On Oct. 9, Idaho football snapped a three-game losing streak and managed to get back into Big Sky competition with a win against Portland State. As UC Davis suffered a loss to Idaho State on that same day, the Vandals could catapult themselves up the Big Sky standings with a win over Eastern Washington University tomorrow in Cheney.
Eastern Washington is ranked No. 2 in the FCS and has the best total offense in the FCS. Despite their success on the offensive side of the ball, Eastern Washington’s defense ranks No. 49.
The UI-EWU rivalry has quickly become one of the marquee rivalries of Big Sky football since Idaho’s move from FBS to FCS. The teams have played each other four times since 2018 and have split the series — with both teams having two wins and two losses.
The Vandals and the Eagles played each other twice in the COVID-shortened spring season and each took a win against each other, with the Vandals taking a victory in Moscow and the Eagles taking a victory in Cheney.
In the sppring, EWU came to Moscow as the No. 9 team in the country and lost to the Vandals. If the Vandals hope to upset the Eagles again and cement their status as conference and playoff contenders, then they’ll need to make sure to exploit the weaknesses of Eagle defense.
Despite Idaho’s defensive performance against UC Davis and Portland State, especially on the first half, the game likely won’t be a defensive battle. Eagles’ redshirt senior quarterback Eric Barriere has a legitimate argument as the best, or at the very least, the most efficient quarterback in the entire FCS. Eagles’ redshirt senior running back Dennis Merritt is averaging 5.3 yards a carry and has 11 rushing touchdowns on the season. The Vandals are not going to be able to neutralize both, so it lies on graduate student quarterback Mike Beaudry and the weapons the Vandals have on offense to outscore the best offense in the entire FCS.
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Terez Traynor has cemented himself as the primary target for the Vandals’ passing game in the last two games. Redshirt junior Roshaun Johnson, freshman Elisha Cummings and the rest of the running back crew will need to keep up their performances in order to make this game competitive. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Zach Borisch might also be called upon to do more than he has when he gets his reps.
There’s now two weeks of film on Borisch, and the EWU defense has no doubt practiced for him. Passing game is likely on the table for Borisch in order to keep the Eagles’ defense honest.
This will be a competitive game, and if the Vandals win, then they could be the team who can make the FCS playoffs for the first time since Idaho’s move from FBS to FCS.
Saturday’s game is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
Live coverage of the game will be on Twitter @VandalNation
Teren Kowatsch can be reached at [email protected]