Week 12 - Sac State at Idaho
The 6th ranked Hornets (7-3, 5-1 BSC) hit the road again and head to Moscow to face a streaky Idaho Vandal (4-6, 2-4 BSC) team that plays well at home (4-1). In week 4, the Vandals upset EWU, 35-27 at home. Two weeks later they took #4 Weber State to the limit in a 35-41 loss. Last week the Vandals played at #6 Montana well for the first half before getting steamrolled in the 2nd half and lost, 17-42. The Hornets should not take Idaho lightly.
Idaho runs a spread offense with some Pistol and read option mixed in. The Vandals have been able to run the ball effectively at times this season, it is their passing attack that has largely struggled. Idaho’s offense is currently ranked 71st/10th in FCS/BSC: 24.1 ppg (86th/11th), 379.0 ypg, 168.8 rush ypg (43rd/6th), 210.2 pass ypg (68th/10th). QB Mason Petrino (156/257, 1613 yds, 11 TD, 9 INT) leads the offense and his primary target is playmaker WR Jeff Cotton (70 rec, 911 yds, 5 TD). WR Cutrell Haywood (55 rec, 534 yds, 5 TD) also plays a key role opposite Cotton. RB Aundre Carter (106 car, 601 yds, 7 TD) is the primary back with 3 others getting a significant amount of carries on the season.
The Vandal defense is very respectable and operates from the 4-3. The Vandals are currently ranked 72nd/5th in FCS/BSC: 32.2 ppg (T-87th/7th), 397.2 ypg, 167.6 rush ypg (76th/7th), 229.6 pass ypg (70th/2nd). The Vandals have great size in the front 7 and have done a hell of a job keeping this team in some games they otherwise should not have been in (Vandals are the best 3rd down defense in the BSC). LBs Tre Walker (112 tkl, 7.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) and Christian Elliss (79 tkl, 10.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT) are the heart and soul of this defense.
Idaho has struggled in the kicking game this season. Kicker Cade Coffey (8/15 FG, 31/31 PAT) struggles with anything longer than 30+ yards out. The Vandals have allowed 3 blocked field goals on the year.
Idaho does not do a lot of things right. They are the most penalized team in the BSC (81 ypg) and they are 2nd worst at protecting the QB (30 sacks allowed). Their redzone numbers on either side of the ball are near the bottom of the BSC as well (11th on offense, 12th on defense). If the Hornet defense is going to right the ship, this is the game to do so. I also heard Jason Ross state in last week’s post game that Thomson is likely to return this game so the offense will probably have its leader back. This is a must win game IMO, a win punches a ticket to the playoffs for the first time in the D1 era, and I’m going with it playing out that way.
Stingers Up!
The 6th ranked Hornets (7-3, 5-1 BSC) hit the road again and head to Moscow to face a streaky Idaho Vandal (4-6, 2-4 BSC) team that plays well at home (4-1). In week 4, the Vandals upset EWU, 35-27 at home. Two weeks later they took #4 Weber State to the limit in a 35-41 loss. Last week the Vandals played at #6 Montana well for the first half before getting steamrolled in the 2nd half and lost, 17-42. The Hornets should not take Idaho lightly.
Idaho runs a spread offense with some Pistol and read option mixed in. The Vandals have been able to run the ball effectively at times this season, it is their passing attack that has largely struggled. Idaho’s offense is currently ranked 71st/10th in FCS/BSC: 24.1 ppg (86th/11th), 379.0 ypg, 168.8 rush ypg (43rd/6th), 210.2 pass ypg (68th/10th). QB Mason Petrino (156/257, 1613 yds, 11 TD, 9 INT) leads the offense and his primary target is playmaker WR Jeff Cotton (70 rec, 911 yds, 5 TD). WR Cutrell Haywood (55 rec, 534 yds, 5 TD) also plays a key role opposite Cotton. RB Aundre Carter (106 car, 601 yds, 7 TD) is the primary back with 3 others getting a significant amount of carries on the season.
The Vandal defense is very respectable and operates from the 4-3. The Vandals are currently ranked 72nd/5th in FCS/BSC: 32.2 ppg (T-87th/7th), 397.2 ypg, 167.6 rush ypg (76th/7th), 229.6 pass ypg (70th/2nd). The Vandals have great size in the front 7 and have done a hell of a job keeping this team in some games they otherwise should not have been in (Vandals are the best 3rd down defense in the BSC). LBs Tre Walker (112 tkl, 7.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) and Christian Elliss (79 tkl, 10.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT) are the heart and soul of this defense.
Idaho has struggled in the kicking game this season. Kicker Cade Coffey (8/15 FG, 31/31 PAT) struggles with anything longer than 30+ yards out. The Vandals have allowed 3 blocked field goals on the year.
Idaho does not do a lot of things right. They are the most penalized team in the BSC (81 ypg) and they are 2nd worst at protecting the QB (30 sacks allowed). Their redzone numbers on either side of the ball are near the bottom of the BSC as well (11th on offense, 12th on defense). If the Hornet defense is going to right the ship, this is the game to do so. I also heard Jason Ross state in last week’s post game that Thomson is likely to return this game so the offense will probably have its leader back. This is a must win game IMO, a win punches a ticket to the playoffs for the first time in the D1 era, and I’m going with it playing out that way.
Stingers Up!
