The Big Sky Conference
By Matt Shetler
The Big Sky Conference (BSC) is a
nine member Division I conference that competes in fifteen
Division I sports. The BSC was founded in 1963, with most
institutions located in the Western United States. The Big Sky
headquarters are based in Ogden, Utah and its commissioner is
Douglas Fullerton, a post he has held since 1995.
The BSC competes in football and is one of the stronger
conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision (formally
I-AA).
Charter members of the BSC include: Gonzaga, Idaho, Idaho St.,
Montana, Montana St, and Weber St. In 1970, the league would
expand to eight, including Boise St. and Northern Arizona.
Gonzaga would drop out in 1979 and would be replaced by Nevada.
Eastern Washington was added in 1987,giving the Big Sky nine
schools.
The 1990’s would see a lot of change, as Nevada would depart in
1992. In 1996, the BSC added Portland St., Sacramento St. and
Cal St. Northridge, but suffered the loss of Boise St. and Idaho
at the same time. The Big Sky operated with nine teams until
2001 when Cal St. Northridge left in 2001. Northern Colorado was
added and the Big Sky has operated with the same nine members
ever since (as of 2008).
The BSC is not without its inter-conference rivalries. In
basketball, Weber St.- Montana, Idaho St.- Weber St., and
Montana- Montana St. are among the biggest BSC rivalries. The
winner of the annual conference tournament receives an automatic
bid to the NCAA tournament. The Weber St. Wildcats lead all BSC
teams in NCAA appearances with 8.
On the gridiron, the Montana-Montana St. clash (known as “The
Brawl of the Wild”) is one of the conferences many big games.
The two schools have been the most successful programs in BSC
history. Montana has captured fifteen league championships,
while the Fighting Bobcats of Montana St. have won eleven.
