Big Sky Conference

Viks earn bye, Griz will host, SUU opens FCS playoffs on the road

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Montana will host a familiar foe, Southern Utah is heading to Huntsville, Portland State earned its first-ever bye and North Dakota was left on the outside looking in.

The FCS playoff field was announced on Sunday morning with three Big Sky Conference teams in the field. Southern Utah earned the league’s automatic bid but will open its second ever playoff appearance on the road. Portland State’s stellar surprise season continues as the Vikings take the No. 6 seed and a first-round bye into the playoffs. Montana is headed back to the postseason for the 21st time since 1993 and will host a first-round game.

Behind 152 yards rushing and two touchdowns from senior Davis Jones, Portland State secured the Dam Cup with a 34-31 win over No. 19 Eastern Washington on Saturday. The victory, PSU’s ninth this season, earned Portland State its first playoff berth since 2000 and its first seed in school history. Portland State is the No. 6 seed in this year’s FCS playoffs. The Vikings (9-2) will host the winner of Eastern Illinois (7-4) at Northern Iowa (7-4).

Ammon Olsen threw for 430 yards and five touchdowns as Southern Utah sewed up its first Big Sky Conference title in school history with a 49-41 victory over rival Northern Arizona. The Thunderbirds posted an 8-3 record, including 7-1 in league play, but SUU will still open the playoffs in the first round on the road. SUU plays at Sam Houston State (8-3), the second team out of the Southland Conference in the playoff field. Southland champion McNeese State (10-0) earned the No. 4 seed and will host the winner of the Bearkats and the Thunderbirds.

Montana turned four straight turnovers into touchdowns and scored 31 straight points in the first half in a 54-35 win over rival Montana State in Bozeman. The win was Montana’s seventh during a season filled with turmoil that’s seen UM win games with three different players starting at quarterback. The Griz earned three straight wins in November, including beating two perennial playoff contenders (EWU, MSU) in consecutive weeks. The Griz (7-4) will host Missouri Valley power South Dakota State (8-3), a team that the Grizzlies beat in the first round of the playoffs in 2009 in thrilling comeback fashion, scoring 27 straight points in a 61-48 victory.

The winner between the Griz and the Jackrabbits will play at No. 3 seed North Dakota State, also of the Missouri Valley. The Griz defeated the Bison 38-35 to open the 2015 season.

Despite three straight wins to close the season, an early-season win at Portland State and a season-opening win over FBS Wyoming, North Dakota was not a part of the 24-team playoff field. UND finished with a 7-4 record. Three of UND’s losses came with sophomore quarterback Keaton Studsrud either leaving the game with an injury (Idaho State) or not playing (Weber State, Montana).

Ohio Valley champion Jacksonville State earned the top seed. JSU will host the winner of Patriot League champion Fordham at Chattanooga. Missouri Valley champion Illinois State (9-2) earned the second seed and will host the winner of Pioneer League champion Dayton (10-1) and Western Illinois (6-5). Colonial Athletic Association co-champion James Madison (9-2) earned the No. 5 seed. The Dukes host the winner of Patriot League No. 2 Colgate (7-4) and New Hampshire (7-4), one of four CAA teams in the field. CAA co-champion Richmond (8-3) earned the seventh seed and will play the winner of CAA No. 4 William & Mary (8-3) Northeast champion Duquesne (8-3). Big South champion Charleston Southern (9-2) earned the No. 8 seed and will host the winner of two other Big South schools: the Citadel (8-3) plays at Coastal Carolina in the first round.

 

About Colter Nuanez

Colter Nuanez is the co-founder and senior writer for Skyline Sports. After spending six years in the newspaper industry with stops at the Missoulian, the Ellensburg Daily Record and the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the former Washington Newspaper Association Sportswriter of the Year and University of Montana Journalism School graduate ('09) has cultivated a deep passion for sports journalism during his 13-year career covering the Big Sky Conference. In August of 2014, Colter and brother Brooks merged their passions of writing and art to found Skyline Sports.

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