(STATS) -- Last years best conference title race in the FCS might be anyones guess again this year.The Big Sky is so deep with talented teams that Northern Arizona was installed Tuesday as the preseason favorite even though it hasnt won the conference title in 13 years, and Southern Utah, last years champ, managed only seventh place.The 13-team Big Sky -- the largest FCS conference -- has two preseason polls, and the head coaches and media agreed Northern Arizona should hold the top spot. Portland State and Montana tied for second place in the coaches poll, while Montana was second and Eastern Washington third in the media poll.Its humbling and its an honor at the same, said Northern Arizona coach Jerome Souers, now in his 19th season with the Lumberjacks. To be considered among the elite of this conference … I have that much respect for our conferences and the coaches that are in it, the teams and the players. If one team has to wear it, maybe its our turn. But its always going to be defined in the outcome of competition through the fall.Over half the Big Sky teams were in contention for the conference title or an FCS playoff bid heading into the final weekend of the regular season last November. Northern Arizonas playoff bid was derailed by a 49-41 loss to Southern Utah, which captured its first Big Sky title after being picked eighth in the preseason poll.NAU, which finished 7-4 overall and 5-3 in the conference, returns four offensive players on the Big Sky preseason team. Sophomore quarterback Case Cookus, who was the STATS FCS Freshman Player of the Year after throwing 37 touchdowns, will have to manage the expectations after being a surprise on the national scene last year.Its execute -- thats the bottom line, he said, looking ahead to the season. Conference play begins Sept. 24. We watched the film, we watched all those games where we lost. It comes down to a few plays each game.I made a few mistakes in each of those games where it could have swayed the game each way. If we can cut down on those mistakes, were right there in playoff contention.And title contention. The Lumberjacks last tied for the Big Sky title in 2003, and although they have had four straight winning seasons, only their 2013 squad has advanced to the playoffs in the last 12 seasons.Portland State (9-3, 6-2), also a surprise last season, and Montana (8-6, 6-2) represented the parity-filled Big Sky in the playoffs along with Southern Utah (8-4, 7-1), the automatic qualifier.Perhaps there is another team that people dont see coming. But the same six teams precede Southern Utah in the two polls -- NAU, Portland State, Montana, Eastern Washington, North Dakota and Weber State. Each returns its starting quarterback, while SUU is replacing its starter, Ammon Olsen, as well as key players on defense.Big games, we want em, Montana second-year coach Bob Stitt said of his perennial power. Its the team chemistry and really caring about each other thats going to get us to the top.Said Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin, whose team fizzled last season after winning three straight titles: It probably shook out in the end a little bit different than people thought it would. But you have to be ready knowing each week in this league is going to be a battle, and embrace the fact you are in a tough conference. We face a challenge each and every week.---=BIG SKY FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLLS=Head Coaches Poll1. Northern Arizona (8 first-place votes), 132 points2. (tie) Portland State (2), 1212. (tie) Montana, 1214. Eastern Washington (2), 1125. North Dakota (2), 1056. Weber State, 837. (tie) Southern Utah, 737. (tie) Montana State, 739. Cal Poly, 6610. Northern Colorado, 4311. Sacramento State, 3012. Idaho State, 2413. UC Davis, 23Media Poll1. Northern Arizona (8), 2872. Montana (7), 2833. Eastern Washington (5), 2694. North Dakota (2), 2625. Portland State (3), 2526. Weber State, 1747. Southern Utah, 1628. Montana State, 1579. Cal Poly, 15310. Northern Colorado, 11111. Idaho State, 5812. UC Davis, 5613. Sacramento State, 50---=BIG SKY CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON TEAM=Offensive Player of the Year -- Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern WashingtonDefensive Player of the Year -- Caleb Kidder, DE, MontanaOffenseQB -- Case Cookus, Northern ArizonaRB -- *John Santiago, North DakotaRB -- Chad Newell, Montana StateFB -- *Joe Protheroe, Cal PolyTE -- Steven Wroblewski, Southern UtahOG -- Cameron Young, Weber StateOG -- J.P. Flynn, Montana StateC -- Blake Porter, Northern ArizonaOT -- Jacob Julian, Northern ArizonaOT -- Calvin Steyn, Weber StateWR -- *Cooper Kupp, Eastern WashingtonWR -- Mike Sharp, Southern UtahWR -- Emmanuel Butler, Northern ArizonaDefenseDE -- Caleb Kidder, MontanaDE -- Davond Dade, Portland StateDT -- Chance Bearnson, Southern UtahDT -- Chuntony Johnson, Northern ColoradoOLB -- Mike Needham, Southern UtahOLB -- Mac Bignell, Montana StateILB -- Emmett Tela, Weber StateILB -- Manoah Pearson, Sacramento StateCB -- Xavier Coleman, Portland StateCB -- Taron Johnson, Weber StateS -- Cole Reyes, North DakotaS -- Yamen Sanders, MontanaSpecial TeamsPK -- Jonathan Gonzales, Portland StateP -- Tate Lewis, Southern UtahRS -- Ellis Onic II, Northern ColoradoST -- Hakeem Diggs, Northern Colorado* -- unanimous selection Nike Air Max 90 For Sale Cheap . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Free Shipping . 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EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon coach Dana Altman had a great start to the season Friday -- in more ways than one.After signing a new seven-year contract and three highly ranked high school recruits, Altman found a sold-out crowd of 12,364 eager to witness the beginning of his seventh season with the Ducks.Tyler Dorsey scored 21 points and freshman Payton Pritchard added 15 in his debut as No. 5 Oregon opened with a 91-77 victory over Army.Weve done some good things and been very fortunate with a good group of guys, said Altman, whose $18.45 million deal runs through the 2022-23 season. The crowd was fantastic and so were the students.Oregons previous high during its first five openers at Matthew Knight Arena was 6,262 fans three years ago.After leading by 20 points in the first half, the Ducks allowed the Cadets to close within nine three times before pulling away late on free throws. Oregon finished 28 of 34 at the line.Jordan Bell and Chris Boucher each had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Ducks, who struggled offensively at times with preseason All-America forward Dillon Brooks still sidelined following offseason foot surgery.We did a lot of good things early, Altman said. I was disappointed with our defense, especially in transition, in the second half.Weve got a tremendous amount of work to do, but I told our guys that Army was going to play really hard, and they did.The Ducks matched their arena record with 13 blocked shots, including six by Bell. Oregon reserve Roman Sorkin added four to go with his 12 points, both career highs.Oregon shot 45 percent, including 12 of 23 in the second half, though sixth-year senior Dylan Ennis, coming off a medical redshirt season, went scoreless while missing all eight shots from the field in his first start for the Ducks.Dylans not playing to his strengths and hes got a lot of work to do, Altman said. Hes too casual with the ball. He sat out 30 games and hes trying to make that up iin one or two nights.ddddddddddddennedy Edwards led Army with 17 points and Matthew Wilson added 10. The Cadets shot 39.4 percent and were 9 of 24 on 3-pointers.Oregon finished with a 42-30 edge in rebounds.BIG PICTUREOregon: The Ducks won their 19th consecutive home opener to run their school-record home winning streak to 26 games, fifth-longest in the nation. The crowd was the largest for an Oregon home opener.Army: The Cadets, with five new starters, were picked 10th in the Patriot League after finishing tied for fourth at 9-9 last season and going 18-12 overall.POLL IMPLICATIONSOregons No. 5 preseason ranking, its highest ever, could rise in the next poll after No. 3 Kansas lost in overtime to No. 11 Indiana. The other three teams ranked above the Ducks easily won their openers on Friday.TURNING POINTAfter Army pulled within nine for the last time, Oregon closed out the game by scoring 11 of its last 14 points at the foul line. The Ducks made their first 10 free throws, starting with two four-point plays.HIGHLIGHT REELBell, a 6-foot-9 junior who is already Oregons career leader in blocks, had six more, including part of a three-play sequence that had fans out of their seats in the second half. After taking a lob pass for a dunk, Bell swatted a shot at the other end, then a teammate found him wide open beyond the arc and he let fly, missing his third career 3-point try. He thought it was going in. I did, man, Bell said. I was feeling it. I was really feeling it.UP NEXTArmy returns to West Point to play Mount Saint Mary on Tuesday and Arkansas State next Saturday as Jimmy Allen looks for his first win as head coach.Oregon opens its road schedule Tuesday at Baylor, which lost to the Ducks 74-67 in Eugene last season. Oregon then hosts Valparaiso in another non-conference rematch on Thursday. cheap falcons jerseyscheap ravens jerseyscheap bills jerseyscheap bears jerseyscheap bengals jerseyscheap cowboys jerseyscheap lions jerseyscheap texans jerseyscheap colts jerseyscheap jaguars jerseyscheap chiefs jerseyscheap rams jerseyscheap dolphins jerseyscheap vikings jerseyscheap saints jerseyscheap giants jerseyscheap jets jerseyscheap eagles jerseyscheap steelers jerseyscheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '