Vandals look to ‘finish the deal’ vs. ISU

Today, Idaho State at Idaho, 4 p.m. TV: SWX/ESPN+

By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

Coming off a pair of sub-par performances, the Idaho Vandals (7-3, 5-2 Big Sky) have a chance to right the ship and head into the FCS playoffs with some momentum when they play host to the Idaho State Bengals (3-7, 3-4) in the regular-season finale today at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

“We still have a ton to play for,” second-year Idaho coach Jason Eck said. “I think we have a great opportunity, if we can win this week and play really well, to be one of the top-eight seeded teams in the country, and a chance to be second in the conference, which is an improvement. Last year we tied for third. And just going back-to-back to the playoffs for the first time in a long time.”

A top-eight seed would mean a first-round bye next weekend, and a a home game in the quarterfinals in two weeks.

And the last time Idaho made back-to-back FCS playoff appearances was in 1994 and ‘95, the Vandals last two seasons in the Big Sky before jumping up to the FBS level in 1996 for a 22-year run.

Today is also senior day at Idaho, ranked sixth this week in the STATS PERFORM FCS Poll.

Because some have a COVID year available, not all seniors will be leaving after this year (for example, All-American wide receiver Hayden Hatten could come back, or could choose to move on).

Regardless, “I have great bonds with these guys,” Eck said. “These guys were helpful to me for getting our program established and this thing started. So I’ll be forever grateful to these guys for their contributions.

“And the exciting thing — if we play really well, this isn’t their last game in the Kibbie Dome.”

Idaho State is coming off back-to-back one-win seasons, and Cody Hawkins is the Bengals’ third coach in three seasons. This year, the Bengals own conference wins over Eastern Washington and Portland State, and have played several other teams closer than expected.

“Very impressed by this Idaho State team,” Eck said. “I think coach Hawkins has done a tremendous job; they have more fight in them this year. They’re competing; getting three conference wins this year is a great improvement. And even in a lot of their losses, they’ve been competitive. This team has caught our attention.”

The Bengals offer a different style — four wide receivers on offense every play, a three-man front on defense, and a two-quarterback system with Hunter Hays, more of a runner, and Jordan Cooke, more of a passer.

“They’re a completely different team than last year.”

On the flipside, when sophomore running back Anthony Woods has been healthy, Idaho has been able to throw it and run it equally well — creating a quandary for opposing defensive coordinators.

“If you try to stop everything, you’re not going to stop anything,” Hawkins said. “It’s not really a guessing game, but you try to take away what they do best in those situations.”

Seven wins is usually enough to get into the FCS playoffs. But Idaho would like to remove all doubt today, with its eighth victory, when the 24-team playoff field is announced Sunday.

“We have to finish the deal,” Eck said. “It will be a lot better feeling going into Selection Sunday, getting that eighth win, (then) I think we’re for sure in. I don’t want to be on the bubble; I don’t want to be hoping your name pops up, like it was last year. It’s a lot better feeling, trying to figure out where you’re going, or if you’re at home.”

WHICH DOME IS BETTER?

In recent years, since Idaho returned to the Big Sky Conference in 2018, games between the Vandals and Idaho State in all sports fell under an umbrella of competition between the two schools dubbed the “Battle of the Domes.”

According to Idaho officials, that trophy has been retired and will not be used this year. The two schools hope to debut a new rivalry trophy next year.

However, leave it to Hawkins to trigger a “Battle of the Domes” debate earlier this week.

Asked by media in Pocatello to compare Holt Arena, Idaho State’s home, to the Kibbie Dome, Hawkins replied:

“I think it’s funny when people bring up that argument, because there really is no argument. I think Holt Arena is far superior to the Kibbie Dome in every way. Holt Arena is a cut above … if you go into the Arena, this is a nice place. It doesn’t feel like there’s an aircraft carrier. Some of it’s tight; I get the ceiling’s smaller, but that makes it intimate, and really cool. You don’t need to be able to fly a plane in your football field; you need to be able to play football on it. And we can do that in Holt Arena. I think the colors in here are better. It’s well-lit; I like the bright ceiling. It’s a fantastic place to play football and our guys are lucky to have this as their home venue.”