Cats, Griz set for conference openers

The non-conference season is over. And for the Montana State Bobcats and Montana Grizzlies, the real fun is about to begin.

After three games, both the Griz and Cats open league play this weekend with difficult road trips.

But instead of taking a look at Montana's game at Northern Arizona and MSU's road trip to Weber State, it's more important to look at the league as a whole and where I think both teams might finish.

The 2-1 Bobcats were picked to win the Big Sky this season, and, if Tommy Mellott is upright, I still think they will. However, the Cats have a pair of road games that could easily derail that.

If you're sleeping on Idaho anymore, you're a fool. The Vandals are as for real as real gets, and they get MSU in the Kibbie Dome this season. Yes, Idaho might be the only team in the Big Sky that has not one, but two players more electrifying than Mellott. And so, the game between MSU and Idaho could decide the conference. However, the week before the Cats go to Moscow, they have to play Sacramento State. And the Hornets are no joke either, having knocked off Stanford.

So, it's pretty much those two road games that will decide MSU's fate. And while I think the Cats should win both, I don't necessarily think they will, and that will probably mean, whichever team the Cats do lose to, will likely end up being the Big Sky champions, if not tying MSU at the very least.

But, while the Cats are still a big favorite to win the Big Sky, the picture is much more murky for the Griz, who are 3-0 but struggling mightily on offense.

Montana was picked to finish fourth in the league this season, but the Griz have a tough road schedule with games at Idaho and UC Davis back-to-back. A similar schedule stopped last year's Griz from contending for a Big Sky title, and unless the Griz can pull off upsets in Moscow, and at home against Sac. State, they probably won't be in the Big Sky championship race anymore when the hated Bobcats come to town in November.

However, if the Griz and Cats could both find ways to win those huge road games, then it would set up what everyone wants to see, and that's a Cat-Griz showdown for all the marbles.

And now that Big Sky play is finally here, we'll soon find out just who will be the best in the Sky this season. My money is still on the Bobcats, but we'll all have to wait and find out.

The Bobcats visit Weber State in a Top 10 match Saturday at 6 p.m. The Griz play at NAU Saturday at 2 p.m. Both games will be televised locally and streamed on ESPN+.