They say experience is the best teacher.

The Idaho Vandals don’t really have experience winning, and it jumped up and bit them last week.

The Vandals came into last week’s game at lowly New Mexico State, winners of two straight games — something an Idaho team hadn’t done since 2009, when many of the current players were in high school, and some perhaps were still in middle school.

And after Idaho turned an interception into a touchdown early in the third quarter last week in Las Cruces, N.M., to go up 30-7, it looked like the Vandals were headed for a third straight win.

“I think defensively, some guys let up a little bit (after that),” Idaho coach Paul Petrino said earlier this week, in his weekly news conference with area media.

Idaho wound up losing 55-48 in overtime, as New Mexico State picked up its first victory of the season — and the Vandals learned a very painful lesson.

“We kept saying it over and over on the sideline — ‘You’ve got to put ‘em away,’” Petrino said. “You’ve probably got to experience it, and do it. At least we’re moving to that process where we’re in a position to do it.

“There’s no doubt we’re getting better and better and better, but when you got somebody down like that, you’ve got to put them away,” he added. “II think they did learn from it. … hopefully we’ll experience it again. We’ve got to make sure we finish it.”

Idaho (3-5, 2-3 Sun Belt) travels to Mobile, Ala., on Saturday to face South Alabama (3-4, 1-2).

Millan suspended: Linebacker Marc Millan was suspended one game by the Sun Belt Conference after the conference said he “committed multiple unsportsmanlike acts” in the game vs. New Mexico State.

On one play, posted on Twitter, Millan made a shoe-top tackle of Aggie quarterback Andrew Allen and rolled over, continuing to hang on to his right leg. Allen suffered a twisted knee on the play, and didn’t return.

“I didn’t see anything,” Petrino said. “That’s how the Seahawks teach tackling. That’s what we teach — you tackle and you roll.”

Redshirt freshman Ed Hall will move into Millan’s linebacker spot, Petrino said, though Kaden Elliss and Chris Edwards could help out there as well.

Epps update: A fourth-degree assault charge has been filed vs. star Vandal receiver Dezmon Epps, who was suspended indefinitely for allegedly slapping a female acquaintance Oct. 25. He did not play vs. New Mexico State, and his status with the team hasn’t changed, Petrino said.

QB3?: With backup quarterback Jake Luton nursing an injury, Petrino was asked what would happen if starter Matt Linehan went down for an extended period.

If it were for just a few snaps, true freshman Kareem Coles would play, Petrino said. But if it were for more than that, then grayshirt freshman Gunnar Amos from Coeur d’Alene High would play. “But I’d rather save Gunnar’s redshirt year,” Petrino said.