Today, UC Davis at Idaho, 4 p.m. TV: SWX. Streaming: ESPN+ Radio: 92.5, 1080 AM

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

The Idaho Vandals can’t be too choosy.

It’s assumed one more win in their final two games would get the Vandals into the FCS playoffs for the first time since 1995 — the last year Idaho was in the Big Sky before spending the next 22 seasons in what is now called FBS.

The tougher of the two tasks is today, when Idaho (6-3, 5-1 Big Sky) plays host to UC Davis (5-4, 4-2) at 4 p.m. on senior day at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

“This is a big game, because seven Division 1 wins is one of the criteria the (FCS playoff) selection committee looks at,” first-year Idaho coach Jason Eck said earlier this week, in his weekly meeting with area media.

Next week, Idaho plays at struggling Idaho State (1-8, 1-5) in the regular season finale.

Of UC Davis’ four losses, one was to Cal, and the other three were to teams ranked in the top 10 in the STATS Perform FCS Poll — South Dakota State (1), Weber State (7) and Montana State (3).

Idaho is ranked 15th in the STATS poll, 20th in the coaches poll.

Idaho is third in the Big Sky, trailing Sacramento State (9-0, 6-0) and Montana State (8-1, 6-0). UC Davis is tied for fourth with Weber State (7-2, 4-2).

“It’s huge,” Eck said of the game. “They’re playing for the playoffs too. They’re sitting at 5-4, if they can beat us and Sac State (ranked No. 2) they’re definitely a playoff team.

“They have a lot to play for; they’re definitely not a team playing out the string, they’re playing as well as anybody in the country.”

Eck coached against UC Davis and former Boise State head man Dan Hawkins last year, when South Dakota State beat the Aggies 56-24 in Brookings, S.D., in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

Hawkins is in his sixth season at UC Davis, and 23rd overall as a head coach.

“I'm sure he’s had more years as a head coach than I’ve had games as a head coach,” said Eck, who has been a head coach for nine games. “He’s an experienced dude; he knows what he’s doing.”

UC Davis quarterback Miles Hastings has thrown for 2,535 yards and 19 touchdowns, with five interceptions. Ulonzo Gilliam (968 yards, 9 TDs) is second in the conference in rushing.

The Aggies average 497.1 yards of total offense per game, fourth in the FCS. In conference games, UC Davis averages 548.3 yards per game, and Idaho allows 299.0, both best in the Big Sky.

“They’ve been good on offense; I think they’ve really improved on defense,” Eck said. They’ve always been good on offense; that’s been coach Hawkins’ calling card. His son (Cody, the former Bishop Kelly High star) is the offensive coordinator; he does a nice job. Their quarterback is really accurate; I think he’s the best quarterback surely that we’ve played in conference, and he might be as good as Washington State’s guy (Cameron Ward).”

Eck pointed out UC Davis, in conference-only stats, leads the Big Sky in scoring offense (42.0 points per game) and scoring defense (19.2). Idaho is third in both (40.7, 22.7). Plus, the Aggies are on a four-game winning streak.

“They throw it well, but their starting point is running the ball,” Eck said.

Idaho wideout Hayden Hatten caught four touchdown passes — all in the first half — in last week’s 48-16 win over Eastern Washington, tying a school record held by three others (Jerry Hendren, 1968; Yo Murphy, 1992 and Justin Veltung, 2010).

Eck said he likes Hatten in one-on-one coverage “against everybody we play,” but noted UC Davis doesn’t play as much man defense as, say, EWU did.

“They’re not going to let Hayden get four touchdown passes,” Eck said. “They’re going to do some stuff to take him away, and force us to go to Plan B and C.”