Rivalry week seems to have arrived for the Vandals.
Idaho football is set to travel back to Pocatello for the first time since 1997 to rekindle the rivalry against the Idaho State Bengals.
Idaho State comes off a big win against Northern Arizona to make the Bengals 2-0 in Big Sky play, giving them a huge boost of confidence coming into this week’s game.
The Vandals come off a dominant win against Port- land State to get their first Big Sky victory. Now, Idaho looks to take down the in-state rivals on Saturday.
Idaho Head Coach Paul Petrino said he understands the magnitude that comes with the Battle of the Domes rivalry.
“This is basically a state championship,” Petrino said. “I think there will be a lot of excitement, and should be a great atmosphere.”
It has been 10 years since the last time these two squads met. Idaho took the win back on Sept. 6, 2008 with a score of 42-27. The Bengals have not grabbed a win against Idaho since the 1995 season.
The Idaho teams have faced off 39 times over the years, with the Vandals leading the all-time series 28-11, including 11 of the past 12 meetings.
Petrino said preparation is key when it comes to rivalry games, such as the contest to come.
“I’ve been in a lot of rivalry situations and games,” Petrino said. “You do different things to get ready, talk about it all week, then take that field with all the excitement and fire you can.”
Junior wide receiver Jeff Cotton said he looks forward to being a part of his first rivalry game.
“It’s exciting, especially it being an Idaho versus Idaho State game,” Cotton said. “With it being an instate game, I think it’s one of those games you wish about and dream about playing.”
Idaho will look to grab their first road win of the season. Idaho’s only wins thus far have come from inside the confines of the Kibbie Dome.
Time will tell if Idaho can have the same success in the dome-away-from-dome.
Idaho State comes in 2-0 at home this season, while scoring over 40 points a game in both contests. The Vandal defense needs to make the Bengals un- comfortable in the Dome to give Idaho an edge.
“The defense needs to stop the run,” Petrino said. “I think a huge factor in this game will be which team can run the football better. That could be a huge factor in who wins the game.”
Idaho senior running back Isaiah Saunders has been the backbone of this offense, showing week after week he can carry the workload this Vandal team puts upon him.
Saunders is averaging nearly 95 all- purpose yards a game and has broken 100 all-purpose yards throughout the past two games.
For Idaho to win this game, Saunders looks to be a key factor not only on the ground, but through the air as well.
Idaho State running back James Madison will be a force to be reckoned with for the Bengal offense. Madison averages around 107 yards rushing this season so far, and the Idaho defense will have to stop the bulldozing running back.
The Bengals come in to Saturday with the third best scoring offense in the Big Sky, averaging 45 points a game so far this season. Idaho ranks eleventh in the Big Sky, averaging only 13 points a game.
That statistic already puts Idaho at a disadvantage, and showcases why this Vandal defense needs to put on the show of a lifetime if they want to continue to dominate the rivalry.
Idaho will have their full arsenal at hand Saturday, with the quarterback combo of junior Mason Petrino and sophomore Colton Richardson back and healthy once again.
If Idaho falls behind early, this may finally be the chance for Richardson to show off his cannon of an arm.
One thing for certain is that senior defensive back Dorian Clark and the rest of the Vandal defense will be ready to finally be a part of the state rivalry.
“Being able to experience the rivalry for the first time is going to be fun,” Clark said. “Being able to finally see what the rivalry is all about is exciting for me.”
Idaho will travel to Holt Arena to take on the Idaho State Bengals Saturday, Oct. 6 at 2:35 p.m. in Pocatello.
Chris Deremer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Cderemer_VN