Big Sky Buzz: Eastern Washington Gears Up for Showdown with No. 8 Montana; Montana State Returns to Idaho State after 2018 Hiatus!

Wyatt Hansen has played in 44 games for Eastern Washington since the spring of 2021, experiencing his fair share of highs and lows throughout the journey.

Among those moments, some of the most memorable came against Montana, the opponent for both teams’ Big Sky openers this Saturday at Roos Field in Cheney.

“The home game in 2021 was definitely a high,” Hansen recalled on Monday, referencing Eastern’s thrilling 34-28 victory during Montana’s last visit to Cheney. “We were ranked sixth and they were fourth; it was an intense matchup. Super fun. Nothing can top that.”

Conversely, their rematch two months later in Missoula highlighted the lows, as the Eagles fell 57-41 in the FCS playoffs. “I’m marking the playoff game as the low,” Hansen reflected, “having to face them in Missoula. That team had potential to make a championship run.”

Another tough experience came at the end of the 2022 season when Eastern lost 63-7 in Missoula. “We didn’t perform at all in that game,” he admitted.

Since that playoff encounter, the two programs have seen contrasting fortunes. While Montana, which finished third in the Big Sky in 2021, clinched the conference title last season and reached the national championship, Eastern Washington has struggled, facing back-to-back losing seasons after sharing third place in 2021.

“We had a lot of sixth- and seventh-year players in 2021,” Hansen noted. “After that, we’ve struggled to find our identity. It’s taken us a year and a half to two years. Now, we’re focused on executing. We know who we are; we just need to get it done.”

Meanwhile, Montana seems to have found its footing. Under Bobby Hauck in his second stint, the Grizzlies have started the season 3-1, with their only loss (27-24) against North Dakota, despite leading 24-7 at halftime. Hauck preferred not to dwell on the past and emphasized that each game is unique. “I’m pleased with where we stand, but now it’s all about Big Sky Conference play,” he said during his weekly press conference.

Montana has risen to eighth in the FCS Stats Perform Top 25 poll. Ranked higher are No. 3 Montana State (4-0) and No. 4 Idaho (3-1).

Hansen anticipates a disciplined performance from Montana this weekend. “They do the little things well,” he praised their defense, which ranks second in the Big Sky by allowing 304.5 total yards per game. “They play hard and put in a lot of effort, leaving little room for error.”

Eastern Washington’s associate head coach, Marc Anderson, acknowledged that the 2021 playoff game was a turning point for the program. Since then, the Eagles have recorded a disappointing 6-18 record, including a 1-3 start this season, while Montana has excelled at 24-8.

“Our focus has been on rediscovering our identity as a program,” Anderson said. “We want to be back in playoff contention at home in late November and early December, like we were frequently from 2010 to 2019.”

Montana State’s Long-Awaited Return to Pocatello

One consequence of the Big Sky expanding to 12 teams again after Southern Utah’s departure in 2021 is that some teams have had prolonged absences from certain stadiums.

For instance, Idaho State hasn’t faced Eastern Washington since 2016, a streak that will end on November 16. Similarly, Montana State will visit Holt Arena in Pocatello this Saturday for the first time since 2018.

“It’s a venue where no one on our team has played, so it’ll be a new experience against a fresh opponent,” MSU head coach Brent Vigen stated in a Monday news conference. “They’re certainly an emerging team, especially after their big win last Saturday against Southern Utah.”

The Bengals secured a significant 38-28 victory over Southern Utah, marking their first Division I win of the season, as their prior victory came over Division II Western Oregon. “We really needed that win,” ISU second-year head coach Cody Hawkins remarked after the game, acknowledging the challenges they’ve faced recently.

Idaho State previously suffered a 52-28 defeat against North Dakota (3-1), who is currently ranked ninth after achieving two wins against Big Sky opponents this season.

Hornets and Lumberjacks Kick Off Big Sky Play

Two teams that Eastern Washington will face later this year, Sacramento State and Northern Arizona, will open their Big Sky schedule against each other on Saturday in Flagstaff, Arizona, as both teams come in with 2-2 records.

However, their paths to this record have been quite different.

The 10th-ranked Hornets had a tough start to the season, losing by 18 points to San Jose State and 16 points to Fresno State. However, they bounced back with a vengeance, defeating FCS opponents Nicholls and Texas A&M-Commerce by a combined score of 68-7.

In contrast, Northern Arizona’s victories came against Division II Lincoln (66-6) and a winless FCS team, Utah Tech (45-17). Their losses were to Arizona (22-10) and the 15th-ranked team in the FCS, Incarnate Word (38-14).

Sacramento State will host Eastern Washington on October 12, while the Lumberjacks are set to face the Eagles in Flagstaff on November 23.