Notes: Due to COVID-19, the Big Sky suspended the fall 2020 football season. Montana State, Northern Colorado, and Sacramento State opted out of the spring season. † – Montana and Portland State opted out of the conference season, but scheduled non-conference games. ‡ – Cal Poly opted out of the remainder of the spring season on March 29, 2021.
On July 23, 2020, during the virtual Big Sky Kickoff, the Grizzlies were predicted to finish second in the Big Sky by both the coaches and media.[1]
Coaches poll
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Weber State
135 (7)
2
Montana
128 (3)
3
Montana State
121 (1)
4
Eastern Washington
118 (1)
5
Sacramento State
99 (1)
6
UC Davis
83
7
Northern Arizona
68
8
Portland State
67
9
Idaho
66
10
Cal Poly
46
11
Idaho State
37
12
Southern Utah
33
13
Northern Colorado
13
Media poll
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Weber State
546 (28)
2
Montana
496 (8)
3
Montana State
493 (6)
4
Eastern Washington
438 (1)
5
Sacramento State
389
6
UC Davis
325 (1)
7
Portland State
274
8
Idaho
273
9
Northern Arizona
238
10
Cal Poly
206
11
Idaho State
133
12
Southern Utah
105
13
Northern Colorado
88
Schedule
Montana originally had a game scheduled against Central Washington (September 5), but it was canceled on July 19 due to the GNAC's decision to cancel fall sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The Grizzlies' game against Morehead State (September 19) was canceled on July 27 due to the Pioneer Football League's decision to play a conference-only schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
Montana's April 17 game against Portland State will be counted as a non-conference game, even though both schools compete in the Big Sky Conference.[4]