There is always a special buzz around the Moscow campus in the days leading up to the season opener for Vandal football, and Idaho is kicking off the season at 7 p.m. this Saturday in a highly anticipated showdown against Washington State University.
Not only does opening weekend represent the team’s return to the gridiron after an eight-month hiatus, but it typically means the Vandals are gearing up to challenge an FBS opponent.
Fortunately for Coach Thomas Ford Jr. and his squad, the first of two non-conference road trips is only eight miles down the road in Pullman, Washington, against the Cougars.
The Cougars are the Vandals’ oldest rivals, and this is the 93rd game in the all-time series between the two programs. Idaho is searching for its 18th win against WSU and its ninth win on the road against WSU.
It is no secret that the Cougars have dominated this rivalry in the 21st century, but this Vandals team is expected to be more of a worthy opponent than in previous matchups. They are ranked 12th in the preseason FCS polls, making this the third consecutive top-25 preseason ranking for Idaho. The Vandals are coming off their first back-to-back FCS Quarterfinal appearances in program history.
The last game between the two teams took place on Sept. 3, 2022, and resulted in a 24-17 WSU victory in Jason Eck’s first game at the helm of the program. Three years later, the Ford era begins with a renewal of the storied rivalry with the Cougars.
While Ford emphasizes that this is just another game for his team, he says his team is “extremely motivated” to try to take down another FBS opponent. With two road victories against Mountain West opponents in as many seasons, the Vandals are one of just three FCS schools to have notched multiple wins against FBS programs during that time span.
“Beating FBS schools, to us, is really nothing new,” Ford said. “They also know that they’ve got to play us too, right? It’s not a one-sided game, and I think our guys, especially the returning guys, are very excited about that.”
Last season, WSU went 8-5 but won five out of six games played in Pullman. The Vandals went 10-4, but all four of those losses came away from home. Regardless of how the game turns out, this test will be a good thing for the Vandals in the long run as they make a push for their first Big Sky Championship in over 30 years.
Ford himself also has plenty of motivation to come out victorious in his first game as a Division 1 head coach. He was on the coaching staff at Washington, Oregon State and Idaho, meaning he has spent the last handful of years as a coach of WSU rivals.
“I think our guys are always excited to play an FBS opponent,” Ford said. “If we want to be a Big Sky contender, if we want to be a national contender, well, you have to be able to beat FBS teams. And so, I think our guys are extremely motivated from that standpoint.”
One of the unique aspects when it comes to game planning for the Cougars is the variety of personnel changes that both teams underwent this offseason. Opposite Ford on the home team sideline at Martin Stadium, former South Dakota State head coach Jimmy Rogers will coach his first game as Jake Dickert’s replacement. Rogers went 27-3 in two years as the head coach for the Jackrabbits, including winning the 2023 FCS national title.
“You don’t know for sure what they’re going to do, because it isn’t the team that you’re watching all summer necessarily,” Ford said. “It’s always a challenge to see a brand new staff and brand new players, but I think they have the same challenge, right?”
The Vandals have a handful of transfers that are expected to be key contributors on this roster, but none of their Vandal debuts have been anticipated quite as much as Joshua Wood’s. The Fresno State transfer won the job during camp and he will be backed up by true freshman from Silverton, Oregon, Sawyer Teeney.
“Joshua is not really a guy that gets too high or low, right?” Ford said. “When he throws a touchdown, he’ll be excited and celebrate. When he throws an interception, he’ll look to the sideline and see what he could have done better. So, I haven’t really talked much about hype or emotions with Joshua, because I feel like he’s a pretty even-keel guy.”
Last week, Wood was voted by his teammates to be a captain, along with third-year captain Nate Azzopardi, Sam Brown, Dylan Layne, Jake Cox and Zach Krotzer.
Coach Ford says the team’s identity is to “be able to run the football against pretty much anybody.”
Idaho boasts a three-headed monster in the backfield in Elisha Cummings, Nate Thomas and Art Williams. The three of them combined for 72% of the yards produced by last year’s running backs and the offensive line is better than it has been in several years.
Though Idaho will look to make a statement in the run game early, the x-factor in this game could be whether or not Wood is making the proper reads and connecting with his young receiving core.
While any game against WSU is likely to be an uphill battle, the way Idaho can win this game is by being relentlessly physical in the trenches. They must compete until the whistle blows every single play and overwhelm the Cougars’ offensive line and front seven.
“They’ve been competing at a high level with an offense and defense that I think will be one of the best in FCS football. We feel confident,” Ford said. “I think anytime you can run the football, control the line of scrimmage and play good defense, especially if we can get some turnovers and create some habit plays on defense, I think that’s our big goal in this game.”
The game will be at 7 p.m. at Gesa Field and televised on The CW Network.
Liam Bradford can be reached at [email protected].