Most Pivotal Match-ups of 2011: Rocky Mountains/Desert Southwest

Editor's Note: Our series on the "Most Pivotal Match-ups of 2011" continues with a look at the teams in the Rocky Mountain/Desert Southwest region, which roughly stretches from Idaho and Montana in the north, to Arizona and New Mexico in the south.

Big Sky Conference (FCS):  Montana State at Eastern Washington (September 24): Defending national champion Eagles play host to the Bobcats in a key conference match-up.

Frontier Conference (NAIA): Carroll (Mont.) vs. everyone else: Defending NAIA national champion Saints are the team to beat, and not just in their own conference, entering the 2011 season.

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC)--(NCAA Division II):  Colorado Mines at Nebraska-Kearney (November 12): Lopers play host to the Orediggers in what's sure to be an emotional showdown, in more ways than one.  That's because not only could at least a share of the RMAC title be on the line, but it's also the last-ever regular season game for UNK as a member of the RMAC, as it makes the move to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in 2012.