Tag: Idaho State Football

Idaho State vs. Utah State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Aggies look to bounce back at home from a tough opening loss in the season opener. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

Idaho State vs. Utah State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Aggies look to bounce back at home from a tough opening loss in the season opener. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Home cooking at Maverik.

WEEK 2: Idaho State Bengals (0-1) vs. Utah State Aggies (0-1)

WHEN: Saturday, September 9 — 6:00 PM MT/5:00 PM PT

WHERE: Maverik Stadium; Logan, UT

WEATHER: Sunny, high of 83 degrees

TV: KJZZ

STREAMING: Mountain West Network

RADIO: The Idaho State broadcast can be found on 91.1 FM (KISU) in Pocatello, Blackfoot, and American Falls, as well as 91.3 FM in Idaho Falls and 88.1 FM in Rexburg. The Utah State broadcast can be found on the affiliates of the Aggie Radio Network, including flagship 1280 The Zone (KNZS) in Salt Lake City.

SERIES RECORD: Utah State leads the overall series, 18-2. In the last meeting on September 7, 2017, the Aggies defeated the Bengals, 51-13, in Logan.

LAST GAME: Idaho State lost on the road to San Diego State, 36-28, while Utah State lost on the road against Iowa, 24-14.

WEBSITES: ISUBengals.com, the official Idaho State athletics website | UtahStateAggies.com, the official Utah State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Idaho State | Utah State

ODDS: N/A

SP+ PROJECTION: Utah State by 23.8

FEI PROJECTION: N/A

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: N/A

After a tough battle in Iowa City to open the 2023 season, the Utah State Aggies begin their home slate against the Idaho State Bengals on Saturday.

The Bengals were erratic but pesky in their first contest of the year against San Diego State, which is something the Aggies surely won’t take lightly after an epic collapse against another FCS opponent, Weber State, just last year. Can Utah State, already battle tested, keep the momentum they began to gain in Week 1?

Three Keys to a Utah State Victory

1. Eliminate big plays on defense.

Unsurprisingly, Brian Ferentz’s offense didn’t exactly light Utah State up in Week 1 but the Aggies were hit with a number of big plays: Iowa had just 284 yards of total offense, but eight of 69 plays (11.6%) accounted for 177 of those yards (62.3%).

Cleaning that up could go a long way toward avoiding unwanted headaches against Idaho State, who weren’t shy about throwing the football with two different quarterbacks, Jordan Cooke and Hunter Hays, and managed six chunk plays totaling 155 of the team’s 343 yards (45.2%) despite a combined completion rate under 50%.

2. Get the pass rush in order.

Another element that will help is more disruptive play from a defensive line that was, also unsurprisingly, quiet against the Hawkeyes. According to Pro Football Focus, Utah State had just three quarterback hurries and hits each in 34 total dropbacks.

It remains to be seen whether Hale Motu’apuaka will be ready to go this week, but it’s clear that the Aggies coaching staff is placing a lot of trust in younger contributors like Paul Fitzgerald, Enoka Migao, Bo Maile, and Seni Tuiaki, all of whom played at least 33 snaps in Week 1. Given that their Mountain West compatriots, San Diego State, managed 20 hurries against these same Bengals, it’s okay to expect a lot.

3. Cut down on penalties.

Yellow flags were a significant problem for Utah State last season and that didn’t appear to change much in the opening loss to Iowa. Four false starts and three personal fouls didn’t help matters against the Hawkeyes, though it remains to be seen whether playing at home instead on the road will matter: In 2022, the Aggies actually averaged more penalties per game at Maverik Stadium than on the road, 9.3 to 7.7.

Prediction

Last week’s Idaho State game wasn’t as close as the final score made it seem — San Diego State finished the week with a 97.7% post-game win expectancy — and this one shouldn’t be, either.

Utah State 38, Idaho State 14

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San Diego State vs. Idaho State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Stream, Odds

The San Diego Aztecs return home for a week one matchup against the Idaho State Bengals. Last week, the Aztecs beat Ohio 20-13.

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The San Diego State Aztecs return home for a week one matchup against the Idaho State Bengals. Last week, the Aztecs edged out the Ohio Bobcats 20-13. San Diego State’s defense held strong as they forced an interception to cap off the home victory. This will be the Bengals’ first game of the season. Last year, the two teams met with the Aztecs winning 38-7 in San Diego.

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Where: Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)

TV: CBS Sports Network, 7:30 p.m. PT

Streaming: Fubo TV with a free trial

Radio: San Diego Sports 760

Series Record: 2-0 San Diego State Leads

Websites: goaztecs.com | isubengals.com

Players to Watch

Jalen Mayden Quarterback San Diego State

Last week, Jalen Maden started 4-10 with 37 yards but then picked it up as the game went on and completed 13 of 17 passes for 127 for two touchdowns. Mayden can beat you with his arms and his legs. It will be Mayden’s second game in new offensive coordinator Ryan Lindley’s system; he should play better as the season progresses.

Jaylon Armstead Running Back San Diego State

Last week against Ohio, Jaylon Armstead rushed for 78 yards on just eight carries. He only played 11 snaps, while Kenan Christon played 39. Look for Amrstead to get more snaps and be more effective on Saturday night.

Hunter Hays Quarterback Idaho State

The Bengals have a new offensive coordinator, Cody Hawkins. Idaho State’s new offense will be more pass-centric, which should help Hunter Hays play better. Hays passed for 2,322 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 23 games. In last year’s game against San Diego State, he threw for 140 yards after coming for starting quarterback Tyler Vander Waal.

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Keys to the Game

Pressure the Quarterback

With a pass-centri offense, the Aztec defense must pressure Hays to slow down their passing attack. The San Diego State defense had two sacks and three interceptions last week against the Bobcats.

Tackle better

The San Diego State defense played well last week, but they missed a lot of tackles. Missed tackles led to extra downs and allowed their defense to be on the field longer than they had to. The Bobcats had the ball for 27 of the 40 minutes. According to PFF, the Azres missed 12 tackles and gave up 26 first downs.

Run the Ball

Last week, San Diego State rushed for 145 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. Running the ball well helps loosen up the passing game and makes you effective in play-action passing. The Aztecs had a nice balanced attack last week, and Mayden did not turn the ball over. Expect the same game plan this week.

Prediction

Expect San Diego State to take off business; they played last week, so there will be no first-game jitters. The Aztecs are the better team, but they must stay disciplined, cut down on the missed tackles, and not turn the ball over.

San Diego State 38 Idaho State 10

Mountain West Football: First Look At The Idaho State Bengals

The Bengals are once again starting from scratch and will contend with San Diego State and Utah State in non-conference action.

Mountain West Football: First Look at the Idaho State Bengals

The Bengals are once again starting from scratch and will contend with San Diego State and Utah State in non-conference action.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

A familiar foe, but can they be more than a tune-up?

San Diego State Football: First Look at 2023 Non-conference Opponents

Ohio | Idaho State | UCLA | Oregon State

Utah State Football: First Look At 2023 Non-conference Opponents

Iowa | Idaho State | James Madison | UConn

Life in the FCS isn’t always an easy existence. Just ask the Idaho State Bengals.

It’s been five years since the Bengals have had a winning campaign and 40 years since they made their last appearance in the playoffs, signifiers of a difficult job that remained so when Charlie Ragle spent 2022 as ISU’s head coach, finished a turbulent 1-10, and promptly resigned in order to bolt to Arizona State. With a new leader in tow, however, Idaho State might finally be ready to construct their path out of the Big Sky’s cellar… but not before hitting the road to face both San Diego State and Utah State in non-conference play this fall.

Location: Pocatello, Idaho

Conference: Big Sky

Series History: San Diego State leads the all-time series over ISU, 2-0, while Utah State holds an 18-2 all-time advantage.

2022 Record: 1-10 (1-7 Big Sky)

Head Coach: Cody Hawkins (first year). After Rob Phenicie mustered just one winning season in five years at the helm, it was thought that Ragle’s arrival from Cal might be the fix ISU needed, but after a season in which the Bengals finished 118th in scoring offense and 108th in scoring defense, the program now turns to Hawkins.

If that surname sounds familiar, it’s because he played quarterback for his father, former Boise State head coach Dan Hawkins, at Colorado in the late 2000s before later coaching under him at UC Davis beginning in 2017. He served in a handful of roles on staff over the years, most notably as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2021-22, and now returns to the Gem State with hopes of engineering the turnaround of a long-suffering program.

Key Players

Hunter Hays, QB

Three different players threw at least 39 passes for the Bengals in 2022, but Hays had the most success when given the opportunity to take the field. He finished the season completing 63.5% of his passes for 1,251 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions, though Pro Football Focus notes that he had just 2.49 seconds to throw on average, the sixth-lowest figure in the Big Sky, and took 18 sacks. With better protection in front of him, the junior could help shepherd ISU’s attack in the right direction.

Josh Alford, CB

After being named a team captain as a sophomore last year, Alford built upon his 2021 campaign and has a strong case as ISU’s best overall defender. He notched a team-high nine pass breakups and added one interception to go along with 47 total tackles, numbers which could put him in the conversation for an all-conference nod with another step forward or two this fall.

Calvin Pitcher, S

No one on the Idaho State roster had a busier 2022 than the Corona, California native Pitcher, who played a team-high 701 snaps and returns to the fold as the Bengals’ leading returning tackler after collecting 62 last season. When targeted, he held opposing receivers to just 8.8 yards per reception, so he’ll be counted upon to continue as a solid anchor in the secondary.

Raiden Hunter, RB

In an offense with few established contributors, Hunter’s junior season could be a busy one. Last year, he led the Bengals with 451 rushing yards on 93 attempts, though he only scored once while playing within a committee. The brighter news: According to PFF, Hunter also forced 25 missed tackles on that modest workload.

David Rowe, DL

Rowe has quietly emerged for ISU over the past two seasons, setting career bests in 2022 with 47 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks while pacing the Bengals defense with an overall PFF grade of 77.4.

Overview:

Offense

There’s no getting around the reality that this unit struggled mightily in 2022, averaging only 4.87 yards per play while scoring more than 21 points just one time. Three different quarterbacks combined to throw 11 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while the offense’s top two scorers, Xavier Guillory and Benjamin Omayebu, transferred this off-season to Arizona State and Tarleton State, respectively.

It could take time, then, for Hawkins to turn this around because there are questions everywhere. Hays is the nominal QB1 for now, but the Idaho State Journal’s Greg Woods noted this spring that the competition is wide open and could include others like Keegan Thompson and Mikey Zele. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if ISU operated in a timeshare when they take the field against SDSU later this fall.

The news in the backfield is at least a little more promising, at least, with both Hunter and Keoua Kauhi back to lead the charge at running back. Finding a field stretcher to replace Guillory won’t be easy, but the Bengals do boast a couple interesting big targets: Wide receiver Christian Fredericksen (14 catches, 217 yards, two touchdowns) is listed at 6-foot-4 while 6-foot-3 tight end Cyrus Wallace (33 catches, 249 yards) returns as the team leader in receptions and yards from a year ago.

As for the offensive line? Well, there’s nowhere to go but up after allowing 31 sacks, the most in the Big Sky, but they’ll have to figure out how to replace four starters in the trenches. Guards Syr Riley and Jacob Angel provide at least some continuity but they only played roughly 500 combined snaps in 2022. Solving this puzzle could unlock a lot more production.

Defense

Despite the best efforts of Rowe, Alford, Charles Ike and others, things often weren’t much better on this side of the ball than they were on offense. In 2022, ISU gave up 6.18 yards per play and a whopping 48.7% third-down conversion rate to go along with 36.5 points per game, but are things looking less grim headed into 2023?

Perhaps. Losing linebackers Ike and Jack Genova and safety Quantraill Morris-Walker will hurt, but the cupboard isn’t totally bare. The defensive line trio of Rowe, Cortland Horton, and Spencer Tatafu (18 combined tackles for loss, six combined sacks) will need to help perk up a pass rush that managed only 21 sacks last season.

The secondary, meanwhile, seems in reasonably good shape with Alford, Pitcher, and Jihad Brown (32 tackles, five pass breakups, one interception) back for another round. If they can get help in front of them, the Bengals should be able to improve on the 7.65 yards per attempt they allowed last year.

Early Predictions

Hawkins heads to Pocatello as one of the youngest head coaches anywhere in college football, but it seems most likely that he’ll have to hope the long rebuild won’t age him prematurely against the Aztecs and Aggies, both of whom should win their contests handily.

San Diego State 45, Idaho State 10

Utah State 38, Idaho State 13

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 2 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by each of the Mountain West’s ten Week 2 non-conference opponents?

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 2 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by each of the Mountain West’s ten Week 2 non-conference opponents?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

What to keep in mind before kickoff.

Colorado (link to depth chart)

What stands out: After being supplanted by Jarek Broussard over the last couple of years, Alex Fontenot is back atop the Buffaloes depth chart at running back with Deion Smith.

Why that could be important: Given that Colorado is yet another team still dealing with a quarterback competition into the season, one thing that would certainly help in the interim is a decent running game which could keep defenses from keying on whoever is under center. Against TCU, Fontenot and Smith didn’t find much daylight (15 carries, 61 yards) and it’s an open question as to whether things will improve much against the Air Force defense.

California (link to depth chart)

What stands out: When news broke in late August that defensive end Brett Johnson would miss his second straight year with injury, the Golden Bears turned to Jaedon Roberts to provide a solid bookend for veteran Ethan Saunders.

Why that could be important: It’s no secret that Cal is all about defense, which made losing Johnson, a preseason all-conference pick, a big blow for Justin Wilcox’s team. Roberts played as part of an extensive edge rusher rotation against UC Davis — seven players had between 14 and 30 snaps against the Aggies, according to Pro Football Focus — but he might be in line for a bigger role starting this week against UNLV.

Middle Tennnessee State (link to depth chart)

What stands out: The Blue Raiders have a talented defensive line, but one name behind that group who has also played his way into the starting lineup is redshirt freshman Devyn Curtis, who’s listed as the starter at middle linebacker.

Why that could be important: Is Curtis MTSU’s version of Drew Kulick? At first blush, that appears to be the case. He made 11 appearances and one start for the Blue Raiders between 2020 and 2021, though the latter season got cut short by injury, but he fits right on a defense that generally skews pretty young as it is with six combined freshman and sophomores among the starting eleven.

Northern Colorado (link to games notes, depth chart on page 46)

What stands out: After losing last year’s leading rusher, Gene Sledge, to the transfer portal, the two-deep at running back features a pair of incoming transfers in Elijah Dotson and David Afari.

Why that could be important: Landing Dotson, after he stepped away from Sacramento State early last season, and Afari, a role player at Miami of Ohio, has already paid dividends. The pair combined for 163 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in their opening loss to Houston Baptist and will likely see plenty of touches as the Bears take aim at Wyoming.

Incarnate Word

What stands out: The Cardinals offense generates a healthy amount of buzz, but defensive end Chris Whittaker made his first start for UIW last Saturday in their win over Southern Illinois.

Why that could be important: UIW might again be plenty capable of winning shootouts this year, but performances like the one Whitaker had against SIU (four tackles, two sacks) will provide a boost to a defense that was merely okay about generating havoc in 2021. Against a Nevada team that has managed to stay balanced on offense in its first two games, enough disruption could force the Wolf Pack to change its plans.

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 0 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by Idaho State, Illinois, UConn, New Mexico State, and Vanderbilt ahead of Week 0?

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Mountain West Football: Examining Each Opponent’s Week 0 Depth Chart

What stands out in the depth charts released by Idaho State, Illinois, UConn, New Mexico State, and Vanderbilt ahead of Week 0?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

What to keep in mind before kickoff.

Idaho State (link to depth chart)

What stands out: The Bengals’ projected starting lineup on offense and defense features 12 different players who are listed as either freshmen or sophomores, as well as each of the six starters listed on special teams.

Why that could be important: Give new ISU head Charlie Ragle some credit, the program isn’t taking any half-measures in building itself back up to respectability. While some familiar names, like former Wyoming quarterback Tyler Vander Waal, center Terron Carey, and linebacker Charles Ike, will bring some much needed veteran leadership, nearly everyone else is in for a crash course through which it seems likely they’ll take a few lumps. For UNLV, it means they should be able to win this game going away if they’re set on making a leap in 2022.

Illinois (link to game notes)

What stands out: Syracuse transfer Tommy DeVito is the likely starter for the Illini at quarterback.

Why that could be important: Illinois hasn’t really had a lot of juice at the game’s most important position since Nate Scheelhaase left in 2013, but DeVito could be the answer that they need at the position and may thrive under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who helped Frank Harris emerge at UTSA.

It’ll be crucial, then, that Wyoming finds a way to create pressure early and test how well DeVito will be able to stand in and make plays. Running back Chase Brown is likely to get his one way or another, so winning the game may depend on the Cowboys limiting damage through the air.

UConn (link to depth chart)

What stands out: With wide receiver Cameron Ross sidelined for the season with a broken foot, the depth chart at the position features three sophomores.

Why that could be important: The quarterback situation, which new head coach Jim Mora deemed as a competition between “four good players that haven’t played a lot”, will grab more headlines, but whoever emerges from that scrum is going to need reliable targets. Ross, the team’s leading pass catcher back in 2019, was expected to re-establish himself as a potential number one though it appears now that’ll fall again to Keelan Marion, who paced the Huskies in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last season.

Kevens Clericus, the projected starter opposite Marion, did have 20 catches in 2021 while grad transfer Nigel Fitzgerald did get some playing time himself at Old Dominion. For Utah State’s purposes, it clarifies who the defense is likely to prioritize in shutting down the UConn offense.

New Mexico State (link to depth chart)

What stands out: A couple of familiar names appear in the secondary’s two deep. Former UNLV safety Bryce Jackson is listed as a starter opposite sophomore Dylan Early, while former Colorado State cornerback Linwood Crump is expected to provide some depth.

Why that could be important: The strength of the Aggies defense is at linebacker, but they still gave up far too many big plays in 2021 and that is something about which Nevada is almost certainly familiar. Cornerbacks Syrus Dumas and D.J. McCullough combined for five interceptions last season, but the rest of the defense had five interceptions combined. Don’t be shocked if the Wolf Pack try to test the transfer-reinforced secondary early.

Vanderbilt (link to depth chart)

What stands out: Mike Wright, named as the starting quarterback, will have some young wide receivers to throw to after Will Sheppard in sophomore Quincy Skinner and freshman Jayden McGowan.

Why that could be important: The Commodores aren’t wasting time surrounding their new QB1 with the weapons they’ve deemed most reliable, but neither Skinner nor McGowan have caught a pass at the FBS level yet. That’s not to say both can’t step up and contribute as expected — Skinner was previously part of a state championship team at Florida’s St. Thomas Aquinas while McGowan was a track star and deep threat receiver in his home state of South Carolina — but Hawaii’s veteran-laden secondary will get a decent test right away.

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2022 UNLV’s Non-Conference Schedule Breakdown

2022 UNLV’s Non-Conference Schedule Breakdown How tough is the Rebels OOC schedule Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Taking a look at the UNLV schedule UNLV’s non-conference slate is in a set of tiers this year. It has a pair of Power 5 teams …

2022 UNLV’s Non-Conference Schedule Breakdown

How tough is the Rebels OOC schedule

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Taking a look at the UNLV schedule

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UNLV’s non-conference slate is in a set of tiers this year. It has a pair of Power 5 teams with Notre Dame and Cal, both on the road, with the Irish being a projected top 10 team. Then the Bears which are not a great Pac-12 team head coach Justin Wilcox is on the hot seat.

The others are winnable games vs. Idaho State and North Texas which has slipped a little bit under Seth Littrell but are still a bowl team over the past few years.

Our staff ranked all 49 non-conference games and the Rebels FBS games were middle of the pack and the game against the Bengals game came near the bottom of the list for good reason.

Aug. 27 vs. Idaho State (ranked No. 47)

This is a very winnable game and is a game that Marcus Arroyo must win to see if this UNLV team can get to a bowl game for the first time since 2013.

If the Rebels fall in this game then perhaps any leeway that Arroyo has will instantly be gone as he enters his third season. As a reminder to UNLV fans, the 2021 squad lost to Eastern Washington last year. That EWU team is much better than this Bengals squad but UNLV should win this game and not take any FCS team for granted.

Sept. 10 at Cal (ranked No. 25)

The Rebels will not be favored in this road game in Berkely but the Cal Bears are not expected to be a contender in the Pac-12. Win totals have the Bears at 5.5 so a bowl game is in the mix for Cal.

Wilcox’s teams are known for defense and that will make for a challenge for this UNLV offense that is going through a quarterback battle. With Cal’s offense not being good over the past few years, so that could play a factor in the Rebels having a chance if this game is first to 21.

Similarly to UNLV, Cal has a quarterback competition this fall and it will be down to Purdue transfer Jack Plummer or redshirt freshman Kai Millner. The offensive line also has some concerns with just two starters back for the upcoming year with center Matthew Cindric and tackle Ben Coleman as the lone two returning.

SP+ Predicts UNLV 2022 Football Record

Sept. 17 vs. North Texas (ranked No. 28)

Seth Littrell’s is 37-36 and went to a bowl game in each of the past two seasons in Denton, Texas. The offense used to be the main selling point for recruits to come to town but ever since Graham Harrell left as offensive coordinator, the passing game has taken a downturn but late last year they switched to a more run-heavy attack.

The team did win five in a row to cap the 2022 season, so the change to a ground attack is suiting this team nicely. The quarterback room could be more consistent as it completed just over 50% of its passes. Expect for Austin Aune to be the starting quarterback when they face UNLV.

Oct. 22 at Notre Dame (ranked No. 27)

The Irish have a new head coach in Marcus Freeman who was promoted from defensive coordinator when Brian Kelly decided to leave for LSU. Despite the change in leadership and staff shakeup, Notre Dame is a preseason top 10 team and has playoff aspirations.

The Irish do have a new quarterback in Tyler Buchner who saw some playing time as a freshman last year. Buchner used his feet to make plays when he saw time but he needs to be more polished as a passer. He does have help with tight end Michael Mayer who might just be the best tight end in Irish history as a key weapon.

Former Miami Hurricanes head coach Al Golden takes over the defense and he has big shoes to fill as Freeman helmed a well above average, if not elite, Irish defense. Golden most recently was the linebackers coach during the Cincinnatti Bengals turnaround which included a Super Bowl run just this past season.


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BYU vs Idaho State Prediction, Game Preview

BYU vs Idaho State prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win this Saturday.

BYU vs Idaho State prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, November 6

BYU vs Idaho State How To Watch

Date: Saturday, November 6
Game Time: 2:30 ET
Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
How To Watch: ESPN3
Record: BYU (7-2), Idaho State (1-7)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

BYU vs Idaho State Game Preview

Why Idaho State Will Win

The Bengals aren’t bad at staying in games early on.

They wear down late – the second half scoring isn’t there – but they need to control the clock just a little bit early on, try to tilt the field with their great punting game, and the need to take lots and lots of chances down the field.

The BYU secondary give up plenty of yards and big plays, which goes hand-in-hand with being bad on third downs, and …

– College Football Expert Picks, CFN Week 10

Why BYU Will Win

Idaho State doesn’t score in the second half.

BYU will use this as a light scrimmage, but it’s going to keep thing simple with the running game going right away.

The Cougars ran for 238 yards against Washington State and rumbled for close to 400 yards in the win over Virginia. They’re going to run early on the bad Idaho State defense, they’ll get up fast, and the only drama will be whether or not the Cougar D allows any plays on its side of the field in the fourth quarter.

– NFL Expert Picks, CFN Week 9

What’s Going To Happen

It’s the last home game of the year, and BYU will have some fun before going off to deal with Georgia Southern before closing out at USC.

The College Football Playoff committee won’t care about the style points in this, but they’ll be there.

– College Football Schedule: Week 10 Predictions, Lines

BYU vs Idaho State Prediction, Lines

BYU 52, Idaho State 3
Line: BYU -35.5, o/u: 52.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3

Must See Rating: 1

5: Belfast
1: Ghostbusters: Afterlife

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– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings

Idaho State CB commit flexes with rushing, receiving, KO return TDs in one game

Idaho State commit Deville “Djoker” Dickerson did it all in Lompoc High School’s win this weekend.

Some high school football players line up on both sides of the ball. Some get in on the action on special teams as well as offense and defense.

Deville “Djoker” Dickerson, a senior cornerback out of Lompoc (Calif.) High School, simply dominated all three facets in the team’s 64-28 win over Oxnard (Calif.) on Friday night.

Dickerson returned a kickoff for touchdown, which was his eighth total score between kickoff and punt returns this season. He rushed in a 19-yard score, and got to the end zone again with a two-point conversion on another rush. He also had 180 receiving yards on eight receptions, three of which were touchdowns.

At the end of the night, that’s five touchdowns plus a two-point conversion.

While it’s true Dickerson scored on the offensive and special teams end, he couldn’t punch one home on the defensive end. Why is that? Well, more for lack of opportunity than anything. He tweeted that he was thrown at zero times, something that would make it awfully difficult to get an INT TD.

Watch highlights from his performance here, led off with his kickoff return score:

It was an awesome performance by the Lompoc star.

Dickerson, an Idaho State commit, is ranked as a three-star cornerback by 247Sports. The recruiting site said he had three offers before he committed to the Bengals.

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Idaho State vs Southern Utah Prediction, Game Preview: FCS Spring Football

Idaho State Bengals vs Southern Utah Thunderbirds prediction and FCS spring football game preview.

Idaho State Bengals vs Southern Utah Thunderbirds prediction and FCS spring football game preview.

Idaho State vs Southern Utah Broadcast

Date: Saturday, March 6
Game Time: 2:00 ET
Venue: Eccles Coliseum, Cedar City, UT
Network: Pluto TV

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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Idaho State (0-1) vs Southern Utah (0-1) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on the FCS, go to BetMGM

Why Idaho State Will Win

The Bengals got the passing game going.

They fought the good fight in a loss to a Weber State team that should be among the best in the Big Sky, with former Wyoming QB Tyler Vander Waal throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns.

The passing game kept on bombing, and now he gets to go against a Southern Utah secondary ghat got hammered for over 300 yards in the 34-33 loss to Northern Arizona.

The Thunderbirds kept up the entire way, got a five-touchdown pass day from Justin Miller, and they still lost. But …

Why Southern Utah Will Win

Yeah, Vander Waal threw for over 300 yards, but most of them were late against Weber State and it took him 42 passes to get there.

Southern Utah lost a thriller, but played relatively well. It dominated the time of possession battle and was able to come through on enough clutch drives to make it a fight throughout. Idaho State’s defense wasn’t even in the ballpark after the first quarter last week.

The Bengal defensive front was pushed around and the secondary was hit for four touchdown passes. Southern Utah has the upside to take over and control the tempo from the start.

What’s Going To Happen

This could be fun if both passing games can get hot early on.

Don’t look too hard into Idaho State getting roasted by Weber State – the Wildcats are just that good – but it was telling how the D had so many issues and the O didn’t do much until being down 42-7.

The Thunderbirds will be more balanced and consistent.

Idaho State vs Southern Utah Prediction, Line

Southern Utah 34, Idaho State 27
Bet on college football with BetMGM
Line: Southern Utah -3.5, o/u: 54

Must See Rating: 3

5: Beavis & Butt-Head are making a movie
1: Tom & Jerry

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First Look: New Mexico vs. Idaho State

Get your first look at Idaho State who takes on New Mexico in Week 1.

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First Look: New Mexico vs. Idaho State

Lobos take on the Bengals in Week 0

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Danny Gonzales-era begins

An early preview of the UNM Lobos matchup against Big Sky opponent Idaho State Bengals

Team: Idaho State 

Conference: Big Sky

2019 Result: 3-9

Head Coach: Rob Phenicie

On August 29, the Danny Gonzales era begins as the Lobos battle the Bengals from Idaho State at DreamStyle Stadium in Albuquerque for the first game of the year.

With the summer months upon us and the whole world talking about the COVID-19 virus, it’s nice to even be able to talk about college football being played this year.

The Bengals from Idaho State come into the Land of Enchantment to take on Lobos in the high altitude of Albuquerque at 5000 feet above sea level. 

The Lobos under former Head Coach Bob Davie finished 2-10 last year, concluding with a nine-game skid before Athletic Director Eddie Nunez and Bob Davie mutually agreed to part ways.

Eddie Nunez: “I’m appreciative of the work that coach Davie has done at UNM.” Davie has a career record of 35-63 in eight seasons with the program. He led the Lobos to a 7-6 record and appearance in the New Mexico Bowl in 2014 and followed it up with a 9-4 campaign and a win in the New Mexico Bowl the following season.

Nunez then pursued and hired Defensive Coordinator Danny Gonzales from Arizona State, where he was on staff with former NFL head coaches Herm Edwards and Marvin Lewis. 

Gonzales who has been offered other head coaching jobs made it very clear he was not interested in any head coaching job as he was quite happy at ASU with Coach Herm Edwards. 

The only head coaching job he would consider would be his alma mater in New Mexico, but only if they pursued him, as he was not looking as he was very happy at Arizona State. 

Athletic Director Eddie Nunez really got a two for one with the hire of young and bright Danny Gonzales. Then, Rocky Long, who is known for super aggressive and physical defenses, it should bode well for the Lobos on the gridiron. 

The Idaho State Bengals are a good team for the Lobos to start the season off before heading on the road for two very challenging teams back to back, in the USC Trojans and Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Idaho State game should be one to allow the Lobos to get things worked out and have success before those two Power Five opponents.

The Bengals are picked by Street & Smith’s College football to finish dead last in the Big Sky Conference in their preseason magazine and have the fewest starters of any team in the conference. 

What they do have is returning Quarterback Matt Struck, who passed for an impressive 2,334 yards for the Bengals. He could be challenged by Wyoming Cowboy transfer Tyler VanderWaal. He is a 6’4, 220Lb Quarterback from Elk Grove Calif.

With New Mexico, Danny Gonzales inherits over 30 seniors on the roster for this year’s Lobo football team, many have with game experience, and that should really help them. 

Then you factor a Rocky Long who without question is one of the top defensive minds in college football and runs the 3-3-5 better than most teams. 

The Lobos should dramatically improve on defense under Long from last year’s Lobos, who gave up an average of 37.2 points per game. One of the biggest question marks right now would be the Quarterback of the Lobos for OC Warehime.

Sophomore QB Trae Hall is listed as the tentative starter, but it should be a dogfight with Junior Tevaka Tuioti and Brandt Hughes. 

Offensive Coordinator Derek Warehime was also an excellent hire for Danny Gonzales as Warehime.

Derek Warehime was a big reason for a very productive era of a big-play offense under former Offensive Coordinator Bob Debesse when both were part of the Lobo coaching staff with Bob Davie. 

Gonzales has gone on record saying that the Warehime be a head coach one day and feels fortunate to have hired him and bring him on staff. 

There is no doubt that all NCAA Football teams with limited reps, limited workouts, and limited practice will look a little rusty after dealing with the COVID Virus. 

The Lobos have some very good talent this year with nine players named to the Athlon Sports Preseason All-Mountain West team, with four players earning the nod on offense, two on defense, and a league-leading three on special teams.

So, you have some players like TE Marcus Williams salivating under this spread offense under Warehime, he can light up as a TE or Split receiver. He should have a very good year under this offense. 

They have some speedy receivers as well with Elijah Lilly as one of the speed burners for the offense. 

The Lobos have some good talent at running back and Bryce Carroll comes to mind as very explosive back with quickness to take it to the house given the opportunity. 

Shoring up the offensive line is Teton Saltes and Kyle Stapley and on defense, Jacobi Hearn at the Linebacker spot and cornerback Donte Martin are solid defenders for the Lobos. 

The Lobo without a doubt come into the season with one of the best punters in the nation with Tyson Dyer averaging 46.1 yards per punt and long of 63 yards Ray Guy Award semifinalist 

So the bottom line is that this should be a fun team to not only watch, they should be able to surprise a few teams with the coaching staff and the upperclassman for this years team. 

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