Griz RB Gillman shares Big Sky honor

A career night landed Montana running back Eli Gillman co-Offensive Player of the Week honors from the Big Sky Conference, the league announced Monday.

Gillman ran for 198 yards — averaging 13.2 yards a carry — in the Grizzlies’ 42-17 win over Central Washington Saturday at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. 

The junior from Dassel, Minn., took his first carry 54 yards for a touchdown, then added scoring runs from 11 yards and 1 yard out. He set up his third TD with a 61-yard burst down the left sideline. 

It’s Gillman’s second such honor. His 198 yards is the Big Sky high in this two-week old season; his previous one-day best was 175 yards. 

Gillman climbed past Rocky Klever to sixth in career rushing for the Griz, at 2,335 yards. His three TDs gave him 33 for his career, tying him with Marc Mariani for fifth all-time. 

Gillman shared the award with Idaho quarterback Joshua Wood. The Fresno State transfer had 377 yards of total offense and had a hand in four touchdowns, including a game-clinching 59-yard scoring run in the Vandals’ 37-30 win over St. Thomas.  

Two players shared the award on defense: Ezra Ekuban of Northern Colorado and Koa Akui of Sacramento State, in narrow losses to FBS opponents. 

Ekuban had nine tackles, two for losses, a sack and forced fumble in the Bears’ 21-17 loss at Colorado State; Akui made two interceptions in the Hornets’ 20-17 loss at Nevada. 

The special teams player of the week was Idaho State place kicker Trajan Sinatra. He was 3-for-3 on field goals — hitting a 56-yarder — and scored 10 points in the Bengals’ 32-22 loss at New Mexico. 

Griz rise in poll; Cats fall slightly 

Montana State is ranked one spot ahead of Montana in both the Stats Perform and AFCA Coaches FCS football polls that were released on Monday. 

The Bobcats, playing a tough early-season schedule that resulted in their first 0-2 start since 2017, dropped three spots in the coaches’ poll to No. 6, and one spot in the Stats Perform poll to No. 4. They lost in overtime to South Dakota State (No. 2 in both polls) 30-24 on Saturday. 

The Grizzlies (1-0) rose one spot to No. 5 in the Stats Perform poll following their 42-17 season-opening win over DII Central Washington; they rose three spots to No. 7 in the AFCA poll. 

Defending national champion North Dakota State remains No. 1 in both polls. 

Big Sky Conference schools UC Davis, Idaho, Northern Arizona and Sacramento State (21, 21) remain ranked. 

Also ranked: North Dakota, which visits the Grizzlies Saturday. The Fighting Hawks are No. 17 in the AFCA poll and No. 16 according to Stats Perform. 

Montana State remains home this week to face San Diego of the Pioneer League, Saturday at 1 p.m. 

AFCA FCS Coaches Poll 

(First-place votes in parentheses) 

Rk. School        W-L    Pts    Prv  

1. North Dakota St. (24)    2-0    648    1 

2. South Dakota St. (2)    2-0    623    2 

3. Tarleton St.        3-0    594    T3 

4. Illinois St.        1-1    516    7 

5. Rhode Island        2-0    509    8 

6. Montana St.        0-2    494    T3 

7. Montana        1-0    481    10 

8. Incarnate Word        1-1    422    9 

9. UC Davis        1-1    421    5 

10. Idaho        1-1    389    11 

11. Villanova        1-0    374    12 

12. Lehigh        2-0    354    13 

13. Abilene Christian        1-1    297    17 

14. So. Illinois        1-1    266    15 

15. Jackson St.        1-1    236    14 

16. Tennessee St.        2-0    233    20 

17. North Dakota        1-1    230    22 

18. Monmouth        2-0    227    18 

19. No. Arizona        1-1    184    19 

20. South Dakota        0-2    172    6 

21. Sacramento St.        0-2    129    16 

22. Mercer        0-1    82    21 

23. Austin Peay        1-1    73    —  

24. New Hampshire        2-0    72    —  

25. Youngstown St.         2-0    56    —  

Dropped out: Stephen F. Austin; East Tennessee St.; Nicholls; Western Carolina. 

Others Receiving Votes: ETSU, 43; Lamar, 38; Presbyterian, 35; Richmond, 28; West Georgia, 28; Stephen F. Austin, 22; Bryant, 19; Harvard, 18; Southeastern Louisiana, 17; Furman, 14; Indiana State, 14; South Carolina State, 12; Nicholls, 10; North Alabama, 9; Southeast Missouri State, 9; Central Arkansas, 7; Dartmouth, 7; Eastern Kentucky, 7; Western Carolina, 7; Lafayette, 5; St. Thomas 5; Gardner-Webb, 4; William & Mary, 4; Northern Iowa, 3; Georgetown, 2; LIU, 1.

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 

Rk. School        W-L    Pts    Prv 

1. North Dakota St. (49)    2-0    1393    1 

2. South Dakota St. (7)    2-0    1351    2 

3. Tarleton St.        3-0    1260    5 

4. Montana St.        0-2    1202    3 

5. Montana        1-0    1123    6 

6. Rhode Island        2-0    1050    9 

7. Illinois St.        101    1049    7 

8. Idaho        1-1    937    10 

9. UC Davis        1-1    885    8 

10. Lehigh        2-0    836    11 

11. Villanova        1-0    743    13 

12. South Dakota        0-2    649    4 

13. Abilene Christian        1-1    648    16 

14. Incarnate Word        1-1    568    12 

15. Tennessee Tech        2-0    560    17 

16. North Dakota        1-1    535    20 

17. So. Illinois        1-1    510    14 

18. No. Arizona        1-1    409    19 

19. Jackson St.        1-1    381    15 

20. Monmouth        2-0    373    21 

21. Sacramento St.        0-2    253    18 

22. Austin Peay        1-1    233    —   

23. New Hampshire        2-0    132    —  

24. Lamar        1-1    121    —  

25. West Georgia        2-0    110    —   

Dropped Out:  Nicholls; Mercer: Southern Utah; Stephen F. Austin. 

Others Receiving Votes (listed on 2 or more ballots): Mercer; Presbyterian; Harvard; SE Missouri; ETSU; Richmond; UT Martin; Youngstown St.; Nicholls; E. Kentucky; Southern Utah; Gardner-Webb; Stephen F. Austin; South Carolina St.; Stony Brook; Tennessee St.; Towson; Western Carolina; Bryant; Long Island.