Big Sky Now

This week on Big Sky Now, host Luke Schmit brings together Fritz Neighbor, Jon Allen, and Mark Nelke for a full breakdown of the second round of the FCS playoffs and a deep dive into the biggest headlines shaping the Big Sky Conference. The panel analyzes Montana’s statement win over South Dakota State, Montana State’s matchup with Yale and the sideline confrontation involving Julius Davis, UC Davis’ huge offensive showing behind Caden Pinnick, and North Dakota State’s stunning upset loss that blew the playoff field wide open. The crew also previews every major quarterfinal matchup, including South Dakota vs Montana and UC Davis vs Illinois State.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

The Big Sky Now panel breaks down everything you need to know heading into Round 2 of the FCS Playoffs — starting with the most dramatic moments from Round 1. Yale’s stunning comeback, South Dakota State’s snow-storm domination, North Dakota’s statement win, and Rhode Island’s fast start all set the tone for a wild postseason.

Luke Schmit, Fritz Neighbor, Mark Nelke, and Mike Maynard also revisit this year’s Big Sky Conference awards, including standout performances from Montana, Montana State, Idaho, and Idaho State. Then it’s on to deep previews of the biggest matchups of the week: South Dakota State vs. Montana in Missoula, Yale vs. Montana State in Bozeman, and Rhode Island vs. UC Davis.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

It was one of the biggest weekends of the season, and Week 13 delivered shakeups across the Big Sky. On this episode of Big Sky Now, host Luke Schmit is joined by Fritz Neighbor, Jon Allen, Mark Nelke, and Mike Maynard to break down Montana State’s Brawl of the Wild victory, playoff positioning, and the final regular-season outcomes across the conference. The crew dives into Eastern Washington’s close to the season, Northern Colorado’s rare win streak snapper, Weber State’s upset over Northern Arizona, and Idaho State’s strong finish behind standout rusher Dason Brooks.

Then it’s all eyes on the postseason as the panel reacts to the full FCS Playoff bracket, including Montana State earning the No. 2 seed, Montana landing at No. 3, and UC Davis grabbing the final seed at No. 8. From potential rematches to dark-horse paths, this is your complete Big Sky football recap heading into playoff week.

Check out photos from the Cat Griz game this weekend, taken by Daily Inter Lake photographer Casey Kreider: https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2025/nov/22/photos-cats-outlast-griz-31-28-in-124th-brawl-of-the-wild/

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

The Brawl of the Wild is more than Montana’s biggest football rivalry — it’s a lifelong experience that shapes every player who steps onto the field. This week on Big Sky Now, host Luke Schmit sits down with former Montana linebacker Ryan Tirrell and former Montana State safety Rylan Ortt to talk about what it’s really like to compete in this historic matchup.

From childhood friendships in Missoula to battling on opposite sidelines in front of two of the loudest home crowds in the FCS, Tirrell and Ortt break down their journeys, the road to the national championship, traditions that defined their careers, and the intensity that builds during Cat-Griz week. They also share insights on this year’s Montana and Montana State squads and what each team must do to come out on top.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

Week 12 brought major momentum shifts across the Big Sky as teams fight for playoff position. On this episode of Big Sky Now, host Luke Schmit and the Daily Inter Lake sports panel recap Montana’s strong finish to conference play, Montana State’s statement win at home, Idaho’s tough loss on the road, and key performances from Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, and Northern Arizona.

Then the crew turns the focus to one of the biggest rivalry weeks in college football: a complete preview of Montana vs. Montana State, with matchup analysis, strengths and weaknesses, playoff stakes, and predictions.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

It’s crunch time in the Big Sky Conference, and the playoff picture is starting to take shape. On this week’s Big Sky Now podcast, the panel breaks down how Montana squeaked past Eastern Washington, how Montana State continues its dominance over Weber State, and Idaho’s tough home loss to UC Davis.

We dig into the key takeaways from Week 11 and what’s at stake heading into the final weekend of the regular season. From FCS playoff projections to standout player performances and rivalry previews, this episode has everything you need to know before Cat-Griz week kicks off.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

The Big Sky Conference race is tightening — and the Montana Grizzlies continue to roll. Host Luke Schmit of the Daily Inter Lake is joined by the Big Sky Now panel to break down Week 9’s biggest matchups and preview the storylines shaping Week 10. From Montana’s dominant win over Sacramento State and Montana State’s ground game resurgence, to Eastern Washington’s midseason turnaround and UC Davis’ depth — the crew covers every team making waves in the FCS.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

This week on Big Sky Now, host Luke Schmit and the BSN panel break down all the action from Week 8 and preview a full slate of games in Week 9 across the Big Sky Conference. From Montana’s gritty win over Sacred Heart and Eastern Washington’s statement upset over Idaho, to Sacramento State’s late-game heroics and Northern Colorado’s near miss — we’ve got analysis, reactions, and predictions on every matchup. Plus, a look ahead to key showdowns as Montana, Montana State, UC Davis, Idaho, and Northern Arizona all fight for playoff positioning in the FCS race.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

Montana rallies in a dramatic homecoming comeback, Idaho suffers a shocking home loss, and Northern Colorado stuns the Big Sky with a historic upset. Host Luke Schmit of the Daily Inter Lake and the Hagadone Sports Network crew breaks down Week 7’s biggest moments — from standout performances by Montana’s Eli Gillman and UC Davis’s Caden Pinnick to Sacramento State’s dominant ground game — and preview the key Week 8 matchups that could reshape the playoff race.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!

Week 6 of Big Sky football didn’t disappoint — from Montana’s thrilling rally in Pocatello to Montana State’s dominant ground game and Idaho’s push for playoff positioning. Host Luke Schmit of the Daily Inter Lake and the panel breaks down every highlight, stat, and standout player, plus NFL updates from former Big Sky stars like Cooper Kupp, Ty Okada, and Rashid Shaheed.

Then, the crew previews Week 7 — including Montana vs. Cal Poly, Idaho State vs. Montana State, UC Davis vs. Northern Arizona, and the battle between Sac State and Weber State. Predictions, insights, and bold calls — everything you need to know heading into another wild weekend across the Big Sky.

Thank you to our headline sponsor M&C Tire for their continued support of Big Sky Now! Serving the Flathead Valley since 1979, M&C is your total tire dealer with trusted brands, all at affordable prices. From farm trucks to hybrids, their certified technicians handle it all with unmatched hometown service. Stop by in 1271 N. Meridian Road in Kalispell, call (406) 752-9662, or visit https://www.mandctire.com/ to keep your ride rolling.

Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support

Would you rather watch this episode? Check out Daily Inter Lake's YouTube page! Please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all things Big Sky Conference. 

Email us any questions you may have at [email protected] - you may be featured in our next discussion!