Big Sky announces future football league schedules for 2025-27

FARMINGTON, Utah — The Big Sky Conference released its football schedules for the 2025, 2026 and 2027 seasons on Thursday.

The conference office released its future schedules for 2022, 2023 and 2024 last summer at the 2021 Big Sky Football Kickoff event in Spokane.

The future 2025-27 schedules still feature eight league games that include two annual opponents and six rotating opponents. This format ensures that each football program will both host and travel to each conference opponent in this three-year period, never going more than one season without playing each conference team.

For the 2025-27 cycle, Idaho's two annual opponents are Eastern Washington and Idaho State. Eastern's are Idaho and Montana State, Montana's are Montana State and Portland State, and Idaho State's are Idaho and Weber State.

The two annual opponents for each of those two teams are the same as they are for the 2022-24 cycle, which begins this fall.

League schools had increased input into the scheduling process as well with the 2025-27 cycle, with each institution allowed to request their preferred annual opponents (every school was granted at least one of their requests) and one week per season during which they would like to be home or not at home (either away or open). The nine non-California-based teams will play one game each season at either Cal Poly, Sacramento State, or UC Davis, and will host one of those three every year as well.

Here are Idaho and Eastern Washington's Big Sky football schedules for 2025-27. League schedules for all teams can be found at bigskyconf.com

Idaho

2025

Sept. 27: at Montana

Oct. 4: Open

Oct. 11: vs. Northern Colorado

Oct. 18: at Eastern Washington

Oct. 25: vs. Portland State

Nov. 1: at Northern Arizona

Nov. 8: vs. UC Davis

Nov. 15: at Sacramento State

Nov. 22: vs. Idaho State

2026

Sept. 26: vs. Sacramento State

Oct. 3: at Northern Colorado

Oct. 10: Open

Oct. 17: at Cal Poly

Oct. 24: vs. Montana

Oct. 31: at Weber State

Nov. 7: vs. Eastern Washington

Nov. 14: vs. Montana State

Nov. 21: at Idaho State

2027

Sept. 25: at UC Davis

Oct. 2: vs. Northern Arizona

Oct. 9: Open

Oct. 16: vs. Cal Poly

Oct. 23: at Portland State

Oct. 30: at Eastern Washington

Nov. 6: vs. Weber State

Nov. 13: at Montana State

Nov. 20: vs. Idaho State

Eastern Washington

2025

Sept. 27: at Montana State

Oct. 4: vs. Portland State

Oct. 11: Open

Oct. 18: vs. Idaho

Oct. 25: at Weber State

Nov. 1: vs. Sacramento State

Nov. 8: at Montana

Nov. 15: vs. Northern Colorado

Nov. 22: at Cal Poly

2026

Sept. 26: at Idaho State

Oct. 3: vs. Weber State

Oct. 10: Open

Oct. 17: vs. Montana State

Oct. 24: at Portland State

Oct. 31: vs. Cal Poly

Nov. 7: at Idaho

Nov. 14: at UC Davis

Nov. 21: vs. Northern Arizona

2027

Sept. 25: at Montana State

Oct. 2: vs. UC Davis

Oct. 9: Open

Oct. 16: vs. Idaho State

Oct. 23: at Northern Arizona

Oct. 30: vs. Idaho

Nov. 6: at Sacramento State

Nov. 13: vs. Montana

Nov. 20: at Northern Colorado

Eastern announces 2022 football schedule

Eastern Washington opens the season at home on Saturday, Sept. 3 in the first-ever meeting with Tennessee State. It will be the first time Eastern has opened the season in Cheney since 2018 against Central Washington, and the first time opening the year against an FCS opponent at home since Sam Houston State in 2014.

The following week, Eastern Washington plays at Oregon on Sept. 10. Eastern has faced the Ducks just once before, dating back to 2015 when it opened the season with a 61-42 loss.

Eastern Washington plays at Florida on Oct. 1 in Gainesville, Fla. The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 5, 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved to a new agreed upon date. It will be the first-ever game for the Eagles versus the Southeastern Conference.

2022 EWU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

9/3/22 - Tennessee State

9/10/22 - at Oregon

9/17/22 - Bye

9/24/22 - Montana State

10/1/22 - at Florida

10/8/22 - at Weber State

10/15/22 - Sacramento State (Homecoming)

10/22/22 - at Cal Poly

10/29/22 - Portland State

11/5/22 - at Idaho

11/12/22 - at Montana

11/19/22 - Northern Colorado

Holmgren named to Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Tipoff Club has announced the 2022 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Watch List and Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren was one of the 15 players recognized.

Entering Thursday's play, Holmgren leads the West Coast Conference in blocks (58) and blocks per game (3.41). He is seventh in the nation in blocked shots per game, and ninth in total blocks. The freshman’s 58 blocks currently rank eighth in program history for most blocks in a single season, one blocked shot from seventh and four from sixth.

Holmgren paces the WCC averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. His field goal percentage of 61.8 is second among conference leaders only to his teammate Drew Timme (63.4).

LPGA qualifying tour now named Epson Tour

When the Circling Raven Championship returns for a second year this August, it will be part of the same "Road to the LPGA Tour," but under a new name.

The Symetra Tour is now the Epson Tour, after a new sponsor took over the official LPGA qualifying tour.

The Epson Tour sponsorship takes effect immediately and extends through the 2026 calendar year. The Epson Tour will award LPGA Tour membership to the top-10 players on the Race for the Card money list at the end of each season.

The inaugural Circling Raven Championship was played last August, the first in the three-year agreement with the LPGA. Competitors battled for $200,000 in prize money, which was one of the highest purses on the Symetra Tour last year.

Symetra sponsored the tour the past 10 years. The qualifying tour is beginning its 42nd year, with this year's schedule to be announced in February.

Information: EpsonTour.com

Higher purses across the Epson Tour schedule and providing stipends for Epson Tour players graduating to the LPGA Tour are some proactive Epson commitments that will further support the tour and its players.

Chiefs GM Carter to step down at conclusion of season

SPOKANE — The Spokane Chiefs announced on Thursday that general manager Scott Carter will not return for the 2022-23 season for health and family reasons.

Carter will remain with the organization during the transition, assisting with the search and hiring process for his replacement.

Carter was hired in 2016 and has overseen immense success in Spokane, helping the club reach the Western Hockey League’s Western Conference Finals in 2019.

The 2019-20 team was 41-18-4-1 and had won 10 straight games before the COVID pandemic hit, cancelling the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.

Since 2016, the club has posted a 165-129-24-15 record (as of Jan. 27), with three 40-win seasons.

EWU women's game against Montana rescheduled for Feb. 14

The Eastern Washington University women's basketball game on Saturday against Montana will not be played due to COVID-19 protocols in Montana’s program.

The game has been rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 14, with tip-off at 6 p.m. at Reese Court in Cheney.

Fans with tickets for the Jan. 29 game can use them for the rescheduled game date.