The Griz, who've won or shared the last 10 Big Sky titles, drew seven of nine first-place votes from league coaches to lead the way with 63 points. Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona came in second and third, each drawing one first-place vote, and scored 52 and 50 points.
Montana and Eastern went 1-2 in the media poll as well, with Montana State drawing the third-most votes. The results were released Tuesday as the Big Sky's Summer Kickoff media event drew to a close.
“I'm a little surprised because we're inexperienced,” said Hauck, the reigning Big Sky coach of the year. “Everybody in here knows what our depth chart looks like, and knows what we're trying to replace from last year.
“It's a little surprising in that light, but the facts are we've won 21 straight regular-season games and we haven't lost a league game since '05. So I suppose that's appropriate.“
Hauck wasn't certain who he picked first in his vote, but said he had Eastern and NAU 1-2.
Among the media UM drew 23 first-place votes and had 361 voting points. Eastern, 9-4 a year ago and a quarterfinalist in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, had 19 first-place votes and 350 points.
Montana State, 6-5 last fall, did not receive a first-place vote but scored 254 points. NAU had one first-place vote and 248 points.
“I don't put a lot of credence in the polls,” said second-year Bobcat coach Rob Ash. “I think Montana clearly deserves to be at the top, and that's fine. They deserve to be. They've won the league 10 years in a row.
“After that, as far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter because it's going to be topsy-turvy and close and hotly contested no matter what.”
For the record Eastern, which came seconds away from handing the Griz a home loss last season, was picked to finish fifth in both polls last season. NAU was picked to finish fourth in both polls in 2003, and ended up tying for the league title and winning a playoff a game.
“This is all based on past instead of the present or future,” said Hauck. “That's what the deal is, I think.”
Hauck's bigger concern is surviving a tough early schedule that starts with a game at Cal Poly, which has become an FCS power, on Sept. 6.
“That's kind of hanging over us,” he said of the Mustangs, who return 10 of 11 starters to their high-powered offense. “There are a lot of people around the country that you'd rather open up with than Cal Poly, and not just at our level.
“They're pretty good. They lost their right guard, I believe. That's going to be hard to open up down there.”
That starts the non-league schedule for the Griz, who return home to face Southern Utah, UC Davis and Central Washington. Then they open their Big Sky slate on the road at Weber State on Oct. 4, and at Eastern on Oct. 11.
“The back-to-back road trip to start it against Weber and Eastern is obviously going to be the biggest challenge,” Hauck said. “Each game's individual, but going on the road back-to-back is hard.
“We talked about how getting ready for (Cal Poly) is going to be a chore. To get ready for a game by Sept. 6 is going to be hard, particularly because of the opponent, but the real goal is getting ourselves ready to win football games by the time we get to the conference season.
“It'll be interesting to see where we are the 11th of October. We'll either be back-to-the-wall mode, or feeling pretty good.”
NOTES: Eastern will be gunning for its fourth playoff berth in five seasons, while the Griz have made the FCS playoffs a record 15 straight seasons. Š Montana State broke an 18-year playoff drought in 2002, and has been to the playoffs twice since, the last in 2006. Š Weber State, a charter member of the Big Sky, made the playoffs in 1987 and 1991. Š Portland State, formerly a Division II power, made its lone FCS playoff appearance in 2000. Š Idaho State hasn't made the playoffs since 1983, and NAU had made three appearances. Š Northern Colorado and Sacramento State are chasing their first FCS playoff berths.
Big Sky preseason football polls
Results of the Big Sky Conference preseason football polls of league coaches and media. Team names are followed by first-place votes in parenthesis and total points:
2008 coaches poll
1. Montana (7) 63
2. Eastern Washington (1) 52
3. Northern Arizona (1) 50
4. Montana State 40
5. Weber State 38
6. Portland State 30
7. Sacramento State 27
8. Idaho State 15
9. Northern Colorado 9
2008 media poll
1. Montana (23) 361
2. Eastern Wash. (19) 350
3. Montana State 254
4. Northern Arizona (1) 248
5. Weber State 229
6. Portland State 194
7. Idaho State 124
8. Sacramento State 113
9. Northern Colorado 65
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