Montana and Montana State can spin it as their first concern is about player safety, but everyone knows if the Griz could put 25,000 fans and the Bobcats could 18,000 fans in the stands for the 3 home games they both would be first in line to play a spring schedule. I am not saying player safety is not a legitimate concern, I am saying their PRIMARY reason for opting out is financial and player safety is a convenient excuse. If player safety is their primary reason they should have made that decision when the conference asked who was in for a 6 game spring schedule like Sac State did.

Or maybe they have weak teams this year, wink.

from the same twitter thread PSU opted out too. Portland State should really just cancel football. Skill or not, if no one comes out to watch, what's the point ? They could get a better crowd for a youth soccer game if you advertised that there would be pickle flavored donuts for sale. PSU could maybe get a boost if they put a bird on it.

portland article i read said they haven't practiced in 10 months, so last spring. not sure the montana situation. we had fall workouts that were like an extended spring, so we'd be much further along than PSU prep-wise.

so, we're down to 9? we really need one more to drop to get to an even number else schedule will really be a mess.

Kind of interesting which schools have opted in and out at this point. Probably not who I would have bet on a few months ago. I think Hauck touched on the miserable February weather in Montana. And while I don’t think he cares an ounce about anyone else, he probably doesn’t want to freeze his own baguettes off. I do hope the South Dakota State guys do some trolling on eGriz about outdoor football in cold conditions.

I always get a chuckle when player safety is brought up (particularly with Covid) in the context of football when there are so many injuries in college football. I do think I’m the case of the Montana schools that prepping for a season beginning in February is pushing it. Don’t know when the season stArt date was set but it would seem to be a valid decision right off the bat. Just have to wonder if things are going to start to unravel in big sky and if trying to do a 6 game schedule with Covid not getting better is going to work out logistically given all the rules/restrictions.

I think player safety is a very legit concern as is playing in Montana in February. That said Montana and Montana State knew both of those issues when the conference came to each school about playing a spring season. The only thing that has changed since then is they now know they will not be able to pack their stadiums to help finance a spring season.

I actually think player safety is probably third on their list of reasons to opt out NOW. As I said financial is the primary reason. I have a sneaking suspicion that both coaches feel it gives them an advantage in the fall of 2021. The advantage would be having fresher legs and healthier players compared to the 100+ FCS teams that played 6 to 11 games in the spring. To boot is they can still play 2 games so it is kind of the best of both worlds.

They just figured out it’s cold in February! Scholars!!

Too funny DrMike. Thanks for making me laugh.

By the way here is the TENTATIVE schedule. Not sure how they are handling an odd number with the 2 byes

DrMike where did you find the new schedule?

Looks like Cal Poly went from hosting the Aggies in week two to traveling to Davis April 3rd.

it was sent to me by someone in department. It’s probably not etched in stone

How do you ranked the 9 teams that are playing this spring?

Here is my guess (emphasis on guess):

1) Weber State
2) Eastern Washington
3) NAU
4) UC Davis
5) Idaho
6) Idaho State
7) Cal Poly
8) Northern Colorado
9) Southern Utah

Also with Southern Utah heading to the WAC in 2022 that will leave the Big Sky with 12 football playing members. I think there is a good chance the Big Sky goes to two six team divisions. Each team plays the 5 teams from their division and 3 from the other division.

My guess at Divisions:

North: EWU, PSU, UM, MSU, UI and ISU

South: UCD, CP, Sac, NAU, WSU and UNC

Another possibility:

Pacific: EWU, PSU, UCD, Sac, CP and NAU

Mountain: UM, MSU, UI, ISU, WSU and UNC

How does Dixie State fit into this? WAC or BS?

Dixie State is a member of the WAC.

I wonder if they fill in some of the blanks in the schedule. With an odd number of teams, there will be teams with byes on the non bye weekends

I don’t follow Weber closely but I notice that their QB Constantine is transferring to Rice. Still rank them #1 ?

Weber State has been at the top of the Big Sky the last 3 years under Jay Hill. They return Josh Davis and are always one of the top defenses in the Big Sky. I think replacing Constantine might be a benefit. They have a 6’5” 230 pound QB transfer from Middle Tennessee State they are pretty high on and I was never that impressed with Constantine.

All that said my ranking is just a guess with not a lot of research. I was hoping to see what others think.

Spring Schedule updated, as TENTATIVE...hate that word, usually means "not going to happen"

Or waiting for some other school which is on the line...leading again to “not going to happen.”

Northern Colorado opts out of Big Sky Spring schedule.

It is actually better now we that they are back to an even number of teams which makes scheduling 6 games with byes after weeks 3 and 6 for each of the remaining 8 teams possible.

2020-21 UC DAVIS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Feb. 27 - CAL POLY
Mar. 6 - at Idaho
Mar. 13 - at Weber State
Mar. 27 - IDAHO STATE
Apr. 3 - EASTERN WASHINGTON
Apr. 10 - at Cal Poly

2020-21 CAL POLY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Feb. 27 - at UC Davis
Mar. 6 - Weber State
Mar. 13 - Southern Utah
Mar. 27 - at Eastern Washington
Apr. 3 - at Northern Arizona
Apr. 10 - UC Davis

Alright Mustangs, let's get it on, yeah!

Cal Poly is always one of my favorite games of the year. When that triple option is working for them it’s hard to get a stop. I might have to volunteer as a water boy or something to get in

No triple option at Cal Poly anymore. Walsh retired and former EWU coach Beau Baldwin is now the head coach at Cal Poly. Cal Poly will run a Multiple offense. Standard offense will have one back, a TE and 3 WRs.

About time, looking forward to the looks, I think Baldwin will have Poly sneaking up on a lot of teams. Not a ton of game film on them year 1, hell of an opportunity to blitzkrieg the Sky.

Future Schedules updated:
Feb. 27 - CAL POLY
Mar. 6 - at Idaho
Mar. 13 - at Weber State
Mar. 27 - IDAHO STATE
Apr. 3 - EASTERN WASHINGTON
Apr. 10 - at Cal Poly