5 key games for Idaho football

Aug. 24—We are just one week away from the opening game of the 2024 Idaho football season.

The Vandals will open up against two Football Bowl Subdivision teams in Oregon and Wyoming on the road. The first P1FCU Kibbie Dome contest will be a rematch of a FCS quarterfinal game with UAlbany which will be one of five games at home.

UC Davis hosts Idaho in late September to kick off the eight-game Big Sky Conference schedule and Weber State will travel to Moscow in November for the Vandals’ senior day.

Here is a look at five of the more intriguing matchups on Idaho’s 2024 slate:

At No. 3 Oregon (Aug. 31, 4:30 p.m., Big Ten Network)

A tough opening opponent is an understatement when Idaho starts the 2024 season at Autzen Stadium in one week.

The Ducks have possibly the best offense in the country, a perfect test for a Vandal defense that feels it is one of the best in the FCS.

Gone is Bo Nix, now the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. In his place is Dillon Gabriel, a sixth-year senior who played the last two seasons at Oklahoma. In those two seasons, Gabriel threw for 6,585 yards and 54 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

In its first year in the Big Ten conference, Oregon is one of the favorites and it will be interesting to see how well Idaho can hang with a top-five team in the FBS.

Vs. No. 14 UAlbany (Sept. 14, 1 p.m., ESPN+/SWX)

This one is a rematch of a quarterfinal matchup in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs in 2023. The Great Danes return to the site of their upset in what will be the 2024 season debut of Idaho at the Kibbie Dome.

In that playoff matchup, UAlbany pulled away in the fourth quarter with 16 unanswered points to take a 30-19 lead with under a minute to go. The Vandals got a quick field goal, but were unable to recover the onside kick in a 30-22 loss.

The Great Danes went 11-4 last season…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-key-games-idaho-football-121600484.html

Author : Lewiston Tribune, Idaho

Publish date : 2024-08-24 12:16:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

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