Coaches/Media Poll Place Montana At The Top

Montana was the overwhelming choice in both the media and coaches poll, taken on Monday. Montana received all 8 first place votes from opposing coaches, and assumedly head coach Bobby Hauck put his vote in for Idaho State. Here are the polls:

2006 Coaches Poll

Team (First-place votes) Points
1. Montana (8) 64
2. Eastern Washington 44
3. Montana State 43
4. Portland State 42
5. Idaho State (1) 40
6. Weber State 36
7. Northern Arizona 24
8. Sacramento State 21
9. Northern Colorado 10

2006 MEDIA POLL

Team (First-place votes) Points
1. Montana (28) 283
2. Montana State (2) 206
3. Weber State 188
3. Portland State (1) 185
5. Idaho State 181.5
6. Eastern Washington (1) 180
7. Northern Arizona 105.5
8. Sacramento State 65
9. Northern Colorado 48


I find it interesting that there is such disparity between the two polls. I have been saying all off-season with predictions over at www.anygivensaturday.com, that 2-6 is really a toss up between ISU, Weber, MSU, PSU and EWU. These polls further prove my theory in that the media and coaches share my sentiments. In the coaches poll, EWU received 44 votes, while 6th place Weber State receiver 36 votes, a difference of a mere 8 votes. In fact, spots 2 through 5 are only separated by a total of 4 votes!

The medial poll shapes up the same way, only in different order. MSU takes the #2 spot, but are only ahead 26 votes of the #6 pick, Eastern Washington (who came in at the #2 spot in the coaches poll).

In other words, no one has any idea what will happen in the Sky this year, but a majority of us BSC supporters seem to think Montana will run the table. I certainly cannot argue with that preseason #1 ranking. The question is, who will surprise this year?