Griz hold steady in polls as O’Connell picks up accolades
9/13/2021 1:12:00 PM | Football
Despite having a win over a ranked FBS team in the bank and posting a 35-point win over a Missouri Valley Football Conference team over the weekend, the Montana Grizzlies held steady at No. 4 in this week's media poll, and No. 5 in the coaches poll, both released Monday.
In fact, the top five in both the media poll and coaches poll remained unchanged this week as each of the top-ranked teams picked up decisive wins in week two.
The Grizzlies totaled 1,110 points and three first-place votes in the Stats Perform FCS media poll, with Sam Houston remaining in the top spot with 1,214 points and 33 first-place votes.
Montana is the highest-ranked of five Big Sky teams in the media poll once again this week, with Eastern Washington in at No. 7, Weber State at No. 9, Montana State at No. 13, and UC Davis at No. 14.
The Griz stayed at No. 5 in the AFCA Coaches Poll for a second-straight week with 599 points, just two points behind No. 4 North Dakota State. The same five Big Sky teams are also represented in the coaches' poll, but EWU sits right behind the Griz at No. 6, Weber State is at No. 8, and UC Davis sits one place ahead of Montana State at No 12.
UM started the season at No. 9 in each poll when the preseason rankings came out in August.
Weekly awards from around the FCS were also announced on Monday. Linebacker Patrick O'Connell was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week by the online sports news outlet College Sports Madness and earned an honorable mention for the Stats Perform FCS Defensive Player of the Week as well after another stellar outing.
O'Connell led a Grizzly defense that shut out Western Illinois, holding the Leathernecks to just 151 yards of total offense and just 40 yards rushing in a 42-7 victory.
The junior from Kalispell was relentless against WIU, putting in 2.5 sacks and three TFLs, forcing a fumble, and tallying a team-high nine tackles.
After two games O'Connell's has totaled 4.5 sacks – the most in the Big Sky. He also leads the league in tackles for loss with six and is seventh overall in total tackles with 19.
With the help of O'Connell, Montana's defense has not allowed a touchdown in over 115 minutes of game time - more than seven quarters of play. The Grizzly defense also kept the Leatherneck offense from entering the red zone once in the entire game.
Stats Perform FCS Media Top-25
Others: Furman (90), Chattanooga (74), Rhode Island (67), Murray State (58), Alabama A&M (56), Jackson State (48), Duquesne (32), Nicholls (29), Stephen F. Austin (11), Samford (7), Merrimack (4), Sacramento State (3), Holy Cross (2)
AFCA Coaches Poll
Dropped Out: VMI (20), Kennesaw St. (23)
Others Receiving Votes: VMI, 53; Kennesaw St., 41; Jackson St., 19; Nicholls, 18; Alabama A&M, 17; South Dakota, 14; Duquesne, 13; Rhode Island, 13; Charleston Southern, 11; Stephen F. Austin, 8; Gardner-Webb, 5; Murray St., 5; Southern Utah, 3; Florida A&M, 2; Yale, 2; Princeton, 1.
In fact, the top five in both the media poll and coaches poll remained unchanged this week as each of the top-ranked teams picked up decisive wins in week two.
The Grizzlies totaled 1,110 points and three first-place votes in the Stats Perform FCS media poll, with Sam Houston remaining in the top spot with 1,214 points and 33 first-place votes.
Montana is the highest-ranked of five Big Sky teams in the media poll once again this week, with Eastern Washington in at No. 7, Weber State at No. 9, Montana State at No. 13, and UC Davis at No. 14.
The Griz stayed at No. 5 in the AFCA Coaches Poll for a second-straight week with 599 points, just two points behind No. 4 North Dakota State. The same five Big Sky teams are also represented in the coaches' poll, but EWU sits right behind the Griz at No. 6, Weber State is at No. 8, and UC Davis sits one place ahead of Montana State at No 12.
UM started the season at No. 9 in each poll when the preseason rankings came out in August.
Weekly awards from around the FCS were also announced on Monday. Linebacker Patrick O'Connell was named Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week by the online sports news outlet College Sports Madness and earned an honorable mention for the Stats Perform FCS Defensive Player of the Week as well after another stellar outing.
O'Connell led a Grizzly defense that shut out Western Illinois, holding the Leathernecks to just 151 yards of total offense and just 40 yards rushing in a 42-7 victory.
The junior from Kalispell was relentless against WIU, putting in 2.5 sacks and three TFLs, forcing a fumble, and tallying a team-high nine tackles.
After two games O'Connell's has totaled 4.5 sacks – the most in the Big Sky. He also leads the league in tackles for loss with six and is seventh overall in total tackles with 19.
With the help of O'Connell, Montana's defense has not allowed a touchdown in over 115 minutes of game time - more than seven quarters of play. The Grizzly defense also kept the Leatherneck offense from entering the red zone once in the entire game.
Stats Perform FCS Media Top-25
| Rank | School (Rec.) | 1sts | Pts |
| 1 | Sam Houston (2 - 0) | 33 | 1214 |
| 2 | South Dakota State (2 - 0) | 9 | 1190 |
| 3 | James Madison (2 - 0) | 5 | 1158 |
| 4 | Montana (2 - 0) | 3 | 1110 |
| 5 | North Dakota State (2 - 0) | 1066 | |
| 6 | Delaware (2 - 0) | 949 | |
| 7 | Eastern Washington (2 - 0) | 889 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois (1 - 1) | 814 | |
| 9 | Weber State (1 - 1) | 771 | |
| 10 | Jacksonville State (1 - 1) | 751 | |
| 11 | North Dakota (1 - 1) | 710 | |
| 12 | Villanova (2 - 0) | 674 | |
| 13 | Montana State (1 - 1) | 664 | |
| 14 | UC Davis (2 - 0) | 661 | |
| 15 | Southeastern Louisiana (1 - 1) | 511 | |
| 16 | ETSU (2 - 0) | 497 | |
| 17 | Missouri State (1 - 1) | 377 | |
| 18 | UNI (1 - 1) | 364 | |
| 19 | Austin Peay (1 - 1) | 336 | |
| 20 | Monmouth (1 - 1) | 297 | |
| 21 | Richmond (2 - 0) | 261 | |
| 22 | VMI (1 - 1) | 146 | |
| 23 | New Hampshire (2 - 0) | 127 | |
| 24 | Kennesaw State (1 - 1) | 121 | |
| 25 | Central Arkansas (0 - 2) | 105 | |
Others: Furman (90), Chattanooga (74), Rhode Island (67), Murray State (58), Alabama A&M (56), Jackson State (48), Duquesne (32), Nicholls (29), Stephen F. Austin (11), Samford (7), Merrimack (4), Sacramento State (3), Holy Cross (2)
AFCA Coaches Poll
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. |
| 1. | Sam Houston (25) | 2-0 | 697 | 1 |
| 2. | James Madison (1) | 2-0 | 657 | 2 |
| 3. | South Dakota St. (2) | 2-0 | 641 | 3 |
| 4. | North Dakota St. | 2-0 | 601 | 4 |
| 5. | Montana | 2-0 | 599 | 5 |
| 6. | Eastern Washington | 2-0 | 522 | 8 |
| 7. | Delaware | 2-0 | 521 | 6 |
| 8. | Weber St. | 1-1 | 439 | 10 |
| 9t. | Southern Illinois | 1-1 | 422 | 9 |
| 9t. | Villanova | 2-0 | 422 | 11 |
| 11. | Jacksonville St. | 1-1 | 397 | 17 |
| 12. | UC Davis | 2-0 | 383 | 12 |
| 13. | Montana St. | 1-1 | 361 | 13 |
| 14. | North Dakota | 1-1 | 356 | 7 |
| 15. | Northern Iowa | 1-1 | 330 | 15 |
| 16. | Southeastern Louisiana | 1-1 | 298 | 14 |
| 17. | East Tennessee St. | 2-0 | 269 | 19 |
| 18. | Richmond | 2-0 | 183 | 22 |
| 19. | Missouri St. | 1-1 | 180 | 25 |
| 20. | Monmouth (N.J.) | 1-1 | 170 | 21 |
| 21. | Austin Peay | 1-1 | 131 | 18 |
| 22. | Chattanooga | 1-1 | 103 | 24 |
| 23. | New Hampshire | 2-0 | 71 | NR |
| 24. | Central Arkansas | 0-2 | 64 | 16 |
| 25. | Furman | 2-0 | 58 | NR |
Dropped Out: VMI (20), Kennesaw St. (23)
Others Receiving Votes: VMI, 53; Kennesaw St., 41; Jackson St., 19; Nicholls, 18; Alabama A&M, 17; South Dakota, 14; Duquesne, 13; Rhode Island, 13; Charleston Southern, 11; Stephen F. Austin, 8; Gardner-Webb, 5; Murray St., 5; Southern Utah, 3; Florida A&M, 2; Yale, 2; Princeton, 1.
Players Mentioned
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