He's just saying that so recruits don't jump off the sinking ship. He's trying to save face a little bit after humiliating himself.
This is just too much.
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Big Sky's next move
- Thread starter captain jazz
- Start date
Living proof that you can't fix stupid.
This is just too much.
MISSOULA — Southern Utah and Utah Tech are set to join the Big Sky Conference beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, MTN Sports has confirmed with a source.
Matt Brown of Extra Points first reported the moves.
The addition of the two Utah schools will give the Big Sky 11 full members after Sacramento State's departure after the 2025-26 year. The other nine full members are Montana, Montana State, Idaho, Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State and Weber State. Cal Poly and UC Davis are affiliate members in football.
For Southern Utah, which is based in Cedar City, it'll be a return to the Big Sky. The Thunderbirds were previously in the conference from 2012 until 2022, when they joined the Western Athletic Conference. They've competed in the WAC since and currently play football in the United Athletic Conference.
During their prior tenure in the Big Sky, SUU won seven conference championships, including football titles in 2015 and 2017. In 2021, their last football season in the Big Sky, the Thunderbirds went 0-8 in the conference and 1-10 overall. The past three years, they've gone 5-6, 6-5 and 7-5.
Southern Utah begins its 2025 football schedule Aug. 30 against Big Sky member Idaho State. The Thunderbirds also play nonconference games this season against Northern Arizona and UC Davis of the Big Sky.
In addition to football, Southern Utah's athletic programs include men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's track and field, women's gymnastics, women's soccer, softball and women's volleyball.
Utah Tech, located in St. George and formerly called Dixie State, is also a member of the WAC and UAC after completing its transition to NCAA Division I athletics in 2024. The Trailblazers started that process in 2020 after previously competing at the Division II level.
Utah Tech currently sponsors football, baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, women's track and field and women's volleyball.
In football, the Trailblazers have become familiar with Big Sky opponents over the past five years. Last year, they lost to Montana State, Northern Arizona and UC Davis in nonconference games, as they went 1-11 overall (1-7 in the UAC).
Since moving to Division I, Utah Tech has also played current Big Sky members Montana, Sacramento State and Weber State. The Thunderbirds open their 2025 football season against UC Davis and then play Northern Arizona and Idaho.
He’s like the guy that just keeps yelling double or nothing after every missed shot. Doesn’t seem to have the same panache or gusto that he had leading up to this since he got stung in his Sac…
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Ut-Grizfan
Well-known member
This is just too much.
When Liberty moved up as an Independent a few years ago according to posters on the CSNBBS forum they threatened legal action against the NCAA which is what allowed them to male the move.
Curious if Sac will try the same thing now, and the NCAA has not been doing well in court, especially if the Feds get involved.
garizzalies
Well-known member
Anyone who uses the prefix “Dr.” while not having an MD or DO after their name is a fucking idiot
The difference though was Liberty claimed it was discrimination cause they had a religious exemption. Sac doesn't have that argument.
Ut-Grizfan
Well-known member
Ahh thanks for the clarification, my Google-Fu was failing me there
I still think you are right, TBH. I don't think the NCAA would win if Sac State sued for FBS independent status.
Ut-Grizfan
Well-known member
Was curious on how that will effect scheduling going forward. A few Big Sky schools are going to have to find new OOC Opponents:
Montana: 1 OOC game in 2026 + 2027 (UT-Tech)
Idaho: 1 OOC game each in 2029 + 2030 (UT-Tech)
NAU: They're the hardest hit with scheduling, 15 total OOC games need to be rescheduled and find a new opponent between 2026-2039 vs both SUU and UT-Tech
Weber State: 6 OOC games vs SUU from 2026-2031
Now that we have 2 OOC games that need filling and assuming we don't do what the Big12 did last year (play a Conference opponent and call it OOC) I'd love to get at least 1 FBS game in.
Utah needs an FCS opponent in 2027 and we could probably fill in the other with Sac State or potentially a MVFC or Southland school, would rather not play another D2.
Didn't we back in like 2013 have a non-conference game scheduled against Cal Poly after they had recently been added to the Big Sky? I seem to remember the league office made an exception that we could keep them as a non-conference opponent and they wouldn't schedule us against them in conference play. Not saying they would do that for us this time but I feel like I remember this in the past.
Now official
Depends on if the conference moves to a larger conference schedule now that FCS can play 12 games every season.
Is stupidity a religion?
HelenaHandBasket
Well-known member
No, but bags of tax exempt cash is.
I'll I can pray is that the bsc took two teams because MONTANA is soon to get the hell out of it.
HelenaHandBasket
Well-known member
That type of hope is Sac St President level.
I think it's more for when Davis eventually leaves.
Ut-Grizfan
Well-known member
You and me both, would love to see a MWC invite for both us and MSU but I unfortunately doubt it. To make the best of it we REALLY should demand a change to the scheduling format to Pods instead of rivals:
Montana, MSU, Idaho, EWU, ISU, PSU, Weber
UNC, SUU, UT-Tech, NAU, *Davis, *Cal Poly, *Sac State
* = Football Only
Give us these scheduling pods and we'd at least be able to play all of our traditional rivals every year.
The other option (again unlikely) is to boot out the Cali schools and have them move Football to the UAC, that way we'd almost have a Round Robin schedule.