Big Sky preseason football polls give nod to perennial power UM

PARK CITY, Utah — The Montana Grizzlies are favored to win the 2004 Big Sky Conference football title in new preseason polls of both coaches and media.

Montana received five of the eight first-place votes and had 44 total points in the coaches’ poll and 16 first-place votes and 209 total points in the media poll. Both polls were released Monday.

The Grizzlies have won or shared the last six Big Sky titles and are coming off a 9-4 season in 2003. Montana State and Idaho State shared the conference championship with Montana last season.

Eastern Washington received two first-place votes in the coaches’ poll and finished second with 40 total points. Northern Arizona was third with 32 total points and one first-place vote. Montana State, which tied for the Big Sky title in the past two years, ranked fourth with 31 total points.

In the media poll, Montana State ranked second with six first-place votes and 183 points, followed by Northern Arizona with 182.5 total points and five first-place votes. Eastern Washington ranked fourth with two first-place votes and 146.5 points.

Montana is a two-time Division I-AA national champion.

The Eagles were 6-5 overall and 3-4 in the conference for the second straight year last season.