The Big Sky will officially add Southern Utah and Utah Tech on July 1, 2026, the conference announced Wednesday.
“On behalf of the member institutions that comprise the Big Sky Conference, we welcome two rising universities to our league during a moment of monumental change within intercollegiate athletics,” said C. Scott Green, president of the University of Idaho and current chair of the Big Sky Presidents’ Council in the release. “The Big Sky has an extensive and proud history, and alongside Southern Utah and Utah Tech, we aim to continue both competing and leading nationally with a steady and strategic focus.”
SUU returns to the circuit in which it spent 2012-2022. The Thunderbirds claim league titles for the 2015 and 2017 seasons as football members of the Big Sky. Utah Tech will join the league after having been WAC members since the 2020 season and fully completed its Division 1 reclassification in 2024.
“The time is right for the Big Sky to bring in Utah Tech and to bring back Southern Utah,” Commissioner Tom Wistrcill added. “The addition of rising rival athletic departments from these two universities, located squarely within our geographic footprint in the western United States, reinforce the long-term stability and success of our league. Amid a rapidly evolving national landscape that each day seemingly pulls college sports farther from its true mission, this move underscores our commitment to a strong and sustainable future at the top of the FCS and across several key sports. Both of these programs bring institutional alignment that will enhance the Big Sky’s tradition as a national leader that continually aspires to elevate the experience for our constituencies.”
We reported earlier Wednesday that this move was in the works. The Wednesday release makes the changes official and brings the league to 13 football-playing members — Cal Poly (associate member), Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, UC Davis (associate member), and Weber State.
Sacramento State’s attempt to join the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) was unsuccessful, so they will likely play as an FCS Independent beginning in 2026.
Not at all happy with this. Southern Utah left saying what a better fit they had and how they were transitioning to FBS. We already have one Northern Colorado and now the thunder chickens.
Bad move for the Big Sky, this does nothing to improve the conference. Very disappointing.
This Montana State supporter welcomes Utah Tech & Southern Utah.
Thunder Dan, you are for the ruination of all of college football.
There has to be a limit to how many teams you can support, but congratulations to your new favorite NBA team.
It speaks volumes that you are a Bozeman supporter among your multitude of favorites.
If you are in such support of these Utah non-loyalists, why don’t you petition to add them to the NEC. Southern Utah would win the conference the first year and you could claim you actually are a supporter.
JM I really like College Football & I can like many Teams as I want plus to show respect & solidarity with sport too plus I really enjoy encouraging Fans, Players & Coaches.
Did I miss something? With 12 football playing schools plus SUU and Utah Tech, wouldn’t that make 14 instead of 11?
They should not have posted this here, but what they are saying is that starting in 2026, the Big Sky will have 11 full member schools. Cal Poly are UC Davis are currently in the Big West in all other sports and Davis is joining the MWC in 2026 while Sac State will be joining the Big West an Independent in football starting in 2026 for football.
That clearly should have been part of this Article and because it was omitted, it really isn’t all about football, where you are correct, they got the number wrong. As of today, the Big Sky will have 13 football member schools to start the 2026 academic season, but additional change may occur before then.
That’s my math, too. Big Sky matching the CAA of recent years. perhaps now there will be a 3-way tie for conf. champion, and those lovely tie-breakers.
The three California schools are leaving it appears. I knew Sac St. was. I didn’t realize Cal Poly and Cal-Davis were too.
You have to subtract Sac State, which makes 13. UC Davis and Cal Poly are football-only members, so that makes 11 full members.
I think it will be interesting to see if they reinstate the rule that Big Sky teams can face each other in nonconference games as long as they are not scheduled to meet that same year. I’m not a big fan of that, but they put this in to help limit travel distances since this is once again the only conference with western teams. To me, it inhibits play against teams from other regions and weakens the league.
I think the Big Sky will expand to 9 conference games once FCS goes to 12 games in 2026.
If that’s the case, I think that each school will have 3 permanent opponents, and then play the remaining 9 schools twice over 3 years.
That makes sense but keep quiet on it or someone might dismiss it as being too logical.
I would agree with 9 conference games because you need to limit, as much as possible, the number of teams that are not meeting on the field in any one season with that many in the fold.
Where we ended up with Portland State as our other game I don’t know, but I would be supportive if the Vikings added you guys and UC Davis so Montana would shift back to Idaho and Eastern.
I don’t believe Coach Hauck wants this because he constantly says we have one rival, but all three, Idaho, Eastern Washington and Bozeman are about the same distance from Missoula.
I know the Conference wanted Idaho-Idaho State as a rivalry, but as part of the original 6, they never have been all that heated.
I’m looking for the silver lining in this $#!& storm.
Right now, the current schedule rotation goes as follows:
2 permanent opponents, then play the remaining 9 twice over a 3 year span
The increase to 9 conference games wouldn’t alter the rotation much.
If the Big Sky were to remove football from the list of required sports, I could see Denver (currently in the Summit League), Metro State Denver (currently in the D-2 RMAC), and Utah Valley (currently planning to leave the WAC for the Big West) as possible additions.
Upon further review CSU Pueblo (with football) and Western Washington (non-football) should also join the Big Sky.
The basketball programs would be arranged into four-team pods that play each other twice a year as follows:
CSU Pueblo, Denver, MSU Denver, Northern Colorado
Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Portland State, Western Washington
Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State
Southern Utah, Utah Tech, Utah Valley, Weber State
Meanwhile there would be 14 football programs including affiliate members Cal Poly and UC Davis. The Big Sky can adopt the 3-5-5 format planned to be used by the ACC, with each team’s protected opponents being the following:
Cal Poly: Eastern Washington, Portland State, UC Davis
CSU Pueblo: Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Southern Utah
Eastern Washington: Cal Poly, Portland State, UC Davis
Idaho: Idaho State, Montana, Montana State
Idaho State: Idaho, Montana, Weber State
Montana: Idaho, Idaho State, Montana State
Montana State: Idaho, Montana, Northern Colorado
Northern Arizona: CSU Pueblo, Northern Colorado, Utah Tech
Northern Colorado: CSU Pueblo, Montana State, Northern Arizona
Portland State: Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, UC Davis
Southern Utah: CSU Pueblo, Utah Tech, Weber State
UC Davis: Cal Poly, Eastern Washington, Portland State
Utah Tech: Northern Arizona, Southern Utah, Weber State
Weber State: Idaho State, Southern Utah, Utah Tech
Good News Z-Man I am a supporter of Montana State three protected opponents.
The Big Sky is not going to take any school directly from D2. They’re not desperate for members.
Evan I agree with you Sorry Z-Man.
CSU Pueblo has been one of the top D-II football programs since restarting in 2008. They are ready for an upgrade.
That enough of your proposals Unreasonable Reaction Man (Z-Man) please end it.
I have very high confidence with Professionals that will take care of FCS realignment.
Z Man you need another bong hit dude.
Why would the Big Sky add any these teams? Why not make another conference instead of putting all these in one basket. Better yet, leave the lower division teams where they are and I am sure they are fine with that.
Western Washington? I’m sure they have no desire to move up to D-!. Your groupings are all wrong and why would the Big Sky want CSU-Pueblo who won a D-II title 11 years ago? We already have Northern Colorado who won two of those and haven’t done anything but win a basketball conference championship with a team that got caught with some pretty severe violations and placed on sanctions.
Someone has to stay at D-II and D-III, we can’t all be in the left lane on the interstate.
If you want this to work, you need a Nintendo to put all these teams in the leagues you want them in and let them exist there.
Like your Alaska pitch, you need to check your geography.
It is scarcely an hour from Cheney, WA to Moscow, ID and just over 200 miles to Missoula, yet you would have EWA playing Portland State, Cal Poly and UC Davis?
JM, as ridiculous as some of their takes are, at the end of the day, we need to give some of these commenters a break. They’re likely autistic, and can’t help it.
Furthermore, Unreasonable Reaction Man (Z-Man) You are putting way too much pressure on FCS & D II teams to be upgraded & making up your stupid own realignment where they should be & you show zero respect.
If Villanova Wildcats want to be in FCS, please leave them alone.
If Concordia Golden Bears wants to be in D II, please leave them alone.
Sorry to disappoint You.
Evan I am Autistic good news I do not let it bother me & I keep fighting it every day & I thank good lord for keeping My Faith through all of it.
Have a safe & happy day Evan
JM, Cal Poly, UC Davis, EWU and PSU are all protected for each other because they are all in West Coast States. Every other Big Sky football program would be in the Mountain States.
Okay Z-man, lets take geography out of it since you don’t get that Cheney is right next to Spokane, nowhere near the Pacific Ocean.
If you could put a team on a bus and travel to play a game in Missoula or Moscow in alternating years (the latter of which wouldn’t even require an overnight stay) versus putting them on a plane and traveling to Davis or San Luis Obispo, you would get on the bus.
Fortunately, the decision isn’t up to you or I.
The Big Sky must now add the University of San Diego, who plays in the Pioneer League (football only) and West Coast Conference (non-football sports) as a full member for the 2026-27 academic/athletic year. This would give the Big Sky 12 full members and 14 football-playing members. It would also balance the competition equally among its members. Please do this ASAP. #bigsky
USD would bring no value to the league. They’re a small Catholic school outside the geographic footprint that doesn’t emphasize athletics. There’s no reason for them to leave their fellow small Catholic schools (Pacific & Pepperdine aren’t quite Catholic, but you get the point) in the WCC. They don’t even have aspirations to give scholarships to their football program. Not happening, no one except uneducated fanboys on the internet want this.
Isn’t TX State leaving the Sun belt and going to pac- 12
It´ll be great to have all the in-state FCS schools in the same league.
Same here too BYUfan.
Oh, like BYU, Utah and Utah State are in FBS? Oh, that’s right…
Who is this great for? Get Utah Valley to field a football team and put them all in one new conference if that is so great. It does nothing for the Big Sky to add two extremely weak members and the fact that one left claiming greener pastures disappoints me that the Big Sky let them back in.