• A solid debut from the Bears on Saturday against the Adams State Grizzlies. The game was never really in doubt from the opening kickoff. One thing that jumps out to me about this team is the depth that this year’s edition possesses. UNC has always had skilled players, they just didn’t have enough of them to be legitimately competitive, that seems to have changed this year, namely on the defensive line and linebackers as well as the wide receiving corps.
• Andre Harris might be ready to put his name on a bigger stage this year. The Bears have a nice “thunder and lightning” combination with Harris and Jhamele Robinson, but it was Harris, the 6’1, 220 pound senior that ran with a purpose and looked much improved.
• Saturday night’s match-up against Weber State has been enticing to me for a long time. Sure, Weber State has become an accomplished football program lately under Coach Ron McBride’s tutelage (and are currently ranked 18th in the coaches poll) but this Northern Colorado team has given the Wildcats all they could handle the last couple of years, and that was when the talent discrepancy was bigger than it will be this time around.
• I’m interested in watching Cameron Higgins and the Wildcats offense against a fast Bears defense. In the last two meetings between the schools, Higgins has thrown for a combined 52-74 for 705 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Quarterback lost wide receiver Tim Toone (currently on the Detroit Lions practice squad) but still has some toys to play with. Mike Phillips is a speedster who has garnered All-Big Sky Honorable Mention honors the last two seasons and Joe Collins, the leading returning receiver in terms of receptions. The Bears secondary is improved and boasts All-Conference performer Korey Askew. The corner on the other side is Colby Riggins, and he will be tested early and often by the Wildcats attack.
• After 24 hours of having a chance to contemplate it, the idea of Cal Poly and UC-Davis joining the Big Sky is growing on me. The additions of the schools will not only expand the conference geographically, but it should raise the conference’s profile immensely in one of the most talent-rich states in terms of high school football. Northern Colorado alone currently has 14 players on their roster from the state, and that will have a chance to grow as each team in the conference will be making at least one trip to California per season to face one of the three schools from that region (including Sacramento State). Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton noted in the conference call that once the 12th member joins (expected to be in the next three months), discussions will then shift to making two six-team divisions, which is always intriguing in my mind as it heightens current rivalries and creates new ones.
• I’m not a betting man, but if I was, I’d have to take a look at that Montana State-Washington State game. In fact, would it honestly be a big upset? At the very least, it could give us a barometer on how good the Big Sky is in comparison to the country on a large scale. You have a team that started the season ranked third in the conference in pre-season polls against arguably one of the worst BCS-member schools. Redshirt Freshman Denarius McGhee will get his first real taste of Division I football. And although Coach Rob Ash said it’s McGhee’s job all the way, don’t be surprised if 5th year Senior Cody Kempt gets a chance to come in if McGhee struggles out of the gate.
• Montana and Portland State will each get a chance to play future conference members with Montana traveling to take on Cal-Poly and the Vikings playing at Cal-Davis. Is sending the #1 ranked Montana Grizzlies really a nice “housewarming” gift to the Cal Poly Mustangs? I didn’t think so either.
• And Northern Arizona has quite a task in traveling to Tempe, Arizona to face the Arizona State Sun Devils, the same team that defeated the Portland State Vikings last week. I like QB Michael Herrick, but I still want to see more of him (and more NAU wins) in order to believe he deserved all the preseason hype he received, and a good showing against the FBS Sun Devils would certainly help that notion. Not saying a bad showing would make me think less of him, but he has a great opportunity on Saturday night to help his Walter Payton Award aspirations.
• Andre Harris might be ready to put his name on a bigger stage this year. The Bears have a nice “thunder and lightning” combination with Harris and Jhamele Robinson, but it was Harris, the 6’1, 220 pound senior that ran with a purpose and looked much improved.
• Saturday night’s match-up against Weber State has been enticing to me for a long time. Sure, Weber State has become an accomplished football program lately under Coach Ron McBride’s tutelage (and are currently ranked 18th in the coaches poll) but this Northern Colorado team has given the Wildcats all they could handle the last couple of years, and that was when the talent discrepancy was bigger than it will be this time around.
• I’m interested in watching Cameron Higgins and the Wildcats offense against a fast Bears defense. In the last two meetings between the schools, Higgins has thrown for a combined 52-74 for 705 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Quarterback lost wide receiver Tim Toone (currently on the Detroit Lions practice squad) but still has some toys to play with. Mike Phillips is a speedster who has garnered All-Big Sky Honorable Mention honors the last two seasons and Joe Collins, the leading returning receiver in terms of receptions. The Bears secondary is improved and boasts All-Conference performer Korey Askew. The corner on the other side is Colby Riggins, and he will be tested early and often by the Wildcats attack.
• After 24 hours of having a chance to contemplate it, the idea of Cal Poly and UC-Davis joining the Big Sky is growing on me. The additions of the schools will not only expand the conference geographically, but it should raise the conference’s profile immensely in one of the most talent-rich states in terms of high school football. Northern Colorado alone currently has 14 players on their roster from the state, and that will have a chance to grow as each team in the conference will be making at least one trip to California per season to face one of the three schools from that region (including Sacramento State). Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton noted in the conference call that once the 12th member joins (expected to be in the next three months), discussions will then shift to making two six-team divisions, which is always intriguing in my mind as it heightens current rivalries and creates new ones.
• I’m not a betting man, but if I was, I’d have to take a look at that Montana State-Washington State game. In fact, would it honestly be a big upset? At the very least, it could give us a barometer on how good the Big Sky is in comparison to the country on a large scale. You have a team that started the season ranked third in the conference in pre-season polls against arguably one of the worst BCS-member schools. Redshirt Freshman Denarius McGhee will get his first real taste of Division I football. And although Coach Rob Ash said it’s McGhee’s job all the way, don’t be surprised if 5th year Senior Cody Kempt gets a chance to come in if McGhee struggles out of the gate.
• Montana and Portland State will each get a chance to play future conference members with Montana traveling to take on Cal-Poly and the Vikings playing at Cal-Davis. Is sending the #1 ranked Montana Grizzlies really a nice “housewarming” gift to the Cal Poly Mustangs? I didn’t think so either.
• And Northern Arizona has quite a task in traveling to Tempe, Arizona to face the Arizona State Sun Devils, the same team that defeated the Portland State Vikings last week. I like QB Michael Herrick, but I still want to see more of him (and more NAU wins) in order to believe he deserved all the preseason hype he received, and a good showing against the FBS Sun Devils would certainly help that notion. Not saying a bad showing would make me think less of him, but he has a great opportunity on Saturday night to help his Walter Payton Award aspirations.
