Frontier Notebook: Arizona Christian set to join Frontier for football next fall

Despite many teams having byes last week, there was still plenty of excitement around the Frontier Conference. However, it was an announcement that came off the field that made the most noise.

Last Friday, Frontier Conference Commissioner Kent Paulson announced that Arizona Christian would be joining the Frontier as a football-only member.

"I want to thank the Arizona Christian school administration along with the administrators of the Frontier Conference institutions for their hard work that went into shaping this joint endeavor," Frontier Conference Commissioner Kent Paulson said. "I want to thank the members of the Frontier Conference Membership Committee who continually work tirelessly in advancing our league, always pursuing quality institutions that match our league's philosophy and standards of excellence."

  For the last seven years, the Firestorm has been an associate member in football in the Sooner Athletic Conference - originally call the Central States Football League - including three conference championships. Arizona Christian competes in the Golden State Athletic Conference in all other sports except wrestling where they are an associate member in the Cascade Conference.

  "Speaking on behalf of all of the presidents and chancellors who comprise the eight members of the Frontier Conference who play football, I am delighted and honored to welcome Arizona Christian University to the conference," Carroll College president and chair of the conference's Council of Presidents Dr. John Cech said in the press release. "This is literally a 'Game Changer' for our conference and we look forward to competing with the Firestorm in Arizona as well as our other partner institutions in Oregon, Idaho and across Montana. I am grateful to Montana Tech Chancellor Les Cook for his leadership as chairman of our Membership Committee.

Few Frontier schools have played ACU in football, but the Montana State University-Northern Lights are one of them, having traveled to ACU for a win in 2019. The Firestorm was set to make a return trip to Havre in the fall of 2020, but that football season was canceled due to COVID-19 measures.

ACU joining the Frontier means the league will have nine teams for the first time since Dickinson State played for just one season in the conference.

Statement win

Speaking of the Blue Hawks, the Montana Western Bulldogs pulled off a huge win over DSU last Saturday in Dillon. In a rare non-conference Top 25 matchup, Western rolled to victory in a game that was never close. The win will give the Dawgs a great resume builder should they be in contention for an at-large berth in the NAIA playoffs come November. DSU, despite the loss, is still predicted to win the North Star Athletic Conference again this season.

Moving Up

The first regular season NAIA Coaches Poll was released Monday, and the Frontier Conference is well-represented. College of Idaho jumped all the way into the poll at No. 17, while Montana Tech also moved in for the first time, starting at No. 21. Montana Western fell to spots to No. 17, while Carroll and Rocky Mountain College both received votes. Future member ACU is also receiving votes in the newest NAIA poll.

Frontier Honors

Western quarterback Jon Jund was named the Frontier Offensive Player of the Week. In No. 17 Montana Western's home 35-14 non-conference win over No. 16 Dickinson State (N.D.), Jund was 17 of 29 (58.6 percent) passing for 269 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 70 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Western linebacker Braden Smith is the Defensive Player of the Week. In Western's home 35-14 non-conference win over No. 16 Dickinson State (N.D.), Smith recorded four solo tackles, seven assisted tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss (-21 yards) and two sacks (-20 yards). Kicker John Mears also was named Special teams Player of the Week.