The non-conference analysis is simply a look at who each FCS team is playing as of late May / early June. Occasionally schedules change, FBS schools buyout contracts and swap opponents, causing a domino effect. So these are tentative opponents, subject to change.
Big Sky
Cal Poly: vs. Colgate, @ San Jose State, @ Northern Iowa
Eastern Washington: @ Texas Tech, vs. North Dakota State, @ Fordham
Idaho State: vs. Western Oregon, @ Utah State, @ Nevada
Montana: vs. Valparaiso, @ Washington, vs. Savannah State
Montana State: @ Washington State, vs. South Dakota State, vs. Kennesaw State
North Dakota: @ Utah, vs. Missouri State, @ South Dakota
Northern Arizona: @ Arizona, vs. Western Illinois, vs. Illinois State
Northern Colorado: vs. College of Idaho, @ Florida, @ Colorado
Portland State: @ Brigham Young, @ Oregon State, vs. UC-Davis*
Sacramento State: @ Idaho, vs. Incarnate Word, vs. Weber State*
Southern Utah: @ Oregon, @ Stephen F. Austin, vs. Northern Iowa
UC Davis: @ San Diego State, vs. San Diego, @ Portland State*
Weber State: vs. Montana Western, @ California, @ Sacramento State*
*Conference opponent, but will be played as a non-conference game and not count in Big Sky standings
Overall, the Big Sky is pretty aggressive with their scheduling as everybody plays at least one FBS opponent. Idaho State, Northern Colorado and Portland State each play two. Of those three, Idaho State and Northern Colorado also play a school below the Division I level, Weber State is the only other Big Sky team who plays such an opponent. A total of eight of the conference’s twenty non-conference games are against the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Combine that with the fact everybody is playing an FBS opponent, those teams are really scheduling up also. North Dakota and Northern Arizona are double-dipping against the MVFC. Cal Poly and Montana State host games against teams from the Eastern Time Zone, who come from automatic-bid leagues. Eastern Washington also has one of these games, but travels instead. Montana plays three Division I opponents, but two are from the Pioneer and Mid-Eastern. Those games should guarantee wins but will not impress the Selection Committee if splitting hairs for one of the final playoff spots.
