After a 20-17 overtime win over Southern Illinois, the Vandals are in for an even tougher matchup against the UAlbany Great Danes on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the P1FCU Kibbie Dome.
#5 UAlbany enters this game off the back of a 41-13 win over Richmond on Saturday. The Spiders gained 89 yards on the ground, but only netted 38.
UAlbany holds their opponents to 2.46 yards per rush and 75.9 rushing yards per game, which makes them the best FCS rushing defense in the country. The Great Danes also average 3.62 sacks and have forced 27 total turnovers, both the best in the country. On top of all that, senior linebacker Dylan Kelly, who totaled 148 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions, is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award.
In comparison, the Vandals played the fifth-best rushing defense in the country in SIU and netted 110 yards on the ground. Sophomore running back Anthony Woods and senior RB Nick Romano both had more than the average that SIU gave up. Woods ran for 64 yards on 18 attempts while Romano ran for 29 yards on seven attempts.
“They’re the number-one team in the country at stopping the run, number-one team in the country with sacks, and number-one team at turnovers created,” Head Coach Jason Eck said in a press conference. “We’ve got to really, as a coaching staff, keep things simple so the kids can play fast.”
Although UAlbany has the best rushing defense in the FCS, Idaho has a solid run offense. The Vandals average 164.2 rushing yards per game and 4.38 yards per carry. Woods has carried the bulk of those yards this season, running for the 13th most in the country with 1,051 yards. He’s also 31st in the country in yards per carry at 5.53 yards.
However, the Vandals should lean more on their passing game if they want to beat the Great Danes.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Gevani McCoy is in the top 30 for every passing statistic in the country and has the third-most passing yards of QBs left in the playoffs with 2,593. The only two above him: Reese Poffenbarger of UAlbany with 3,030 and Connor Watkins of Villanova with 2,608.
His number one receiver, redshirt junior wide receiver Hayden Hatten, is the best receiver left in the playoffs in every category. Overall, he’s third in the country in receiving yards with 1,096, eighth in receptions per game with 6.8 and ninth in receiving yards per game with 91.3.
“I think we’ve got to get (Hatten) involved earlier, (and) we’ve got to have better execution,” Eck said.
The Vandals’ passing offense will also need to prove why they’re a top defense in the country. They have the second-best passing defense left in the playoffs behind defending champion South Dakota State. Idaho only gives up 168.9 yards per game and 5.89 yards per attempt, which is the eighth and sixth-least in the country.
Idaho will also have to hope that history is in their favor. According to an article written by Mark Singelais of the Times Union, UAlbany is 0-8 all-time outside of the Eastern time zone and 0-3 against Big Sky teams.
Idaho’s potential final game in the Kibbie Dome this season will kick off at 7 p.m. on Saturday. It will be the only quarter-final game not aired on national television but will be streamed on ESPN+.
James Taurman-Aldrich can be reached at [email protected]