It was late December of 2009 when Idaho pulled off a daring two-point conversion in the waning seconds to beat Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise.

It remains the pinnacle game in the Vandals' attempt at resurgence under coach Robb Akey.

Two seasons later, though few of the main characters from that game remain (Preston Davis, who caught the winning pass, is out with an injury), the two teams meet again in the season opener tonight at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

"There's a lot of excitement about this game," said Akey, beginning his fifth season as Vandals' coach. "And as we started getting into more of a focus on playing this ballgame, for example, we're in a special teams meeting and the first clips that come up are from the bowl game. That added to the intensity of the meeting immediately.

"We had a whale of a ballgame between the two of us the last time we got together, and so we're anxious to get rolling."

Both are looking to reach that level again.

Bowling Green, of the Mid-American Conference, slipped to a 2-10 season last year. Idaho was 6-7 - one game from returning to a bowl.

"While they're a young football team this year, that youth got some experience (last year)," Akey said. "They're a football team that is going to be improved from what they were."

Bowling Green returns six starters on offense, six on defense. Last year's starting quarterback, Matt Schilz, emerged from a two-man battle in fall camp and was named this year's starter. He passed for 2,223 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games last year while battling an injury to his throwing shoulder during the season. Kamar Jorden was an all-MAC first-teamer last year after catching 96 passes for 1,109 yards and four touchdowns in his first season at Bowling Green.

Akey said this year's Vandals have more team speed than the 2009 outfit, and hopes they're motivated by coming up short of a bowl last year.

"There's nothing like adversity to expose character," he said. "This team has a stronger swagger to it, and expectation to it."

Six current Vandals started in the last Bowling Green game - Davis, offensive tackle Matt Cleveland, defensive end Andre Ferguson, defensive tackle Mike Cosgrove, linebacker Robert Siavii and cornerback Aaron Grymes. Siavii is also injured, and will miss the season.