MISSOULA — The Big Sky Conference will expand from 10 teams to 11 in the fall of 2026.

Southern Utah is rejoining the league and Utah Tech will be making its debut in the 2026-2027 academic year. The news was first reported by Matt Brown, founder and publisher of @extrapointsmb.

The Big Sky will have 10 representatives in the upcoming school year. They include Montana, Montana State, Idaho, Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Weber State and Sacramento State.

The news comes after it was announced recently that Sac State will depart the Big Sky at the end of the 2025-26 academic year for the Big West Conference.

Southern Utah is no stranger to the Big Sky. The Thunderbirds competed in the league from 2012 to 2022 before joining the WAC. They won Big Sky football titles in 2015 and 2017 and the football team currently competes in the FCS United Athletic Conference.

Southern Utah is located in Cedar City (population 40,000) and Utah Tech in St. George, which has a population of about 105,000. Tech is currently a member of the WAC (UAC for football). 

The Thunderbirds field teams in football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's track and field, women's gymnastics, women's soccer, softball and women's volleyball.

The Trailblazers field teams in football, baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, women's track and field and women's volleyball.

The powerhouse Montana State football team played at Utah Tech last August, posting a 31-7 victory. Two years ago, the Bobcats dumped Utah Tech in Bozeman, 63-20.

Montana's football team won at Utah Tech two years ago, 43-13. The teams played at Washington-Grizzly Stadium four years ago and the Grizzlies won, 31-14.