Big Sky notebook: Conference leaders heavy at top of national FCS rankings

From a conference-level standpoint, it’s hard to imagine a better first six weeks of football for the Big Sky.

The conference has four teams among the top six in this week’s FCS Stats Perform poll, and there’s a good chance at least two of those four will earn one of the eight playoff seeds come November.

Three of those programs – No. 3 Montana, No. 4 Montana State and No. 6 Weber State – have long been nationally recognized. Last season, MSU lost to North Dakota State in the title game.

But after going 8-0 a year ago in conference play and starting this season 5-0 overall (2-0 in conference), the fifth-ranked Sacramento State Hornets are building the case that they, too, belong among the Big Sky’s perennial favorites.

“There are some really strong teams, and there are always a couple of teams that emerge,” SSU coach Troy Taylor, a former EWU offensive coordinator, said Thursday. “We were one of those teams a few years ago.”

Through five games, the Hornets, who play at Eastern Washington at 4 p.m. Saturday, have been dominant.

They rank fourth nationally in rushing yards per game (253.6), 12th in third-down conversion rate (49.2%) and 12th in pass completion percentage (67.2).

They’ve been effective on special teams, too, specifically in punting : The Hornets have punted 14 times, and opposing teams have just 4 return yards, total.

Add in a defense that has allowed the third-fewest points among Big Sky teams and the Hornets are buzzing in all three phases.

“Our defense has improved every week. Our kicking game has been more consistent this year for sure,” Taylor said. “And offensively, we’re scoring more.”

SSU is scoring 17 points more per game than it was last year, using a two-quarterback system in which seniors Jake Dunniway and Asher O’Hara are flourishing.

Dunniway, the primary passer, has thrown for 1,008 yards while completing 64.9% of his passes.

O’Hara has thrown for 293 yards on about one-third of the attempts, and he leads the Hornets with eight rushing touchdowns to go with 330 yards on 65 carries.

Taylor said the two split practice snaps 50-50 and are ultracompetitive, but that there is no jealousy between them. Taylor also said he doesn’t think the split time hurts how either projects as a pro prospect.

“The most important thing is that they play well, and they’re both playing really well,” Taylor said. “Jake is a better runner than people give him credit for, and Asher is a better passer than people give him credit for.”

Using two quarterbacks hasn’t slowed the Hornets’ running backs, either. Sophomore Cameron Skattebo leads the Big Sky in rushing with 539 yards on just 67 carries, and junior Marcus Fulcher, who has 191 yards on 31 carries, lends depth to the team’s backfield.

“It’s like yin and yang; (Dunniway and O’Hara) go hand in hand,” Fulcher said. “Having them switch just makes the offense work better.”

Mellott returns to MSU practice

Cleared to practice again for the first time since he was knocked out of the Bobcats’ Sept. 24 victory at Eastern Washington, quarterback Tommy Mellott is back atop the Montana State depth chart heading into the team’s game Saturday at Northern Colorado.

“He’s going to play, and our idea would be to start him,” MSU coach Brent Vigen said during his Monday news conference.

In his absence, junior quarterback Sean Chambers led Montana State to victories over UC Davis (41-24) and Idaho State (37-6). Chambers leads the FCS with 15 rushing touchdowns and ranks eighth in rushing yards with 581.

No FCS quarterback has more yards on the ground this season.

Top-10 showdowns loom

Montana (5-0, 2-0), Montana State (5-1, 3-0), Sacramento State and Weber State (5-0, 2-0) are all trying to avoid upsets this weekend heading into what could be a pair of top-10 matchups on Oct. 22.

That weekend, Weber State is scheduled to play at Montana State, while Montana will travel to Sacramento State.

Weber State’s road after that is particularly daunting: The Wildcats host Montana on Oct. 29 and Sacramento State one week later, on Nov. 5.

In addition to those four teams, the Idaho Vandals (3-2, 2-0) – who play at Montana on Saturday – are the only other team still unbeaten in Big Sky play.