BOZEMAN — In a college football landscape that seems to be ever-changing with conference realignment, the Big Sky prides itself on consistency. As the 2024 season nears, here's a preview of this football season as a whole for the conference.
Starting in the Treasure State, both Montana and Montana State came in ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the preseason polls.
The Griz, who are the reigning Big Sky champions, are also fresh off a trip to the FCS national championship game last season.
"It’s always great to have people think you have a great team," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said. "Hopefully there’s some foresight to that, particularly the coaches, you’d think they know. So, that’s exciting. They picked us sixth last year, which I thought was a bit low, so who knows? But, I think that preseason recognition is about a good season the year before, and obviously we had a great season."
Last year, the Bobcats tied for Big Sky runners-up, and this year they return 23 seniors that are leading the way this upcoming season.
"You know, we were tied for second last year, and we returned quite a bit, so, it was probably based as much on that as anything," Montana State coach Brent Vigen said. "You know, if it drives our guys to ultimately want to gain that top spot a little bit. I hope that’s the case."
Both the preseason offensive and defensive MVPs are more alike than you think, despite playing opposite ends of the ball. Both have rodeo backgrounds.
Lan Larison, a standout running back from UC Davis, and Brody Grebe, star defensive end for Montana State, were selected for those accolades.
"I’m sure I’ve got a little bit of a target on my back, so I’m just going to play my type of football and our type of football, and it’s going to be good," said Larison, who was named Big Sky offensive MVP at the end of the 2023 regular season.
"Honor and respect I would say are the two main things, knowing that I have the respect from the media and the people around the conference means a lot to me," Grebe explained.
Idaho came in third in both the coaches and media polls, with head coach Jason Eck entering his third year at the helm. This past postseason, the Vandals won their way to the FCS quarterfinals after a first-round bye and notched a second-round win against Southern Illinois.
"I mean, it’s been amazing to see both sides of it. Being a part of two losing seasons, and then now the upward trajectory we are on. It’s just, it’s a culture change," Idaho defensive back Tommy McCormick said. "Heads (are) a lot higher in the locker room, a lot more energy around the team."
There are two new head coaches to the league this season — Tim Plough of UC Davis and Northern Arizona’s Brian Wright. Plough is no stranger to the Aggies, he played quarterback at Davis and spent 11 campaigns as an offensive coordinator.
"Someone told me if you’re going to be a head coach, "Why not go to your alma mater where you know the plusses and minuses?" said Plough, whose team is picked fourth in both polls.
"You know what it takes to recruit there, and you know the town, and it’s a place set up to win. So if that’s your first head coaching job, that’s probably as good as you can set up for yourself."
Wright has experience in the Big Sky, winning two conference titles with Montana State as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Rob Ash in 2010 and 2011.
"I think the experience you take is that it takes a great group of people collectively on one mission to win championships in any conference, and especially a conference that’s at the level that this one is," Wright said.
The best part about the preseason is that this year it's still anyone’s game.
