Pete's Schedule Previews

The 2007 Big Sky Schedules

Key Games:

9/01/2007 Portland St. at McNeese St.
9/29/2007 Portland St. @ Eastern Washington
10/20/2007 Northern AZ @ Weber St.
11/17/2007 Montana @ Montana St.

Pos	Team	Rating
1	Sacramento St.	37.67
2	Portland St.	38.51
3	Weber St.	41.45
4	Idaho St.	42.51
5	Eastern Washington	43.22
6	Northern Colorado	43.37
7	Northern Arizona	44.20
8	Montana St.	51.14
9	Montana	59.21

Pete's 2007 Big Sky Pre-Season Schedule Previews

Sacramento St.: With a pair of FBS games, an upper-end FCS non-conference game, and the entire upper-end of the Big Sky; it is easy to see why the Hornets have the conference's most challenging schedule. New coach Marshall Sperbeck has his hands full.
Portland State: Once again, Portland St. is looking to return to some dominance in the Big Sky. This is hwy they hired "the main in black" Jerry Glanville to take over the Viking program. He is one of 4 new coaches in the conference this year. However, with San Diego St., McNeese St., Cal-Davis outside conference play; then EWU and Montana on the road ...it will be more than difficult once again.
Weber St.: The transfer of former Alabama QB Jimmy Barnes has been the talk of the conference in the summer. However, the talented Sophomore will have to tackle Boise State, Cal-Poly, and the rest of the Big Sky on this year's slate.
Idaho St.: The Bengal's have seemed to be loaded with talent for some time, but just cannot seem to pull it all together. This is why the university named John Zamberlin the new head-coach after last season. Hailing from Central Washington, we should expect great things from the Bengal's. John will open with a familiar DII in Southern Oregon, and then travel to Oregon State. The conference slate is balanced, and a tough tilt with Cal-Poly is at home. The new Bengal's are one of several reasons why the Big Sky was ranked the #1 conference in Pete's Conference Power Poll.
Eastern Washington: The Eagles followed a similar pattern to most of the Big Sky clubs and only plays one 'money game' ...with BYU. The eagles will open with a sub-FCS school. In fact, they will play an NAIA school. Someone better tell coach Wulff that this is not FBS where they get a twelfth game. Montana Western took a very strong schedule and made it very mild. Western Kentucky started this sub-DII "mess" back in 2003. Luckily they have a chance to prove themselves against UC-Davis the following week. Eastern is coming off an uncharacteristic 3-8 finish last year that included a 3-5 record in Big Sky Conference play after losing all three of its non-conference games.
Northern Colorado: Northern Colorado enters its second season in the Big Sky. The Bears, now a certified NCAA Division I institution, will be eligible to win the conference title, and advance to the postseason. The Bears have a very balanced schedule this year, and are one their way to Hawaii for the weekend.
Northern Arizona: NAU is being picked by many to compete for a post-season spot in 2007. However, with a sub-FCS, and non conference DI games against defending champ App St. and the PAC-10's Arizona; combine this with the conference games and it is will be very difficult to have 7 or 8 DI wins by Thanksgiving.
Montana St.: With 6 home games and Southern Utah, Fort Lewis, Albany it does not come much lighter than this. Of course, there is always that last game.
Montana: Just when we thought we had the conference's lightest schedule (Montana State), we find the nation's lightest.

Pete's 2007 Big Sky Pre-Season Schedule Previews

Big Sky

Eastern Washington
8/31/2007 vs. Montana Western
9/15/2007 vs. UC Davis
9/22/2007 @ Idaho St.
9/29/2007 vs. Portland St.
10/6/2007 @ Montana
10/13/2007 vs. Montana St.
10/20/2007 @ BYU
10/27/2007 @ Sacramento St.
11/3/2007 vs. Northern Colo.
11/10/2007 @ Northern Ariz.
11/17/2007 vs. Weber St.

Idaho St.
9/8/2007 vs. Southern Ore.
9/15/2007 @ Oregon St.
9/22/2007 vs. Eastern Wash.
9/29/2007 @ Montana St.
10/6/2007 vs. Northern Colo.
10/13/2007 @ Northern Ariz.
10/20/2007 vs. Portland St.
10/27/2007 vs. Cal Poly
11/3/2007 @ Weber St.
11/10/2007 vs. Montana
11/17/2007 @ Sacramento St.

Montana
9/1/2007 vs. Southern Utah
9/8/2007 vs. Fort Lewis
9/22/2007 vs. Albany (N.Y.)
9/29/2007 vs. Weber St.
10/6/2007 vs. Eastern Wash.
10/13/2007 @ Sacramento St.
10/20/2007 vs. Northern Colo.
10/27/2007 @ Northern Ariz.
11/3/2007 vs Portland St.
11/10/2007 @ Idaho St.
11/17/2007 @ Montana St.

Montana St.
9/1/2007 @ Texas A&M
9/15/2007 vs. Dixie St.
9/22/2007 @ Weber St.
9/29/2007 vs. Idaho St.
10/6/2007 vs. Southern Utah
10/13/2007 @ Eastern Wash.
10/20/2007 vs. Sacramento St.
10/27/2007 @ Northern Colo.
11/3/2007 vs. Northern Ariz.
11/10/2007 @ Portland St.
11/17/2007 vs. Montana

Northern Arizona
8/30/2007 vs. Western N.M.
9/8/2007 @ Arizona
9/15/2007 @ Appalachian St.
9/22/2007 vs. Northern Colo.
9/29/2007 @ Sacramento St.
10/6/2007 @ Portland St.
10/13/2007 vs. Idaho St.
10/20/2007 @ Weber St.
10/27/2007 vs. Montana
11/3/2007 @ Montana St.
11/10/2007 vs. Eastern Wash.

Northern Colorado
9/1/2007 @ hawaii
9/8/2007 vs. Chadron State
9/15/2007 @ san diego
9/22/2007 @ Northern Arizona
9/29/2007 @ Cal-Poly
10/6/2007 @ Idaho St.
10/13/2007 vs. Weber State
10/20/2007 @ Montana
10/27/2007 vs. Montana St.
11/3/2007 @ Eastern Washington
11/10/2007 vs. Sacramento State
11/17/2007 vs. Portland State

Portland St.
9/1/2007 @ McNeese St.
9/8/2007 vs. UC Davis
9/15/2007 vs. Sacramento St.
9/22/2007 @ San Diego St.
9/29/2007 @ Eastern Wash.
10/6/2007 vs. Northern Ariz.
10/20/2007 @ Idaho St.
10/27/2007 vs. Weber St.
11/3/2007 @ Montana
11/10/2007 vs. Montana St.
11/17/2007 @ Northern Colo.

Sacramento St.
9/1/2007 @ Fresno St.
9/15/2007 @ Portland St.
9/22/2007 @ New Mexico
9/29/2007 vs. Northern Ariz.
10/6/2007 @ Weber St.
10/13/2007 vs. Montana
10/20/2007 @ Montana St.
10/27/2007 vs. Eastern Wash.
11/3/2007 vs. UC Davis
11/10/2007 @ Northern Colo.
11/17/2007 vs. Idaho St.

Weber St.
8/30/2007 @ Boise St.
9/15/2007 @ Cal Poly
9/22/2007 vs. Montana St.
9/29/2007 @ Montana
10/6/2007 vs. Sacramento St.
10/13/2007 @ Northern Colo.
10/20/2007 vs. Northern Ariz.
10/27/2007 @ Portland St.
11/3/2007 vs. Idaho St.
11/10/2007 vs. Fort Lewis
11/17/2007 @ Eastern Wash.