The Montana Grizzlies rose to No. 4 in the NCAA FCS Coaches’ Poll and No. 5 in the STATS FCS Media Poll on Monday, setting up a top-5 showdown with No. 3 Weber State on Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.
The Griz defeated their rival Idaho Vandals 42-17 last week to rise one place in both polls, up from No. 5 in the coaches’ poll and up from No. 6 in the media poll. In a tight vote, Montana (8-2, 5-1 BSC) picked up 561 points in the coaches’ poll (14 points shy of Weber State’s total of 575), and 3,161 points in the media poll, 85 points shy of No. 4 Northern Iowa.
Montana’s position was also improved due to previous No. 4-ranked South Dakota State falling 27-18 to Illinois State, and a narrow 17-9 home win Northern Iowa Panthers over an unranked Indiana State. Also falling on Saturday was Central Arkansas, who was ranked ahead of Montana at No. 7 in the first top-10 poll of the year by the Division I Football Championship Committee.
The move in this week’s national rankings sets up a top-5 showdown for the No. 4/5 Grizzlies against No. 3 Weber State (8-2, 6-0 BSC) on Saturday, with Big Sky championship implications on the line as well.
The Griz and Wildcats currently sit at No. 1 and 2 on the Big Sky table with two games each remaining. The Wildcats advanced to the FCS quarterfinals in 2018, where they fell to Maine, 23-18.
Saturday’s game marks the first time since 2017 the Griz have faced the Wildcats. Montana enters the game leading the all-time series between the Big Sky Conference founding members 39-15. Montana has won two of the last four meetings but has dropped the previous two matchups. One, a 24-21 overtime loss in Missoula in 2015, the other a 41-27 loss in Ogden in 2017.
The Grizzlies have had one of the toughest schedules in FCS football this season, ranked fifth-strongest in the Massey Ratings. Weber State has faced an equally tough schedule, ranked the third-strongest by Massey.
Tickets to see the No. 4 Griz take on the No. 3 Wildcats start at $40 and are available online at GrizTix.com, over the phone at 1-888-Montana, or in person at the Adams Center Box Office.
AFCA FCS Coaches’ Poll
1 North Dakota State
2 James Madison
3 Weber State
4 Montana
5 Northern Iowa
6 Sacramento State
7 Furman
8 Illinois State
9 South Dakota State
10 Montana State
11 Kennesaw State
12 Dartmouth
13 Central Arkansas
14 Florida A&M
15 Monmouth (N.J.)
16 Villanova
17 Southeast Missouri State
18 Central Connecticut State
19 Princeton
20 Wofford
21 Towson
22 Austin Peay
23 Southeastern Louisiana
24 Nicholls
25 North Carolina A&T
Others receiving votes: North Dakota, 38; Southern Illinois, 27; San Diego, 19; New Hampshire, 18; The Citadel, 14; Sam Houston St., 11; Richmond, 10; South Carolina St., 8; Campbell, 6; Albany, 5; Eastern Washington, 4; Yale, 4; Robert Morris, 2; Tennessee Tech, 1; UT Martin, 1.
STATS FCS Media Poll
1 North Dakota State
2 James Madison
3 Weber State
4 UNI
5 Montana
6 Sacramento State
7 Illinois State
8 South Dakota State
9 Furman
10 Montana State
11 Dartmouth
12 Florida A&M
13 Villanova
14 Central Arkansas
15 Southeast Missouri State
16 Kennesaw State
17 Monmouth
18 Princeton
19 Central Connecticut State
20 Towson
21 Wofford
22 Austin Peay
23 Southeastern Louisiana
24 Nicholls
25 North Carolina A&T
Others: North Dakota (342) , Sam Houston State (264) , New Hampshire (179) , Southern Illinois (159) , Citadel (146) , Yale (90) , UC Davis (58) , San Diego (54) , UT Martin (32) , Albany (32) , Alcorn State (29) , Richmond (20) , Maine (11) , South Carolina State (10) , Eastern Washington (3) , McNeese (3)