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Montana State was riding high last year after upsetting Colorado the first week of the season. Then Division II Chadron State visited Bozeman in week two and it all came crashing down for the Bobcats.

Fort Lewis may not be Chadron, but the Big Sky learned the hard way last September not to overlook its little brothers from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

So when the visiting Skyhawks swoop into Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday to begin their season, we have no doubt that Montana will be prepped and ready. That makes this week’s game easy pickings for the Missoulian’s four prognosticators.

All of us went 5-0 on our picks last week except seasoned veteran Fritz Neighbor, who lost out in thinking Portland State would go to Lake Charles, La. and defeat McNeese State. Jerry Glanville and the boys didn’t get it done, losing to the Cowboys 35-12.

We’ve always had Fritz (if that is even his real name) pegged for a Vikings sympathizer and the rest of us are chalking our early-season success up to beginners luck.

A number of teams in the Big Sky are taking the week off, while a few others return from tough road games against Divsion I Bowl Subdivision opponents.

We’re left with five games, surely enough to foul up somebody’s unblemished mark.

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Season record: Fritz 4-1, Bill 5-0, Nick 5-0, Chad 5-0

The picks

• Fort Lewis at Montana: The Skyhawks are coming off their most successful season, but have some key leaders to replace - most notably, quarterback Matt Gutierrez. Meanwhile, the Griz are deeper than Loch Ness at almost every position.

Chad: Griz 42, Fort Lewis 6. Fritz: Griz 62, Fort Lewis 0. Bill: Griz 45, Fort Lewis 10. Nick: Griz 44, Fort Lewis 13.

• Southern Oregon at Idaho State: The Bengals start the season with a solid base and nowhere to go but up. The NAIA Raiders return 10 starters from a team that went 2-7 last year.

Chad: ISU 28, Southern Oregon 10. Fritz: ISU 31, S. Oregon 13. Bill: ISU 21, S. Oregon 7. Nick: ISU 30, S. Oregon 14

• Northern Arizona at Arizona: The Lumberjacks rolled over Western New Mexico last week. A trip to Tucson will go a long way to showing how good NAU really is.

Chad: Arizona 35, NAU 14. Fritz: Arizona 33, NAU 17. Bill: Arizona 41, NAU 14. Nick: Arizona 39, NAU 20.

• Chadron State at Northern Colorado: They’re baaaack. The Eagles look to spoil another Big Sky week two. The Bears need to bounce back after a drubbing by Hawaii.

Chad: UNC 21, Chadron 14. Fritz: Chadron 30, UNC 18. Bill: UNC 17, Chadron 7. Nick: Chadron 27, UNC 23.

• UC Davis at Portland State: Glanville and offensive coordinator Mouse Davis officially open Portland’s PGE Park for business. Will they run and shoot or stumble and misfire?

Chad: PSU 31, UC Davis 7. Fritz: UC Davis 27, PSU 21. Bill: PSU 24, UC Davis 7. Nick: PSU 29, UC Davis 21.

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