Griz Football Picked Number Two in Big Sky Conference Polls

The Big Sky Conference Virtual Kickoff event is underway and the Montana Grizzly football team has received some respectable preseason recognition.

Today (Thursday), the Grizzlies were voted to finish second by a very narrow margin in the 2020 Big Sky title race by the league's coaches and media. In that tight voting, Montana received 496 total points in the media poll and 128 points in the coaches' poll, edging out Montana State by a combined four first-place votes and 10 total points. The defending league champion Weber State Wildcats were picked to repeat as champions once again, topping both polls with a total of 35 first-place votes.

And how does the head coach feel about the recognition and the talent on this year's team? "I appreciate the regard the other coaches and media have for us, and I think It's probably where I envision us fitting in at this point," said head coach Bobby Hauck. "I think we have a really fine football team, and I think we'll be hard to beat."

Coach Hauck added, "It's always easier to say this after the season when you can evaluate how they performed, but the team we've put together has very few weak spots. I think it has a chance to be a really complete football team. I don't know about dominating, but I'm not sure they can't be a dominating team."

Coronavirus permitting, the Griz are now scheduled to open the season at Missouri State on September 12, due to Central Washington having to cancel what would have been the home opener September 5.Our thanks to UM Sports Information Director Eric Taber for sending us the polls.

2020 Big Sky Preseason Poll Results

Big Sky Football Preseason Media Poll

Big Sky Football Preseason Coaches' Poll