Big Sky Breakdown

No. 5 Montana moved to 6-0 with a 28-9 win on homecoming over Cal Poly. UM hosts its last non-conf game against Sacred Heart on Saturday in Missoula. Jordan Tripp was an FCS All-American who became an NFL Draft pick during his time at Montana and after graduating from UM. Tripp, now the color commentator for Scripps Sports for Griz broadcasts, joins Colter Nuanez weekly to break down all things Griz football.

Brooks Nuanez joins Colter Nuanez to break down where Montana and Montana State are at and what concerns they have heading into the second half of the season.

Montana State head coach Brent Vigen joined Colter Nuanez to give a mid-season report on his team with MSU on a bye and the Bobcats riding a five-game winning streak.

In this week's Akem's Analysis, I look into the Montana vs Sacred Heart game. The Pioneers are 5-2, but their schedule has been suspect, and the 30.5 point spread would also suggest that. Northern Colorado takes on Sacramento State in a big time matchup that could send shockwaves through the entire Big Sky Conference. I also preview some of the games in the Missouri Valley and one colossal game in the UAC. Tarleton State has not been tested in a major way yet this season, but they get their first big tests against West Georgia. All of this and some No Huddle Notes at the end on some National FCS topics. 0:00 - Intro2:59 - Montana vs Sacred Heart Preview13:18 - Northern Colorado vs Sac State Preview 20:05 - North Dakota vs SIU Preview 27:28 - Illinois State vs YSU Preview34:31 - Tarleton State vs West Georgia Preview42:30 - No Huddle Notes55:46 - Final Thoughts57:15 - End

Skyline Sports analyst Samuel Akem, a former Griz wide receiver, joins Colter Nuanez for reactions to the first FCS Playoff Committee's Top 10 rankings for 2025 and unveil our latest Big Sky Conference power rankings.

Andrew Schmidt, a former Griz RB and NFL agent, joins Colter Nuanez weekly to breakdown all things Montana & the Big Sky Conference. This week, Andrew talks about Montana's homecoming win & its struggles in-state recruiting in recent years.

Montana State is on a five-game winning streak entering its bye week. The Bobcats drilled Idaho State 48-14. Skyline analyst Mike Rider gives his mid-season report, including surprises so far for the Bobcats as well as areas Montana State needs to improve entering the stretch run.

Montana State head coach Brent Vigen joins Colter Nuanez on 102.9 FM ESPN MT to discuss his team at the mid-point of their season as MSU is on a bye this week with a trip to Cal Poly coming next week.

Idaho (2-4) is lost 49-33 to Northern Colorado for its third straight loss last weekend in Moscow. The Vandals take on Eastern Washington in Cheney on Saturday. Offensive lineman Layton Vining and head coach Thomas Ford Jr. joined Colter Nuanez of Skyline Sports to preview the week.

In this week's Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem will be talking about the Bobcats' dominant win in Bozeman on Saturday against the Bengals. Their defense continues to impress. He also looks at UC Davis and their continued rise as their freshman QB plays better and better by the week. NDSU dominated another ranked opponent and they look unstoppable. He touches on Northern Colorado and their big time win against ranked Idaho.0:00 - Intro 1:59 - Montana State vs Idaho State Recap 12:27 - UC Davis vs NAU Recap 21:00 - NDSU vs Southern Illinois Recap 29:51 - Northern Colorado vs Idaho Recap 38:35 - North Dakota vs YSU Recap 46:05 - No Huddle Notes 1:01:12 - Final Thoughts 1:02:25 - End

In this week's Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem & Keenan Curran discuss what they liked and didn't like from Montana's 28-9 victory against Cal Poly. They also take a look at the rest of the Big Sky and evaluate how they stack up currently.

Ryan Tootell joins Colter Nuanez to talk about the head coaching opening for Oregon State football and how it might impact the Big Sky and Treasure State. Plus, the duo talks about Montana allowing just 21 yards in the second half of a 28-9 win over Cal Poly and Montana State rolling up almost 400 yards on the ground in a 48-14 win over Idaho State.

Montana head coach Bobby Hauck along with safety Diezel Wilkinson & running back Stevie Rocker Jr., addressed the media ahead of UM's non-conference game against Sacred Heart (5-2), an FCS independent.

Montana head coach Bobby Hauck, junior running back Eli Gillman and senior cornerback Kenzel Lawler addressed the media following UM's 28-9 win over Cal Poly on a homecoming Saturday in Missoula.

Montana State head coach Brent Vigen, freshman cornerback Carson Williams (12:04) who had a forced fumble and running back Adam Jones (18:29) after he rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown, addressed the media following MSU's 48-14 win over Idaho State.

Jordan Tripp joins Colter Nuanez to talk about Montana's adjustments against Idaho State, the Bengals' dangerous nature as an upstart, UM's lack of sacks, Michael Wortham's versatility and more as the Griz get set to host Cal Poly on Saturday afternoon in Missoula.

Montana State is riding a four-game winning streak after a 34-10 beatdown of No. 13 Northern Arizona. The Bobcats have allowed 34 points in regulation to FCS opponents so far this 2025 season. Former Bobcat player & coach Mike Rider joins Colter Nuanez to break down how Montana State's defense has been so stout so far this campaign.

Montana State redshirt freshman wide receiver Jabez Woods joins Colter Nuanez on ESPN MT for this week's Montana State Minute. Plus, stick around to hear from MSU cornerbacks coach Trent Greene (10:12) in this week's MSU assistant coach interview.

Idaho is 2-3 coming off its bye. The last time out, the Vandals lost 41-30 to No. 4 Montana in Missoula. UI hosts Northern Colorado (2-3) this weekend in Moscow. Idaho senior DL Sam Brown & head coach Thomas Ford Jr. joined Colter Nuanez to break down the bye and preview the game.

Andrew Schmidt, a former Griz RB and NFL agent, joins Colter Nuanez weekly to breakdown all things Montana & the Big Sky Conference. This week, Andrew talks about "A Few Good Men", Michael Wortham for Heisman, Dr. Luke Wood's vision and much more.

Montana and Montana State are each off to 3-1 starts in Big Sky Conference play with the Battle for the Main Line Trophy coming up in Missoula on Saturday. The Griz are off to their best start in more than 30 years, having won 11 of 12 entering Saturday's rivalry matchup with MSU. Montana State endured a rigorous non-conference schedule and sits at 3-1 in league play after beating league powers NAU & Northern Colorado. Griz senior libero Alexis Batezel, the reigning Big Sky Player of the Week, along with sophomore outside hitter Delaney Russell along with Montana State senior libero Lauren Lindseth & head coach Matt Houk joined Colter Nuanez for this week's ESPN Roundtable.

Ryan Tootell joins Colter Nuanez to chat about Montana's comeback win over Idaho State, Montana State's smothering defensive effort at Northern Arizona, Michael Wortham's prowess, the collision course the Griz and Cats seem to be on and much more.

Colter Nuanez and Brooks Nuanez talk about Montana State's suffocating defense (0:00), Montana's "Casino Royale" defense and why it's a bad matchup against Idaho State's quick-hitting spread (10:10), what the Griz could do to get more pressure (16:47), Taco Dowler's growing legend as a punt returner and how he compares to Junior Bergen (24:51), the impact of freshmen receivers like Brooks Davis and Jabez Woods on both sides of the rivalry (29:46) and what the best comparisons are for budding Griz star Michael Wortham (34:16) as Wortham is coming off Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

Montana head coach Bobby Hauck along with sophomore linebacker Clay Oven and senior wide receiver/returner Michael Wortham addressed the media ahead of UM's homecoming game against Cal Poly on Monday.

Montana State fifth-year head coach Brent Vigen shared analysis of his team's 34-10 win over No. 13 Northern Arizona last week and previewed his team's game Saturday against Idaho State in Bozeman.

Blake Hempstead sits down with veteran Billings sportswriter Greg Rachac and veteran Billings TV anchor Scott Breen about their many years serving in Montana media.

In this week's Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem talks about Montana State and how they have continued to ascend. He looks at their road win against NAU and how dominant it was. He also looked into UC Davis and their continued winning ways. They played a close one against Cal Poly, but their young QB ultimately made the winning plays in the end. NDSU and SDSU both played close-ranked games on the road, but both came out with the win.0:00 - Intro 3:10 - Montana State vs NAU Recap 13:24 - UC Davis vs Cal Poly Recap23:13 - NDSU vs Illinois State Recap 33:25 - SDSU vs Youngstown State Recap 43:29 - No-Huddle Notes 56:36 - Final Thoughts 57:35 - End

In this week's Akem's Analysis, Keenan Curran joins Samuel Akem to recap the wild game between Montana and Idaho State. Everyone knew Idaho State had a good offense, but they definitely took advantage of some weaknesses in the defense. Jordan Cooke is a difference maker, and it showed.

Northern Arizona quarterback Ty Pennington joins Colter Nuanez to talk about the No. 13 Lumberjacks hosting No. 5 Montana State on Saturday.

Montana is 4-0 for the first time since 2022 and the second time since 2009 entering October. . Jordan Cooke, Idaho State's strong-armed starting QB, joined Colter Nuanez to preview Montana at Idaho State.

"In this Akem's Analysis, I talked with Brock Galvin to not only look at the state of the UC Davis Aggies and where they currently sit. But we also previewed their matchup this week against Cal Poly. It was a great conversation with two former players."

"In this Akem's Analysis, I talked with Keaton Gillogly, the voice of the Bobcats. We talked about where the Bobcats currently are this season, then we previewed what to expect this week in Flagstaff. He has all the insight to give, since he calls all of the games; we had a great conversation."

No. 4 Montana and No. 5 Montana State come into October on winning streaks. The Griz have won 4 straight while MSU has won three in a row.UM plays at Idaho State for its first road game of the season. MSU plays at Northern Arizona for its first road game in a month. Brooks Nuanez & Colter Nuanez diagnose the most surprising players for UM & MSU on this week's Big Sky Breakdown.

Jordan Tripp, the TV color commentator for Scripps Sports covering Montana football games, joins Colter Nuanez to talk about Hunter Peck's progress, the emergence of a second Griz CB, Micah Harper's man-to-man abilities, Peyton Wing's targeting ejection and Montana's upcoming road trip to Idaho State.

Trey Bender, the television play by play broadcaster for Griz football on Scripps Sports, joins Colter Nuanez to talk all things University of Montana and Big Sky Conference on this week's ESPN Roundtable.

Montana State offensive line head coach Matt Smith joins Colter Nuanez to talk about his team's reshuffle, the emergence of freshman Braden Zimmer and MSU's matchup at Northern Arizona on Saturday.

Montana State linebackers' coach Jody Owens joins Colter Nuanez to break down his unit's performance, the thriving Bobcat defense and his relationship with Northern Arizona head coach Brian Wright.

Montana State punter Colby Frokjer shares his story after scoring a touchdown in MSU's 57-3 whipping of Eastern Washington on Saturday.

No. 5 Montana State rolled to a 57-3 win over Eastern Washington for its third straight victory on the final Saturday of September. The 54-point win is the largest margin over EWU ever and the largest margin by a Bobcat team over any opponent since 2016. Former Bobcat player & coach Mike Rider joins Colter Nuanez to break down how Montana State has looked entering October and why the defense has been so sound.

No. 13 Northern Arizona is off to a 4-1 start after making the playoffs last season. The Lumberjacks are under the direction of 2nd-year head coach Brian Wright, who was the offensive coordinator in 2010 and 2011 at Montana State. Longtime voice of the NAU Lumberjacks Mitch Strohman joined Colter Nuanez to preview Montana State at Northern Arizona this week.

Montana is off to its first 4-0 start since 2022 and its second since 2009. Andrew Schmidt, a former Griz RB and NFL agent, joins Colter Nuanez weekly to breakdown all things Montana & the Big Sky Conference. This week, Andrew talks about Montana's improved talent, UM's potential + the latest "Schmidt Storm".

No. 4 Montana is 4-0 for the frist time since 2022 and the second time since 2009 following a 40-31 win over No. 8 Idaho. The Griz play their first road game fo the season at Idaho State on Saturday. Montana head coach Bobby Hauck, senior WR Drew Deck and senior S TJ Rausch addressed media ahead of the matchup.

Montana State head coach Brent Vigen addressed the media coming off a 57-3 win over Eastern Washington and leading into his team's trip to Flagstaff to take on No. 13 Northern Arizona on Saturday afternoon.

In this week's Akem's Analysis, Samuel Akem takes a look at Montana State's big-time victory against Eastern Washington, who looks like a dazed and confused team. Akem also looks at UC Davis' dominant victory against Weber State as they open conference play on a strong note. North Dakota State looks like a team built for the long haul, and they show it every week. 0:00 - Intro 3:37 - Montana State vs EWU Recap 18:29 - UC Davis vs Weber State Recap 25:39 - Sac State vs Cal Poly Recap 34:24 - NDSU vs South Dakota Recap 39:54 - NAU vs Portland State Recap 45:08 - Incarnate Word vs ACU Recap 51:07 - West Georgia vs Southern Utah Recap 54:40 - Final Thoughts 55:51 End

In this week's Akem's Analysis, Keenan Curran joins Samuel Akem to recap the Montana Grizzlies' big win against the 8th-ranked Idaho Vandals. They dominated the game from start to finish, and Keali'i Ah Yat is showing phenomenal development. We also take a look around the FCS to see who else the Grizzlie shave coming up and how they stack up against the rest of the conference. 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Montana vs Idaho Recap ft. Keenan Curran 29:17 - Montana's Upcoming Schedule, A Look Around The Big Sky,& More 57:25 - End

Colter Nuanez joins "Blue & Gold Thursday" on the Dave & Ally show on KSKY Country 106.9 FM.

Eastern Washington opens Big Sky play at No. 4 Montana State. It's the fifth straight season EWU and MSU have played.EWU and Montana State have played five straight seasons. Ninth-year Eastern head coach Aaron Best joins Colter Nuanez to preview conference play.Sophomore Nate Bell took over for injured QB Jared Taylor two weeks ago. He led EWU to its first win last week over Western Illinois.

No. 4 Montana State takes a 2-2 mark into Big Sky Conference play while No. 5 Montana is 3-0. The Griz are riding high after a 63-20 win over Indiana State last week while MSU is building off a 17-0 win over Mercyhurst.Brooks Nuanez & Colter Nuanez diagnose the first month of the season in this week's Big Sky Breakdown.

Samuel Akem joins Colter Nuanez to break down Big Sky Conference story lines and give our Big Sky Power Rankings with conference play opening on Saturday.

Voice of the Idaho Vandals Dennis Patchin joins Colter Nuanez on 102.9 ESPN Radio to preview UI's game at No. 5 Montana on Saturday night in Missoula.