tackle for loss and half-sack that briefly disrupted Montana State’s rhythm. Even with additional support from DB Trent Carrade (one pass breakup), the Aggies’ defense couldn’t generate turnovers or enough backfield pressure to slow MSU’s explosive ground game, which ultimately dictated the outcome. LB Caden Dowler delivered a game-changing performance for Montana State with 12 tackles, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, two interceptions returned for 116 yards, and a pass breakup, setting the tone for a defense that repeatedly flipped momentum. DL Kenneth Eiden IV added major disruption up front with two sacks and another tackle for loss, while DE Zac Crews chipped in with a sack, a forced fumble, and two quarterback hurries to keep UC Davis off balance throughout the night.

Davis will wrap up their regular season campaign at home this weekend, taking on a Sacramento State rival that is desperate for a win if they hope to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, Montana State will head to Missoula to face rival Montana to decide this year’s Big Sky champion and who will claim the conference’s autobid for the postseason.