Griz Picked To Finish 3rd In Big Sky

Defending national champion Eastern Washington is favored to win the Big Sky Conference football title in poll of coaches and media that cover the FCS league.

The preseason polls have last year's regular-season co-champion Montana State ranked second, followed by perennial national power Montana.

Eastern Washington received six of the nine first-place votes in the coaches' poll, while Montana State received the other three. The Eagles received 29 first-place votes from the media, followed by MSU with 19 and Montana with three.

EWU and MSU both finished at 7-1 in the Big Sky last season. Montana State beat the Eagles 30-7 in Bozeman. The teams meet Sept. 24 in Cheney, Wash.

Sacramento State is ranked fourth in both polls, which were released Tuesday. The coaches picked Northern Arizona fifth and Weber State sixth while the media reversed those spots.

Portland State, Northern Colorado and Idaho State were picked seventh through ninth in both polls.