Unpredictability and mystery can describe this weekend’s upcoming matchup with the Idaho State Bengals.
The Vandals look to correct a three-game Big Sky losing streak, with hopes of gaining their first conference win of the season during Homecoming on Saturday.
Beat up in the Big Sky: After a program-defining win over Eastern Washington on Sept. 21, the Vandals haven’t looked the same since.
Some of the blame is due to the amount of talent plagued with injuries the last few weeks to start Big Sky play.
Against Portland State, running backs Aundre Carter, Roshaun Johnson, offensive linemen Connor Vrba and Matthew Faupusa and wide receiver Jeff Cotton were all out due to injury.
If the Vandals want to win the Battle of the Domes, they need to hope their offensive stars can make a return.
“We have to get everyone back. But for everyone we do have, it’s not an excuse,” Idaho Head Coach Paul Petrino said in a press conference Tuesday. “Whoever is out there needs to play with great emotion, fire and passion.”
Woes from the pocket: After his top performance against the Eagles, senior quarterback Mason Petrino hasn’t been able to regain the execution he found earlier this season.
During the three-game skid, Petrino has thrown five interceptions. If there was one thing Petrino did well, it was take care of the ball.
Junior quarterback Colton Richardson saw some playing time against the Vikings, but found little to no success, finishing with two interceptions.
Petrino didn’t practice Tuesday, and if the senior doesn’t see the practice field at all this week, expect Richardson to start against the Bengals.
Team from Pocatello: The Bengals have found some success at the start of conference play.
Idaho state started with a 51-24 win over Portland State. Then, after a big loss to Montana, the Bengals regained composure with a 55-20 win over North Dakota.
If one thing is evident, the Bengals can score a lot of points if needed, averaging 28 points per game.
One of the key stars to the Bengals’ success is senior running back Ty Flanagan.
Flanagan averages nearly 100 yards per game on the ground, making him the Big Sky’s leading rusher.
The Vandals have averaged nearly 23 points per game, and after experiencing their first shut-out loss since 2013, Idaho needs to kickstart the Kibbie Dome magic Saturday.
Battle to claim the state: Despite the struggles, don’t expect Idaho to go without a fight on Saturday.
The only loss this season in the Kibbie Dome resulted in a six-point loss to fourth-ranked Weber State.
With the chance to prove they are the best FCS team in the state of Idaho, redshirt junior defensive lineman Rahsaan Crawford is ready for the challenge ahead.
“You hate these guys,” Crawford said. “I was trying to tell the team this week, ‘Ok, things might not be going the way we wanted this season. But when it comes down to the state of Washington and Idaho in terms of FCS football, who runs it?’”
Crawford said claiming the Battle of the Domes can help build this team in the right direction.
“We have to get the Battle of Domes under our belt, and then we just build off of that,” Crawford said. “No matter what type of competitor you are you want to be able to at least say something at the end.”
The Vandals hope to turn this season into something memorable, and a win on Saturday can help rebalance the struggling team.
“It’s homecoming. We’re 5-1 since I’ve been here during homecoming… We’re playing an instate team,” Petrino said. “There are all kinds of things to be fired up about.”
Where/When: Idaho will play Idaho State 2:30 p.m. Saturday inside the Kibbie Dome.
Follow Vandal Nation for live tweets and game recap of Saturday’s Homecoming action.
Chris Deremer can be reached at [email protected]