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OGDEN, UTAH (July 19, 2011) – Defending national champion Eastern Washington is a slight favorite to capture the 2011 Big Sky Conference regular-season football championship.
The league announced the preseason media and coaches’ polls Tuesday, and the Eagles earned the nod over Montana State and perennial national power Montana.
Eastern Washington earned six of the nine first-place votes from the coaches, garnering 60 total points. Three coaches tabbed Rob Ash’s Montana State club first. The Bobcats earned 57 total points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Beau Baldwin’s Eastern Washington Eagles earned 29 of the 52 first-place votes from the media, finishing with 430 points. Montana State garnered 19 first-place votes and 414 total points.
Montana State and Eastern Washington shared the 2010 regular-season title, both finishing with 7-1 conference records. Montana State beat Eastern Washington 30-7 in Bozeman, Mont., last season. The teams meet in Cheney, Wash., on Sept. 24.
Eastern Washington and Montana State both earned trips to the FCS playoffs last season. Montana State fell at home in the second round to North Dakota State. Eastern Washington won home games over Southeast Missouri State, North Dakota State and Villanova, earning the right to play Delaware in the 2010 Division I National Championship game in Frisco, Texas. EWU rallied from a 19-0 third-quarter deficit to win 20-19.
The Eagles are slated to return 16 starters, including senior quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, All-Conference wide receiver Brandon Kaufman, All-American center Chris Powers, All-American safety Matt Johnson, and All-Conference defensive tackle Renard Williams.
Eastern Washington will put its 11-game winning streak on the line when it opens the 2011 season on Sept. 3 against Washington of the Pac-12. The Eagles also play at South Dakota and Montana before their home-opener against Montana State.
Montana State is set to return 14 starters, including sophomore quarterback DeNarius McGhee. The native of Euless, Texas, was named the Big Sky Co-Offensive MVP and Newcomer of the Year in 2010. He was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Monday. The Bobcats also return a deep receiving corps led by senior Elvis Akpla. Led by McGhee, the Bobcats finished in the top 10 in the nation in passing, total and scoring offense. Montana State opens its season on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Utah.
Montana was selected third in both polls, followed by Sacramento State. Montana earned 49 points in the coaches’ poll and 365 points with three first-place votes in the media poll.
Montana finished 7-4 in 2010, missing out on the postseason for the first time since 1992. It also marked the first time since 1997 the Grizzlies didn’t win at least a share of the conference title. Montana advanced to the national championship game in 2008 and 2009. Robin Pflugrad’s Grizzlies are led by All-American cornerback Trumaine Johnson.
Sacramento State finished 6-5 in 2010, its first winning season since 2000. Marshall Sperbeck’s Hornets might be ready to vie for the championship. Eight starters return to an offense that averaged 40 points per game over the final six conference games. Quarterback Jeff Fleming, running back Bryan Hilliard and receiver Chase Deadder all return to the unit, along with wide receiver Brandyn Reed, who missed last season with an injury. The Hornet defense is led by senior defensive end Zack Nash, the conference preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Northern Arizona was selected fifth by the coaches, followed by Weber State. The media tabbed Weber State fifth, followed by Northern Arizona.
Portland State, Northern Colorado and Idaho State rounded out both polls.
Northern Colorado is under the leadership of first-year coach Earnest Collins Jr, who spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Alcorn State.
Veteran Big Sky coach Mike Kramer has taken over at Idaho State. Kramer guided Eastern Washington and Montana State to league championships and postseason playoff appearances. He last coached at Montana State in 2006.
OGDEN, UTAH (July 19, 2011) – Defending national champion Eastern Washington is a slight favorite to capture the 2011 Big Sky Conference regular-season football championship.
The league announced the preseason media and coaches’ polls Tuesday, and the Eagles earned the nod over Montana State and perennial national power Montana.
Eastern Washington earned six of the nine first-place votes from the coaches, garnering 60 total points. Three coaches tabbed Rob Ash’s Montana State club first. The Bobcats earned 57 total points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Beau Baldwin’s Eastern Washington Eagles earned 29 of the 52 first-place votes from the media, finishing with 430 points. Montana State garnered 19 first-place votes and 414 total points.
Montana State and Eastern Washington shared the 2010 regular-season title, both finishing with 7-1 conference records. Montana State beat Eastern Washington 30-7 in Bozeman, Mont., last season. The teams meet in Cheney, Wash., on Sept. 24.
Eastern Washington and Montana State both earned trips to the FCS playoffs last season. Montana State fell at home in the second round to North Dakota State. Eastern Washington won home games over Southeast Missouri State, North Dakota State and Villanova, earning the right to play Delaware in the 2010 Division I National Championship game in Frisco, Texas. EWU rallied from a 19-0 third-quarter deficit to win 20-19.
The Eagles are slated to return 16 starters, including senior quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, All-Conference wide receiver Brandon Kaufman, All-American center Chris Powers, All-American safety Matt Johnson, and All-Conference defensive tackle Renard Williams.
Eastern Washington will put its 11-game winning streak on the line when it opens the 2011 season on Sept. 3 against Washington of the Pac-12. The Eagles also play at South Dakota and Montana before their home-opener against Montana State.
Montana State is set to return 14 starters, including sophomore quarterback DeNarius McGhee. The native of Euless, Texas, was named the Big Sky Co-Offensive MVP and Newcomer of the Year in 2010. He was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Monday. The Bobcats also return a deep receiving corps led by senior Elvis Akpla. Led by McGhee, the Bobcats finished in the top 10 in the nation in passing, total and scoring offense. Montana State opens its season on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Utah.
Montana was selected third in both polls, followed by Sacramento State. Montana earned 49 points in the coaches’ poll and 365 points with three first-place votes in the media poll.
Montana finished 7-4 in 2010, missing out on the postseason for the first time since 1992. It also marked the first time since 1997 the Grizzlies didn’t win at least a share of the conference title. Montana advanced to the national championship game in 2008 and 2009. Robin Pflugrad’s Grizzlies are led by All-American cornerback Trumaine Johnson.
Sacramento State finished 6-5 in 2010, its first winning season since 2000. Marshall Sperbeck’s Hornets might be ready to vie for the championship. Eight starters return to an offense that averaged 40 points per game over the final six conference games. Quarterback Jeff Fleming, running back Bryan Hilliard and receiver Chase Deadder all return to the unit, along with wide receiver Brandyn Reed, who missed last season with an injury. The Hornet defense is led by senior defensive end Zack Nash, the conference preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Northern Arizona was selected fifth by the coaches, followed by Weber State. The media tabbed Weber State fifth, followed by Northern Arizona.
Portland State, Northern Colorado and Idaho State rounded out both polls.
Northern Colorado is under the leadership of first-year coach Earnest Collins Jr, who spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Alcorn State.
Veteran Big Sky coach Mike Kramer has taken over at Idaho State. Kramer guided Eastern Washington and Montana State to league championships and postseason playoff appearances. He last coached at Montana State in 2006.
