Sep. 20—MOSCOW, Idaho — Idaho is winding up an eventful nonconference schedule that portends good things for the Vandals if they can take care of business against Abilene Christian on Saturday.
Idaho did not blink in facing Football Bowl Subdivision Oregon, ranked third at the time, before falling 24-14 in their season opener.
The following week, the Vandals beat Wyoming of the FBS Mountain West Conference 17-13. In their first home game, the Vandals rolled 17th-ranked Football Championship Subdivision member Albany 41-13.
Idaho (2-1) has so far overcome the loss to injuries of starting quarterback Jack Layne, who was hurt against Oregon, and starting offensive linemen Charlie Vliem and Kaden Robnett, who were lost for the season against Wyoming.
Ranked fourth in FBS, the Vandals head to Texas to take on the 19th-ranked Wildcats (2-1).
Here are three things to watch.
1. Stop the passing game: Is Idaho going to be facing the Abilene Christian team that took Texas Tech to overtime before falling 52-51, or the team that needed a late 54-yard field goal to beat winless Northern Colorado of the Big Sky Conference 24-22? Wildcats quarterback Maverick McIvor is having himself a senior year. The 2022 Texas Tech transfer has thrown for seven touchdowns in the Wildcats’ Air Raid offense, including 506 yards and three touchdowns against the Red Raiders. Favorite targets are Nehemiah Martinez and Blayne Taylor. Martinez has caught three touchdowns and Taylor has one.
2. Watch out for senior defensive end Kaghen Roach: The United Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, Roach stifled Northern Colorado with 13 tackles, including three for loss and a sack. “Kaghen brings toughness and grit to the defensive line,” Abilene Christian coach Keith Patterson said. “I like where we are up front. When we get those guys on the the move, we are really pretty good.” Idaho will almost certainly try to control the Wildcats’ shifting, blitzing defense with a robust running game. Against Albany, Idaho rushed for 247 yards, led by Nate Thomas, with 75 yards and two touchdowns, and Eli Cummings, with 71 yards. Vandals coach Jason Eck said Northern Colorado is a run-heavy team. “(The Wildcats) want to get their safeties in the box. They will leave their corners on an island. They are not afraid to do that,” Eck said. This could play into Idaho’s hands. Quarterback Jack Wagner and wide receivers Jordan Dwyer and Mark Hamper are not afraid to strike deep when they see single coverage.
3. Keep those returns coming: Against Albany, Idaho’s Andrew Marshall became the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week. He had three punt returns for 82 yards, including a 47-yard return for a touchdown. He is ranked seventh in FCS in yards per return and is one of 13 FCS players this season who has returned a punt for a touchdown. A strong return game would be just one more advantage for an Idaho team that has shown it can score passing, running and on an interception return.
