Week 13 Big Sky Recap

A wild final week in the Big Sky saw rivalry chaos, playoff-clinching performances, and multiple coaching changes, highlighted by Montana State’s Brawl of the Wild win, UC Davis’ Causeway Classic comeback, and Idaho State’s dominant Battle of the Domes victory. Weber State and Northern Colorado closed their seasons with their highest-impact offensive showings of the year, while Cal Poly stunned Eastern Washington behind a barrage of explosive plays in what became the conference’s highest-scoring game of the weekend. Across the league, defenses swung momentum with pick-sixes, sacks, and takeaways, while several programs, including Portland State’s and Cal Poly’s, made immediate moves toward rebuilding as the Big Sky heads into a postseason featuring Montana State, Montana, and UC Davis as top-eight national seeds.

#2 Montana State 31, #3 Montana 28 (Missoula, MT)

QB Justin Lamson powered Montana State to a 31–28 Brawl of the Wild victory with 175 passing yards, a touchdown to WR Dane Steel, and a pivotal fourth-quarter 23-yard rushing score, while RB Julius Davis added 106 rushing yards and RB Adam Jones punched in an early goal-line touchdown to help the Bobcats control tempo with 416 yards of offense. Montana countered behind QB Keali‘i Ah Yat, who threw for 186 yards and a touchdown to WR Brooks Davis and added an 18-yard rushing score, while RB Eli Gillman exploded for 132 yards including a fourth-quarter 52-yard touchdown that pulled the Griz within three. The difference came on defense, where S Caden Dowler’s 34-yard pick-six swung momentum in the third quarter and MSU’s front—which produced four sacks—held off Montana’s late surge, securing the Big Sky title for the Bobcats for a second straight year.

Lamson delivered one of his most efficient outings of the season, completing 18 of 20 passes, while also adding 80 rushing yards and the 32-yard burst that jump-started MSU’s late scoring drive; Jones chipped in 48 yards plus the short-yardage touchdown to round out a 241-yard Bobcat ground attack. Ah Yat went 26 of 32 in the passing game, helping WR Brooks Davis torch MSU for 113 yards on 10 catches, while Gillman reignited the home crowd with his late 4th quarter score. MSU’s passing distribution highlighted its balance—Steel, WR Chris Long, Jones, and WR Taco Dowler all produced chain-moving receptions, while Montana relied heavily on Davis as its primary receiving target with support from WR Drew Deck and TE Blake Bohannon, though the Griz offense ultimately couldn’t overcome MSU’s defensive score and the Bobcats’ consistent rushing efficiency.

Montana State’s defense was led by LB Cole Taylor, who posted 11 tackles and a half-tackle for loss, while S Caden Dowler added six tackles and delivered the game’s lone interception—a 34-yard return that flipped momentum in the third quarter. Additional disruption came from LB Seth Johnson with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble, DL Kenneth Eiden IV with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack, and DE Hunter Parsons, DE Dominic Solano, and DE Zac Crews, who combined for multiple backfield stops and quarterback pressures to help the Bobcats contain Montana’s offense. Montana’s defense was anchored by S TJ Rausch, who tallied a team-high nine tackles, while LB Caleb Otlewski delivered eight stops along with the Grizzlies’ only sack and tackle for loss on a nine-yard blowup that stalled a Montana State drive. Additional impact came from S Micah Harper and CB Kenzel Lawler with seven tackles each, DE Kellen Detrick and DT Jake Mason combining for two more sacks, and LB Elijawah Tolbert adding a forced fumble as Montana’s front and secondary produced steady pressure.

Both the Bobcats and the Grizzlies will take the weekend off, receiving the #2 and #3 overall seeds in the FCS playoff bracket, respectively. Montana State will face the winner of Yale/Youngstown State in Bozeman for the second round, while the Griz will get the winner of New Hampshire and South Dakota State in Missoula.

Northern Colorado 24, Portland State 13 (Greeley, CO)

Northern Colorado surged past Portland State 24–13 thanks to big plays from QB Eric Gibson, whose 94 passing yards complemented a dominant ground attack powered by RB Justin Guin’s 115 yards and a 44-yard touchdown, with additional scoring support from RBs Brandon Johnson and Mathias Price. Portland State opened strong behind QB John-Keawe Sagapolutele’s short-passing rhythm and a three-yard touchdown keeper from WR/QB Cru Newman, later adding 96 combined rushing yards from RB Delon Thompson and Sagapolutele plus two field goals from K Mathias Uribe, but frequent penalties and stalled red-zone opportunities prevented PSU from retaking control. UNC’s defense held firm behind a two-sack day from its front and a key fourth-quarter stop that set up K Jacob Willig’s clinching field goal, while PSU’s defense generated 23 first downs worth of field-position battles but failed to create turnovers as Northern Colorado secured its fourth win of the season.

Portland State rotated three quarterbacks, Sagapolutele, QB Gabe Downing, and QB Tyrese Smith, who combined for short completions that leaned heavily on WR Terence Loville, Newman, and Thompson in the underneath passing game, while the run game featured Thompson, Smith, and RB Chance Miller trading possessions to keep drives alive. Northern Colorado countered with a ground-first attack built around Guin’s explosive perimeter bursts, supplemented by RB Kieryus Boone’s lone long carry and steady inside work from Johnson and Price, allowing UNC to maintain efficiency even with a modest passing workload from Gibson. UNC’s receivers, highlighted by WR Carver Cheeks, WR Charles Garrison, and WR Brayden Munroe, provided timely chain-moving grabs to complement the run game, while PSU’s own receiving corps emphasized quick hitters through Loville, Newman, Thompson, and WR Charlie White but struggled to generate vertical threats as Northern Colorado’s defense tightened late.

Portland State’s defense spread production across all three levels, with DB Isaiah Green leading the unit at seven tackles while LB Jaxton Helmstetler, LB Aedan Seiuli, and S Jerome Roberts each added five stops, and the front delivered consistent disruption through DL Daniel Matagi, DL Pierce Walker, DL Donte Hookfin, and DL Slade Shufelt, who combined for 11 total tackles and four tackles for loss. Additional support came from rotational contributors like LB Keegan Stancato, DB Lono Solomon, who forced the Vikings’ lone fumble, DL Carsten Mamaril, LB Tuaoa Tauili‘ili, DB Shaun Torgeson, DB Kristian Ingman, and S Seth Lyon, while CB Bryson Ross added a pass breakup in a defensive effort that created backfield pressure but couldn’t fully slow Northern Colorado’s balanced attack. Northern Colorado’s defense was led by LB Hudson Voggesser, who posted 11 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, while LB Darrell Bryant Jr. added nine stops and LB Cam Chapa contributed six tackles and a pass breakup as part of a strong second-level effort. The Bears’ front delivered steady disruption through DL Dominic Butts, DL Blake Weslin, DL Levi Little, and DL Zach Nowatzke, who combined for a whopping 6.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and an interception, while DBs LaDavion Osborn, Mekhi Toms, and Brennen Acosta added key breakups and a quarterback hurry to help secure the win.

Not long after returning to Portland, the Vikings announced they were parting ways with long-time head coach Bruce Barnum. Northern Colorado will look to continue building on this year’s momentum in the offseason, hoping to find their way into the middle of the Big Sky pack or higher in 2026.

Weber State 48, Northern Arizona 28 (Ogden, UT)

Weber State erupted for 48 points behind a breakout performance from QB Kingston Tisdell, who threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns, including explosive strikes to RB Spencer Ferguson for 16 yards and WR Marvin Session for 61, while the ground game dominated with contributions from RB Colter May (two long touchdown runs), Ferguson (a 50-yard score), and WR/RB Bird Butler to total 197 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the day. Northern Arizona leaned on QB Ty Pennington, who passed for 250 yards and hit WR Kolbe Katsis for a 74-yard touchdown while also connecting with RB Isaiah Eastman for another score, but the Lumberjacks managed just 53 rushing yards as Weber State’s defense tightened in the second half. Despite NAU briefly closing the gap with a 42-yard pick six from DB Mikale Greer, Weber State controlled possession, converted both fourth-down attempts, and held NAU to just one third-down conversion to close the season with their highest scoring output of the year.

Pennington led Northern Arizona’s offense through the air with 21 of 39 passing, while the Lumberjacks’ rushing attack struggled outside of Eastman’s short-yardage efficiency, forcing them to rely heavily on perimeter throws and check-downs. Weber State countered with Tisdell, who efficiently distributed completions to ten different receivers, most notably Session on a deep sideline shot and Ferguson on multiple intermediate routes that helped sustain drives. NAU’s supporting cast featured chain-moving receptions from WR Jeter Purdy, WR Jayson Raines, and TE Hayden Daugherty, while Weber State’s pass game remained balanced through contributions from RB Colter May, WR Jayleen Record, RB Robert Young, and WR Bird Butler, allowing the Wildcats to maintain steady rhythm throughout the afternoon.

Northern Arizona’s defense was led by LB Michael Hurst, who tallied 11 total tackles, while DB Jaylan Wesley and LB Brandon Wong added eight stops apiece, with Wong contributing a tackle for loss. Additional disruption came from LB Jerry Johnson III, DB Michael Beresford, LB Bobby Nivens, and DL Jahaad Fort, who combined for 4.5 tackles for loss, while DB Mikale Greer produced the unit’s biggest highlight with a 42-yard pick six. Weber State’s defense was paced by LB Sione Hala, who delivered seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception returned for eight yards, and a pass breakup, while LB Easton Payne added six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in a strong supporting role. The Wildcats generated consistent backfield pressure through DL Chevy Robinson (2.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, and a forced fumble), DL Matt Herron (a tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries), DE Keahnist Thompson (a sack and two hurries), and DL Logan Mackey (two tackles for loss and a hurry), with additional contributions from DB Trevian Tribble, LB Montae Pate, and S Angel King helping to round out a disruptive defensive performance.

The Wildcats will be on the hunt for their next head coach after firing Mickey Mental two weeks ago, following the blow-out loss to #2 Montana State in Bozeman. Meanwhile, Northern Arizona will lick their wounds after missing out on a likely playoff spot due to this weekend’s loss in the 58th edition of the Melee in the Mountains.

#8 UC Davis 31, Sacramento State 27 (Davis, CA)

UC Davis edged Sacramento State 31–27 behind a late surge engineered by QB Caden Pinnick, who threw for 306 yards and two second-half touchdowns, including scoring strikes to RB Samuel Gbatu Jr. (30 yards) and RB Jordan Fisher, the latter of whom also powered the Aggies early with two first-quarter rushing touchdowns. Sacramento State relied heavily on its ground game, as RB Rodney Hammond Jr. bulldozed his way to 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns while QB Cardell Williams added a short rushing score and connected with WR Ernest Campbell for the Hornets’ lone sizable gain through the air. Despite Sacramento State controlling possession for over 35 minutes, UC Davis capitalized on explosive passing plays, cleaner execution, and a decisive 14-point fourth quarter to secure what is likely the final Causeway Classic win for the foreseeable future and finish 8–3 to qualify for a first round bye in the FCS playoffs.

Sacramento State’s offense leaned almost entirely on its rushing offense, with Hammond Jr., RB Jamar Curtis, and Williams combining to drive long, clock-draining marches, while the passing attack remained limited aside from a short connection to Campbell. UC Davis countered with a far more dynamic air attack led by Pinnick, who distributed the ball efficiently across multiple targets including Gbatu Jr., WR Stacy Dobbins, and WR Ian Simpson, each providing reliable chain-moving production. On the ground, the Aggies supplemented Pinnick’s passing performance with steady work from Fisher and RB Kai Acia, who helped keep the offense balanced enough to finish drives and fuel UC Davis’ decisive fourth-quarter comeback.

Sacramento State’s defense was paced by DB Koa Akui, DB Jason Oliver, and LB Anta’Veon McKenzie, each recording five solo tackles, with Akui also producing a pivotal 42-yard fumble return that flipped field position. The Hornets added backfield pressure through DL Diego Davis and DL Xavier Williams, who notched tackles for loss—including a sack from Williams—while DB Oscar Moore contributed a key pass breakup and DL Melvin Swindle forced an additional fumble to highlight a unit that created multiple disruptive moments despite the loss. UC Davis’ defense was anchored by LB Nate Rutchena, who recorded a game-high 12 tackles, while LB Khalani Riddick and LB Jackson Sievers followed closely with 11 stops apiece, each adding a tackle for loss to slow Sacramento State’s ground-heavy attack. Additional impact came from DL Jacob Psyk, who produced a sack, DB Jayden Stanley, who broke up a pass, and DB Ty Richardson, who secured an interception, rounding out a performance that generated several timely plays to help preserve the Aggies’ fourth-quarter lead.

Like Montana and Montana State, Davis will have the weekend off, earning the eight overall seed and a pass straight to the second round. They will face the winner of either Central Connecticut State or Rhode Island in Davis. Meanwhile, Sacramento State has played its final game in the Big Sky Conference, heading out into the unknown of FCS independence, unless they receive an FBS conference invite very soon.

Idaho State 37, Idaho 16 (Moscow, ID)

Idaho State controlled this year’s Battle of the Domes matchup from the start behind QB Jordan Cooke, who threw two touchdowns, added two short rushing scores, and consistently sustained drives with help from RB Dason Brooks and WR Tsion Nunnally, who provided explosive support in the run and pass games. The Bengals built a 27–0 halftime lead through red-zone execution, long possessions, and three first-half field goals by K Trajan Sinatra, while the defense limited Idaho to just 13 first-half rushing yards and forced stalled drives that kept the Vandals off the board. Idaho finally responded after halftime behind QB Joshua Wood, RB Nate Thomas, and WR Nolan McWilliams, but their late scoring push wasn’t enough to overcome ISU’s dominant early advantage and 404 yards of total offense.

Cooke led Idaho State through the air with a 20 of 33 passing performance that spread the ball to multiple targets, highlighted by Nunnally’s explosive contributions and WR Ian Duarte’s reliability in intermediate routes. On the ground, ISU’s offense controlled tempo through a deep rotation headed by Brooks, supported by Cooke’s ability to supplement the rushing attack with timely quarterback keepers and additional bursts from complementary backs like RB Jonah Burton and RB Carson Sudbury. Idaho’s offense relied on a two-quarterback approach, Wood providing mobility and chunk plays and QB Sawyer Teeney supplying short-area efficiency, while McWilliams and RB Marquawn McCraney produced most of the Vandals’ receiving output despite the unit’s struggles to sustain drives.

Idaho State’s defense was anchored by LB Rylan Leathers, whose team-high nine tackles set the tone, while DL Bronson Childs delivered the unit’s most disruptive performance with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup. Consistent support came from contributors such as DL Teilor Tuioti, DB Nathan Reynolds, and DL Collin Lewis, with DB Gabe Tahir adding the Bengals’ lone interception as the group collectively limited Idaho’s explosive opportunities. Idaho’s defense was led by LB Dylan Layne, who posted a game-high 11 tackles with a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, while DL Jhamell Blenman, DB Isiah King, and LB Brayden Rice each added six or more stops to stabilize the unit. Additional disruption came from players like DL Matyus McLain, who contributed 1.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry, along with DL Zach Wusstig, LB Sam Brown, and DL Cruz Hepburn, whose combined backfield pressure couldn’t fully slow Idaho State’s balanced offensive attack.

The Bengals will be satisfied with another year of progress under second year head coach Cody Hawkins, looking forward to a winning record and potential playoff berth in 2026. Meanwhile, the Vandals have parted ways with first year offensive coordinator Matt Linehan and will look to regroup for next season’s campaign and head coach Thomas Ford’s second year at the helm.

Cal Poly 43, Eastern Washington 34 (San Luis Obispo, CA)

Eastern Washington built early momentum behind QB Kaden Rolfsness, who accounted for both passing and rushing production including three short touchdown runs and a second-quarter scoring strike to WR Noah Cronquist, but Cal Poly repeatedly answered with explosive plays led by QB Anthony Grigsby Jr., who opened the game with two long touchdown passes and later added another to WR Fidel Pitts. The Mustangs complemented their air attack with the ground effort featuring RB Tyrei Washington’s 33-yard fourth-quarter score and a bruising first-quarter goal-line plunge by RB Antonio Vakameilalo, allowing them to keep pace through a field-goal-heavy middle stretch and reclaim the lead late. Despite Eastern Washington’s efficiency in the red zone and a strong day from K Soren McKee, Cal Poly’s balance, 500 total yards, and well-timed defensive takeaways helped secure a 43–34 comeback victory at home.

EWU’s offense leaned heavily on Rolfsness, who not only shouldered the passing load but also served as the team’s primary ball-carrier, while receivers like WR Wesley Garrett and WR Miles Williams provided chunk gains that kept drives alive despite multiple turnovers stalling momentum. Cal Poly countered with a diversified attack featuring Washington’s steady rushing production and a deep, explosive receiving corps led by Pitts, WR Logan Booher, and WR Alek Marshall, each of whom repeatedly stretched the field for Grigsby Jr. Through a combination of controlled groundwork, timely vertical strikes, and complementary contributions from depth players in both the run and pass game, the Mustangs sustained offensive pressure that ultimately separated them late.

The Eag’s defense was led by LB Myles Mayovsky and LB Read Sunn, who each tallied nine total stops, with Sunn also forcing a fumble and generating three quarterback hurries to disrupt Cal Poly’s rhythm. The unit produced several high-impact plays, including DL Trevor Thurman’s backfield penetration, DL Isaiah Perez’s 2.5 sacks, and interceptions by DB Isaac Redford and DB DaJean Wells, but ultimately couldn’t slow a Cal Poly offense that consistently attacked through the air and capitalized on explosive plays. Cal Poly’s defense was powered by LB Kenny Olson, who posted a team-high ten tackles and added multiple quarterback pressures, while DB Troy Bean, DB Mikey D’Amato, and DB Jeremiah Bernard each contributed interceptions that repeatedly halted Eastern Washington drives. Up front, DL Mason Barbour and DL Manaalii Danielson supplied needed backfield disruption, combining for 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack each, while DB Mason Rivera, DB Demel Turner, and DB Calvin Moore added key pass breakups that helped the Mustangs close out a high-scoring win.

Eastern will try to build on the momentum of this season, potentially looking to Rolfsness to lead the offense next season, in spite of the setback to close out the 2025 campaign. To the surprise of many outside observers, Cal Poly has already announced they are parting ways with head coach Paul Wulff. This season was Wulff’s most successful in San Luis Obispo, but the Mustangs will look to find someone who can move the program forward more quickly than what they’ve seen in the past few seasons.