Big Sky preseason voting spotlights Montana’s Eli Gillman and UC Davis wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr.

College football is nearing, and the Big Sky Conference is starting its annual preseason ritual of media votes for an all-conference team. In a commentary published for the Idaho beat, the writer lays out a voting ballot that emphasizes impact skill players on both sides of the ball, starting with the league’s offensive profile and then turning to select defensive picks.

The first major centerpiece on the ballot is Montana running back Eli Gillman, who the voter also tags as a preseason offensive MVP choice. The commentary frames Gillman as a proven production engine and points to his recent volume and efficiency as the baseline for why he merits top billing as the Big Sky gets ready for 2026.

In the writer’s recap of Gillman’s prior season output, he is described as leading the Big Sky in rushing attempts (250), rushing yards (1,540), rushing touchdowns (21), and average rushing yards per game (102.7). The commentary also notes that his production created a meaningful gap, citing that he totaled more than 300 yards beyond the second-highest rusher, Sacramento State’s Rodney Hammond Jr., and that his touchdown total exceeded the next-most by 5, referencing Montana State’s Justin Lamson.

The ballot then shifts from the running game to the passing game, with UC Davis wide receiver Samuel Gbatu Jr. receiving one of the voter’s picks in the wide receiver slot. The commentary acknowledges that Gbatu’s situation is complicated by the departure of his former quarterback, Caden Pinnick, who is identified in the piece as the 2025 Big Sky Freshman of the Year who moved to Washington State.

Even with that quarterback change noted, the voter’s argument for Gbatu centers on production. The commentary says Gbatu led the conference last season with 70 receptions for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding that his per-game production was 89.9 receiving yards and his average per catch was 16.7 yards per reception. The writer also says Gbatu was named to the All-Big Sky first team.

This kind of preseason voting matters in the Big Sky because the league’s identity is closely tied to repeatable offense and reliable individual production. When media members put a back like Gillman at the top, they are often forecasting what will be easiest to build a game plan around in the early part of the schedule, especially in an FCS environment where offensive matchups can vary week to week.

For UC Davis, the Gbatu pick also serves as an early evaluation of whether a receiver can maintain a high ceiling through a quarterback transition. The commentary’s emphasis on both the statistical résumé and the quarterback departure sets up a simple question for 2026: can Gbatu’s role stay consistent even as his surrounding playmaking changes?

Beyond the specific names, the broader point of these ballots is that they reflect what voters think the league’s “known quantities” will look like before conference play and before true on-field sorting. The writer’s ballot includes multiple players from Montana, Sacramento State, Montana State, and UC Davis, indicating that the preseason storyline will not just be about one team, but about how the Big Sky’s top offensive units stack up as the season unfolds.