Montana voted cream of crop

Eastern Washington University, coming off a disappointing 3-8 season, has been picked by both coaches and members of the media to finish fifth in this year’s Big Sky Conference football race.

Defending champion Montana, which finished 12-2 last fall, was the overwhelming favorite in both polls to win another BSC title. The Grizzlies earned eight of the nine first-place votes in the coaches’ poll and all 33 cast in the media poll.

Montana State picked up the other first-place vote in the coaches’ voting.

EWU senior defensive back Gregor Smith, who is in Park City, Utah, as the Eagles’ player representative at the Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff, wasn’t the least bit disappointed in the lack of respect shown to him and his teammates.

“I think that’s pretty generous, considering how we did last year,” he said.

Steve Bergum