Idaho took the Little Brown Stein, Montana State bounced back and Weber State keeps winning, and the Big Sky Now panel is breaking it all down. Host Luke Schmit is joined by Daily Inter Lake sports editor Fritz Neighbor, Mike Maynard of the Columbia Basin Herald and Mark Nelke of the Coeur d’Alene Press to recap Week 7, preview the biggest Week 8 matchups and make their weekly picks. Jon Allen is out this week, so Luke covers his picks.

Idaho beat Montana 42-35 in Missoula behind a huge day from quarterback Joshua Wood, and the Vandals have now defeated both Montana schools. Montana State answered its loss to Idaho with a 56-20 win over Eastern Washington, Weber State took down Idaho State 27-20 to improve to 4-1 in conference play, Northern Colorado topped Cal Poly 28-18, and Southern Utah beat UC Davis 38-17 behind Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week Floyd Chalk. The panel also looks at Northern Arizona’s 38-25 win over Portland State and what the results mean for the Big Sky Conference standings and the FCS playoff picture.

Then it’s on to Week 8. Can Weber State hand defending national champion Montana State its first test of the season in Bozeman? Can Idaho keep its momentum against Southern Utah’s rushing attack in the Kibbie Dome? Will Idaho State stop its three-game slide against Portland State? The panel also breaks down Utah Tech at Cal Poly and Northern Colorado at UC Davis.

Finally, the crew makes its picks for this week's matchups. Play along with us and make your weekly picks in our season-long Pick ’Em! Someone needs to beat Jon. No registration required, and it’s free to play: https://qr1.be/D321P8

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Idaho Takes the Little Brown Stein, 42-35
06:44 - Montana State Bounces Back, 56-20 Over Eastern Washington
12:58 - Weber State Beats Idaho State, 27-20
17:21 - Northern Colorado Tops Cal Poly, 28-18
19:50 - Southern Utah Beats UC Davis, 38-17
22:57 - Northern Arizona Beats Portland State, 38-25
25:20 - Weber State at Montana State
27:20 - Southern Utah at Idaho
30:41 - Portland State at Idaho State
34:42 - Utah Tech at Cal Poly
35:40 - Northern Colorado at UC Davis
37:25 - Week 8 Pick ’Em: presented by Mountain Pass Safes & Coins
38:50 - Mike’s Picks
39:49 - Fritz’s Picks
40:26 - Mark’s Picks
41:06 - Luke and Jon’s Picks
41:59 - Final Thoughts

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference.

Email us any questions you may have at podcast@dailyinterlake.com - you may be featured in our next discussion!

Big Sky Conference football delivered another wild week, and the Big Sky Now panel is breaking it all down. Host Luke Schmit is joined by Daily Inter Lake sports editor Fritz Neighbor and reporter Jon Allen, Mike Maynard of the Columbia Basin Herald, and Mark Nelke of the Coeur d'Alene Press to recap Week 6, preview the biggest Week 7 matchups and make their weekly picks.

Northern Arizona stunned Montana in a 49-44 shootout behind a huge performance from quarterback Ty Pennington. Cal Poly edged Idaho State 25-24, Weber State handed Idaho a 38-27 loss after the Vandals' upset of Montana State, and Eastern Washington picked up its first conference win against Northern Colorado. The panel also looks at Portland State's victory over Utah Tech and what the results mean for the Big Sky Conference standings and FCS playoff picture.

Then it's on to Week 7. Can Montana rebound against Idaho in the Little Brown Stein rivalry game? Will defending national champion Montana State get back on track against Eastern Washington? Is Weber State becoming a legitimate contender, and can Idaho State stop its two-game slide? The panel also breaks down Cal Poly at Northern Colorado, UC Davis at Southern Utah and Portland State at Northern Arizona.

Finally, the crew makes its picks for all six featured matchups and updates the season-long standings. Play along with us and make your weekly picks in our season-long Pick 'Em! Someone needs to beat Jon. No registration required, and it's free to play: https://qr1.be/D321P8

Watch Luke's preseason interview with NAU's Ty Pennington: https://youtu.be/nzZvjP88e40

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro
01:13 – Northern Arizona Stuns Montana, 49-44
07:48 – Cal Poly Edges Idaho State, 25-24
11:03 – Eastern Washington Gets Its First Conference Win
16:40 – Weber State Takes Down Idaho, 38-27
22:03 – Portland State Beats Utah Tech
22:46 – Idaho at Montana: Can the Grizzlies Bounce Back?
29:17 – Montana State at Eastern Washington
34:42 – Idaho State at Weber State
36:08 – Cal Poly at Northern Colorado
38:02 – UC Davis at Southern Utah
39:28 – Portland State at Northern Arizona
41:13 – Week 7 Pick 'Em: presented by Mountain Pass Safes & Coins
42:36 – Jon Allen's Picks
43:44 – Mark Nelke's Picks
44:15 – Fritz Neighbor's Picks
45:05 – Mike Maynard's Picks
45:41 – Luke Schmit's Picks
46:41 – Final Thoughts

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference.

Email us any questions you may have at podcast@dailyinterlake.com - you may be featured in our next discussion!

On this episode of Big Sky Now, host Luke Schmit and the panel break down a Week 5 slate that saw two unbeaten Big Sky teams fall, then preview a Week 6 headlined by Montana at Northern Arizona. Joining Luke are Daily Inter Lake sports editor Fritz Neighbor and reporter Jon Allen, Mike Maynard of the Columbia Basin Herald, and Mark Nelke of the Coeur d'Alene Press.

Week 5 brought a two-point conversion that ended Montana State's 19-game winning streak, a Homecoming win that kept Montana unbeaten in conference play, and a double-overtime thriller in Ogden. The panel digs into the final-second clock controversy in Moscow, Idaho State's first loss, and what is going wrong for Eastern Washington at 1-5.

Week 6 puts the Griz on the road at 7,000 feet, sends a revived Idaho to Weber State, and has two middle-of-the-pack matchups that could shape the playoff picture. Every panelist makes their picks, and the standings are tight.

Play along with us and make your weekly picks in our season-long Pick 'Em! Someone needs to beat Jon. No registration required, and it's free to play: https://qr1.be/D321P8

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:17 - Idaho 35, Montana State 34
09:39 - Montana 36, Northern Colorado 14
14:17 - UC Davis 49, Eastern Washington 38
18:03 - Northern Arizona 38, Idaho State 31
21:37 - Southern Utah 46, Utah Tech 33 (Battle for the Ax)
22:25 - Weber State 42, Cal Poly 34 (2OT)
24:47 - Week 6 Preview: Montana at Northern Arizona
28:45 - Idaho at Weber State
31:05 - Northern Colorado at Eastern Washington
33:35 - Utah Tech at Portland State
35:42 - Cal Poly at Idaho State
40:13 - Week 6 Pick 'Em: presented by Mountain Pass Safes & Coins

Big thanks to Mountain Pass Safes & Coins for sponsoring our Pick 'Em segment! They are a family-owned business proudly serving the Flathead Valley with a wide selection of high-quality safes ready for immediate delivery - no long wait times. Whether you’re protecting firearms, valuables, or important documents, their safes offer advanced fire protection, reinforced construction, and customizable storage options backed by strong warranties. They also buy and sell gold and silver with a reputation for fair, transparent pricing. Stop by their showroom at 2593 US Highway 2 E Suite 4 in Kalispell or visit mountainpasssafes.com to learn more.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference.

Email us any questions you may have at podcast@dailyinterlake.com - you may be featured in our next discussion!