Getting “Eck”cited for Idaho vs. Nevada

Idaho is looking for their first FBS win since 2017

Vandal Athletics | Courtesy

The Vandal football team is headed to face an old foe on Sept. 9. 

For the first time since 2011, Idaho and the University of Nevada, Reno are facing off on the gridiron. The Wolfpack leads the series 9-3, and they’ve taken the last seven by hefty margins. Idaho fell 56-3 in its last matchup with Nevada.  

However, the two teams are much different than they were 12 years ago. Idaho enters the game coming off a 7-5 2022 season and a 42-17 win over Lamar. Nevada is coming off a 66-14 loss to USC and a 2-10 season.  

Although the numbers look like Idaho should have an easy win this week, UNR is not a team that should be taken lightly.  

“They’re going to be fired up,” Head Coach Jason Eck said. “I’m sure they’re looking at this as a get-right game for them to get back on track.” 

Nevada put up 360 total yards on offense against USC, with 311 coming through the air. Idaho put up 497 yards in total, but they split the run and pass almost equally with 273 yards in the air and 224 on the ground.  

A majority of the Wolfpack’s offense went through senior wide receiver Jamaal Bell. Bell racked up 121 yards and one touchdown on eight receptions. Seventy-seven of those yards came on one play.  

“I think their best player is probably their receiver, number three,” Eck said. “If you have 100 yards against USC, you’re a pretty good receiver.” 

Although both teams have solid offenses, this is a game that will be won on defense. Idaho’s defense shined last week against Lamar, as did USC’s against Nevada.  

The Vandals walked out of Beaumont with four sacks and an interception. The Wolfpack walked out of Los Angeles with one sack and zero interceptions. However, USC got past Nevada’s line eight times with five sacks and three more tackles for loss.  

If Idaho is going to make it a “fourth-quarter game” as coach Eck put it, they need to get in the backfield while also covering down field. Nevada averaged 14.1 yards per completion, and getting beat deep has been a weakness for Idaho.  

“They throw a lot of deep balls, I’m concerned about that,” Eck said. One of Nevada’s touchdowns was on the 77-yard pass to Bell while the other came on a three-yard run after a 75-yard pass.  

On paper, this should be the first competitive game between these two teams since Idaho won 42-33 in 1999 in Reno. The Wolfpack wants to comeback after a tough loss while the Vandals look for their first win against an FBS team since beating Georgia State 24-10 in 2017.  

“We’re going to play aggressive; we’re going to play to win,” Eck said. “We’re not going to go in there and try to keep it close or keep it respectable, we’re going to go for it and go for the win.” 

Idaho and Nevada will kick off at 4 p.m. on Sept. 9. The game can be viewed on the Mountain West Network or heard on the Varsity Network.  

James Taurman-Aldrich can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu or on X @jamesaldrich25

About the Author

James Taurman-Aldrich Junior at the University of Idaho majoring in Agricultural Science, Communication, and Leadership with minors in Journalism and Broadcasting/Digital Media. I am a sportswriter for the Spring 2024 semester.

1 reply

  1. John Selberg

    Good article James. This will be a tough game. From John, UI 1975 alumnus.

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