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Nov. 8—MOSCOW, Idaho — Idaho’s bye week couldn’t have been more welcomed.
Following a grueling nine-week slog beginning with a season-opening, 24-14 loss to Oregon, the No. 1 team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Idaho compiled a 6-3 overall record, 3-2 in the Big Sky Conference. The losses came to ranked UC Davis and Montana State, and the Vandals emerged with a top-10 ranking , ninth in the Football Championship Subdivision.
But the Vandals absorbed a host of injuries along the way, and they were drained mentally as well as physically, according to their coach, Jason Eck.
Now, with a week to recover after having dispatched conference rival Eastern Washington 38-28 on Oct, 26, the Vandals head into a final three-game sprint they hope results in a spot in the FCS playoffs for the third year in a row, and a high seeding to earn a bye and a home game.
They face an interesting test, though. While they were recharging themselves, their next opponent, Portland State, was finding some momentum in a 2-6 season (2-3 Big Sky) that has seen the Vikings go 2-2 in their past four games, including a 58-38 win over Sacramento State a week ago.
Will a rested Idaho overcome a suddenly resilient PSU in Hillsboro? Here are three things to watch.
1. Idaho’s defense against Vikings quarterback Dante Chachere. Against Sacramento State, Chachere accounted for 410 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, including four rushing touchdowns and 165 yards on the ground, and 245 passing yards and a touchdown. This earned him national and Big Sky player of the week honors. Eck said Idaho will have to put a speedy spy on Chachere, and a dominant defensive line led by defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby with 7.6 sacks will have to keep the Vikings’ potent option-oriented attack in check.
2. Will Idaho’s receivers benefit from a change in PSU’s…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/things-watch-idahos-receivers-may-030400800.html
Author : The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
Publish date : 2024-11-09 03:04:00
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