Surprising Idaho takes a major step toward its first bowl game in a decade when the Vandals host Colorado State in a nationally televised game on Saturday evening in Moscow, Idaho.
Idaho (3-1), predicted to be among the worst teams in the nation, is off to its best start since 1994. Colorado State (3-1) will try to rebound after losing to No. 20 BYU last weekend.
Idaho coach Robb Akey, in the third year of a rebuilding program, has relied on a strong rushing attack and solid play from quarterback Nathan Enderle. The Vandals also are showing great confidence, he said.
“When adversity hits, we keep playing football right now,” Akey said. “We think we can get a lot better.”
This is only the fifth time the two teams have played, and first since 1992. Colorado State leads the series 3-2.
Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild is leery of playing inside the noisy Kibbie Dome. The Rams have played only three previous times in domed stadiums, in 2005 at Minnesota, in 2001 in the Superdome in New Orleans and in 1972 in the Astrodome.
“Offensively the snap count can be affected,” he said. “Domes can have some noise issues, but again, we have worked our snap count and sideline count and have worked with noise.”
He’s more worried about the Vandals’ players.
“They have size and speed on defense, and they have skill and an offensive line that rivals any we will probably see,” Fairchild said. “In some ways, these guys might be the best team we are going to look at so far.”
Idaho’s 34-31 win at Northern Illinois last weekend prompted the Western Athletic Conference to pick Enderle as offensive player of the week. Enderle completed 18 of 23 passes, to 10 different receivers, for 270 yards and three touchdowns.
A trio of running backs helps keep the pressure off Enderle. DeMaundray Woolridge has rushed for 295 yards and an average of 7 yards per carry. Princeton McCarty has added 182 yards and an average of 5.5 yards. Deonte Jackson, a former 1,000-yard rusher, has added 110 yards.
The offensive line, anchored by 330-pound left guard Mike Iupati, is a big reason the Vandals rank third in the WAC in passing and are ninth in the nation in third-down efficiency at 55.6 percent.
The 7:30 p.m. game will be televised on ESPNU. It’s the Vandals first night game at home since 2005.
Colorado State is looking for a better start than it displayed against BYU, when the Rams fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter.
“It was downright embarrassing,” Fairchild said.
Colorado State outscored BYU the rest of the game, but it wasn’t enough. Grant Stucker completed 30 of 50 passes for 372 yards and two touchdowns for the Rams, whose six-game winning streak ended. Tyson Liggett had 11 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown.
