These long seasons should still be good ones
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 6 years, 5 months AGO
Normally, when they say a team is in for a long season, that’s a bad thing.
But in the case of Idaho, Washington State, Boise State and Eastern Washington in college football, their seasons should all extend past the regular season.
And that’s a good thing.
Here’s how we see those four teams faring this season:
- Idaho: The Vandals open at Fresno State and close at Florida, but in between, they’ll pick on somebody their own size.
Idaho doesn’t play Weber State and Northern Arizona, picked to finish second and third, respectively, in the league.
So other than league favorite Eastern Washington, and Montana (picked to finish fourth, one spot ahead of the Vandals by the media), all the other conference teams on Idaho’s schedule were picked to finish below the Vandals.
Idaho’s second game — the Vandals’ home opener — is against Division II Western New Mexico.
The Vandals’ strength is on defense. Idaho has some potential “studs” — coach Paul Petrino’s term for playmakers — on offense, but they’re largely unproven.
If they suddenly become “proven,” and if the quarterback position becomes settled — or if Colton Richardson and Mason Petrino can make it work sharing time — Idaho could challenge for a berth in the FCS playoffs in its first season back in the Big Sky after spending the past 22 seasons in FCS.
Remember, most of the Vandals were recruited to play Division I football — and at times over the last three seasons, they played it pretty well.
We’ll say Idaho goes 8-4 and makes it into the postseason.
- Washington State: The Cougars’ toughest nonconference game might be in Week 3 vs. Eastern Washington, the lone FCS school on the schedule — but, obviously, the Eags are no ordinary FCS squad.
Provided WSU has learned its lesson from two years ago against Eastern, the Cougs should be undefeated heading into Pac-12 play.
The conference opener at USC, as well as back-to-back games vs. Oregon and at Stanford, will test WSU in the first five weeks of conference play.
The Cougars stumbled at Colorado a couple seasons ago, the start of a late-season tailspin. Then there’s the Huskies in the Apple Cup — especially if U-Dub is still in the hunt for the College Football Playoff spot.
Much depends on how WSU’s new quarterback does this season.
Still, an 8-4 season would mean a fourth straight bowl for the Cougs, and five trips in the last six seasons.
- Boise State: Bronco fans are worried about Saturday’s opener at Troy, one of the better teams in the Sun Belt.
BSU fans used to make fun of Idaho for having to play in the Sun Belt — now they’re worried about their team playing someone from that conference?
OK.
Boise’s game at Oklahoma State in Week 3 could look like an arena football game.
The Broncos could stumble in Mountain West play — maybe at Nevada, or at Air Force, or at home against Fresno State. It’s reasonable to think BSU loses one of those four games.
But they should otherwise be able to dominate the Mountain West. Last year, they had to settle for relying on a goofy tiebreaker to host Fresno in the conference championship, even though Fresno beat them the week before.
Let’s say Boise State goes 11-1, wins the Mountain West and goes a fairly big bowl game. Now, if the Broncos win at Oklahoma State and run the table in the Mountain West, they would at least be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.
- Eastern Washington: The media and Big Sky coaches evidently think Eastern will bounce back from last year’s hiccup, and make it into the FCS playoffs.
Having a quarterback like Gabe Gubrud back would certainly give a team hope.
Eastern travels to Washington State in Week 3. The Eags upset the Cougs in their last visit to Pullman two years ago.
And their toughest games in conference will likely be at Weber State on Oct. 13 and at home vs. Idaho two weeks later.
EWU visit Northern Arizona in Week 2, but that one doesn’t count in the Big Sky standings.
In any event, a 9-2 record should easily get the Eagles back in the FCS playoffs, after missing out last season under first-year coach Aaron Best.
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.