Vandals get back to work, as Portland State visits

Today, Portland State at Idaho, noon. TV: SWX. Streaming: ESPN+. Radio: 92.5 FM, 1080 AM

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

They paraded the Little Brown Stein around Moscow earlier this week, after being Montana for the first time since 1999.

Students and fans posed for pictures with the trophy on campus, as well as at a local hotel, site of the head coach’s weekly radio show.

No telling what else the Vandals did with the traveling trophy.

“I don’t know how sanitary it is to drink out of it,” first-year Idaho coach Jason Eck said.

Now, it’s time for the Idaho Vandals to get back to business, as the Vandals (4-2, 3-0 Big Sky) play host to Portland State (2-4, 1-2) at noon at the Kibbie Dome, and up to Eck to keep things in perspective.

“We can’t get ahead of ourselves now, we’re not in the playoffs yet. We’ve got to beat Portland State this week,” Eck said earlier this week, at his weekly meeting with area media.

Idaho’s 30-23 win at then-No. 3 Montana last Saturday vaulted the Vandals into the rankings — 17th in the Stats Perform FCS Poll and 24th in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.

Idaho is 3-0 in conference for the first time since 2004, when the Vandals were in the Sun Belt.

Idaho is bidding to be 4-0 in conference for the first time since 1994 — the Vandals’ second-to-last season in the Big Sky before moving up to FBS in 1996.

Eck praised his offensive line for having no false starts in the hostile environment of Washington-Grizzly Stadium — the first road game Idaho had no false starts.

He said it was Idaho’s second straight game with no pre-snap penalties. The Vandals had no late hits against the Griz — Montana had one, and an Idaho touchdown soon followed.

He said the Vandals are still trying to improve in some areas, like running the football

“No one’s ever made the playoffs in the regular season with four wins; we’re not a playoff team yet,” Eck said. “We’ve got to get some more wins. We have a great opportunity this week. We have to play well at home, and take care of business.”

Portland State lost to Montana 53-16 and Weber State 42-7, and beat Northern Arizona 35-27, a team the Vandals beat 27-10.

The Vikings rank 91st in total offense and 65th in total defense in FCS.

Sophomore quarterback Dante Chachere leads Portland State in both passing (93 of 153 for 1,103 yards and 12 touchdowns) and rushing (67 carries for 314 yards and three TDs).

Idaho beat Portland State 42-35 last year in Moscow after the Vikings made a comeback and had a Hail Mary pass attempt on the game's final play.