Ranking the Sky

(last week's ranking in parentheses)

1. Weber State (1) - The loss of returner Bryant Eteuati hasn't slowed the Wildcats. Of course, their three opponents since his suspension - the Lumberjacks, Vikings and Bengals - haven't stopped much themselves lately.

2. Montana (2) - The victory over Cal Poly earlier this year is going to loom large for playoff seeding Sunday. But a home loss to the Bobcats would deflate any effect that nonconference victory generated.

3. Montana State (3) - Their four straight victories make the Bobcats look like a promising playoff team. Their home losses to Weber State and Eastern Washington are major liabilities, though.

4. Sacramento State (4) - A Hornets victory Saturday would earn them their first seven-win season since 2000. Granted, two of those victories have come against lower-division schools, but still. Bravo, coach Marshall Sperbeck.

5. Eastern Washington (5) - Coach Beau Baldwin hasn't been so fortunate at Eastern Washington. But at least the Eagles have stabilized, with wins in their last two, and Saturday they should give the Wildcats their best test since the Bobcats in mid-October.

6. Portland State (6) - Mistakes continue to trouble the Vikings. They rank eighth in the conference in penalty yards against and in red-zone production, and they've committed a league-high 30 turnovers.

7. Northern Colorado (8) - The Bears need improvement everywhere, but they need it especially on their special teams. Their punt, punt return and kickoff coverage units all rank last in the conference.

8. Northern Arizona (7) - Whether the competition got better or the Lumberjacks got worse, who knows. And really, who cares? It's just another mediocre year in Flagstaff.

9. Idaho State (9) - As if the Bengals weren't thin enough on defense, they'll play with just two healthy true safeties Saturday against Sacramento State's Tony Washington, the Big Sky's leading receiver.