Idaho’s defense faces another difficult assignment Saturday, traveling to Missoula to face a Montana offense that has established itself among the most productive units in the Big Sky Conference.
The Vandals (1-5, 1-2) will meet the No. 7 Grizzlies (5-2, 3-1) at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, where Montana’s high-octane offense, featuring a lethal combination of running back Eli Gillman, quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat and receiver Brooks Davis, presents a challenge for an Idaho defense coming off a difficult afternoon against Weber State.
Idaho surrendered 307 rushing yards in a 38-27 loss to Weber State last Saturday. The Wildcats repeatedly found room for explosive runs, putting pressure on a defense that must now contend with Gillman, the Big Sky’s leading rusher with 877 yards.
Head Coach Thomas Ford Jr. said the Vandals need to improve their tackling and positioning after struggling to contain Weber’s ground game. He pointed to mistakes in defensive checks and missed tackles on long touchdown runs, acknowledging that both the coaching staff and players need to improve.
Those corrections will be especially important against Gillman, whom Ford called the best running back he has seen in his five years in the Big Sky.
Gillman’s combination of size, vision, quickness and top-end speed makes him difficult to bring down with a single defender. Ford said Idaho will need multiple players at the point of attack and consistent pursuit to limit the senior’s impact.
Montana also has the passing game to punish defenses that commit too heavily to stopping the run. Ah Yat has thrown for 1,942 yards and 17 touchdowns with only two interceptions, while Davis leads the conference with 56 receptions for 810 yards. The Grizzlies have enough talent across the offense to turn missed assignments into significant gains.
Idaho’s defense will need to correct its tackling and limit explosive plays, but the Vandals also must give themselves a chance to keep pace on the other side of the ball.
Quarterback Joshua Wood is averaging a Big Sky-leading 283.8 passing yards per game. He threw for 383 yards and four touchdowns against Weber State, helping Idaho reach a season-high 496 yards of total offense despite the loss. The Vandals moved the ball effectively but were hurt by turnovers, missed field goals and their inability to finish drives.
Ford said Idaho cannot afford to give Montana additional possessions through turnovers. He also wants the offense to establish a more consistent running game, which would help the Vandals stay ahead of the chains and keep the Grizzlies from dictating the pace.
Idaho converted 10 of 19 third downs against Weber, a significant improvement, but Ford emphasized the importance of succeeding on first and second down to avoid predictable passing situations. A more balanced attack could help Wood and the offensive line find a rhythm while taking pressure off the defense.
The Vandals also return to one of the toughest road environments in the conference. Ford described Washington-Grizzly Stadium as one of the best atmospheres in college football and said Idaho will use crowd-noise drills during practice to prepare for the communication challenges.
Saturday’s game marks the 92nd meeting between the programs, with Idaho holding a 57-32-2 advantage in the series. The Little Brown Stein has been awarded since 1938, and Montana won last year’s matchup 41-30.
Idaho has already shown it can compete with highly ranked opponents, including its 35-34 upset of then-No. 1 Montana State earlier this month. The challenge now is producing a more complete performance after the Weber State loss.
Ford said the Big Sky is a league in which any team can beat another on a given week. For Idaho, that means correcting the defensive breakdowns, protecting the football and finding enough consistency on offense to challenge Montana in Missoula.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon Pacific time, with the game airing on ESPN+.