OGDEN, Utah -- Montana has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky Conference football title.

The Grizzlies were voted No. 1 by the Big Sky coaches and also in the media poll. Defending co-champion Weber State is second in both polls released Tuesday.

Montana was the national runner-up last year in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, losing in the title game to Richmond.

The Grizzlies received 27 first place votes from the media. The other five went to defending Big Sky champion Weber State, which was the only team to beat Montana in the regular season. Montana also got seven No. 1 votes from the coaches. Weber State and Eastern Washington received the other two.

Montana has been the top pick in the Big Sky in nine of the last 10 years. Eastern Washington University was the only other No. 1 selection, having been picked in 2005.

";I'm cautiously optimistic about our chances this year," said Montana sixth-year coach Bobby Hauck. ";We had a great off-season of work between December and now. Spring ball was very encouraging. I'm excited to see where this team will go."