Big Sky opening weekend: Wildcats rally to Kjar’s 1st win; SUU falls just short at Montana

OGDEN — College football is officially back in Utah.

The 2026 season opened with a bang Friday night, and continued through Saturday’s Big Sky play in the Beehive State.

Three Utah schools opened their Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) campaigns Friday and Saturday, including Eric Kjar’s debut as head coach at Weber State.

Here’s a look at how all three fared.

Make that ✌️ TD’s for @devin_brown33 & @noahkjar pic.twitter.com/atia1gUQza

— Weber State Football (@weberstatefb) August 29, 2026

Wildcats rally in Kjar’s debut

In nine seasons as head coach at Corner Canyon High School, Kjar took the Chargers to a 112-10 record with six 6A state championships, two runner-up finishes, and a streak that stretched as high as a state-record 48 consecutive victories from 2018-21.

Needless to say, he knows how to win on Friday nights.

That hasn’t changed yet.

Northridge High alum Zach Smith blocked an extra point with three seconds remaining to help Weber State hold off Northern Colorado, 30-29 at Nottingham Field in Greeley, Colorado.

“It was fun,” Kjar said on-field from the stadium. “It was kind of like Friday night with a very good level of football in the Big Sky and Northern has some great players. The atmosphere was really fun; something new for me. But it was great to be a part of.”

Fifth-year quarterback Devin Brown, the former Ohio State and Cal signal caller who played for Kjar at Corner Canyon, completed 10-of-20 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats (1-0), including a pair of first-half TD strikes to Noah Kjar as the Wildcats took a 17-13 lead at the break and led by 10 points twice in the second half.

But the Bears rallied.

Weber State defensive end Mapa Vaenuku, a Tooele High alum, powered his way into the end zone on a jumbo package from one-yard out to give the Wildcats a 30-20 lead with 9:04 remaining.

Benson Ashley cut the deficit to a single score with a 23-yard field goal with 4:02 left. Kenny Lueth then tagged Trey Olsen with a 12-yard touchdown to cap a 15-play, 80-yard drive over most of the final 2:28 to pull the Bears within one.

That set up the last-second heroics for Smith and the Wildcats, who also got a blocked PAT from Ashden Oberg in the first half.

Coach Kjar after the wild win! pic.twitter.com/xsZeFniMHo

— Weber State Football (@weberstatefb) August 29, 2026

“Our guys were pretty juiced up and ready to go make a play on it,” Kjar said. “I think they felt like they had a chance because we got the one earlier.”

Weber State continues its three-game, season-opening road trip next Saturday, Sept. 5 against in-state rival Southern Utah. Kickoff from Cedar City is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT on ESPN+.

No. 2 Montana survives upstart Southern Utah

Keali’i Ah Yat threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns as No. 2 Montana held on for a 28-21 win over Southern Utah in the first Big Sky contest between the two teams since the Thunderbirds joined the Western Athletic Conference in 2021.

Southern Utah (0-1, 0-1 Big Sky) tied the game at 21 when Will Burns connected with Joshua Acord on a 58-yard touchdown pass with 11:41 remaining. But Jake Mason blocked the ensuing extra-point attempt for Montana

That propelled the Grizzlies (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky) to an 80-yard drive capped by Ah Yat’s 58-yard touchdown to Lekeldrick with 3:20 remaining for the go-ahead score.

Burns threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 119 yards for the Thunderbirds, and Floyd Chalk added 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

T-BIRD TOUCHDOWN‼️@SUUFB_ has tied the game pic.twitter.com/dCiLTABEXi

— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) August 30, 2026

No. 1 Montana State rolls by Utah Tech in Big Sky opener

Justin Lamson threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another as the defending FCS champion Bobcats welcomed Utah Tech to the Big Sky the hard way with a 54-0 thumping at Greater Zion Stadium in St. George.

The Bobcats (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky) limited the Trailblazers (0-1, 0-1 Big Sky) to 12 first downs on 59 plays and 227 yards while sacking former Dixie High quarterback Bronson Barben twice with two sacks.

It’s the 15th-straight win for Montana State, tying a program record.

Utah Tech travels to Provo next Saturday, when it will open BYU’s season at LaVell Edwards Stadium (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+).

Pick 6️⃣ for Brendon Ross! 🤯

📺 ESPN+@Brendon2ross | #BobcatBuilt pic.twitter.com/fgqNHitPni

— Montana State Football (@MSUBobcats_FB) August 30, 2026