Vandals looking to bounce back, one game at a time
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 2 months AGO
Today, Portland State at Idaho • 1 p.m., SWX/ESPN+
By MARK NELKE
Sports editor
Mired in a four-game losing streak, there is no margin for error for the University of Idaho football team.
The Vandals (2-5, 0-3 Big Sky) need to win all five of their remaining games, starting today against Portland State (0-7, 0-3) at 1 p.m. at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome in Moscow, to even have a chance to earn a bid to the FCS playoffs for a fourth straight season.
“You can’t focus on all of them, you have to focus on one at a time,” first-year Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. said earlier this week, in his weekly presser with area media. “And our sole focus this week is, what are the ways we can put our players in the best position to beat Portland State.”
The Vikings are coming off a 43-27 loss to Weber State last week in Hillsboro, Ore., a game in which starting quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele was benched.
Still, the Vandals are in no position to take anyone lightly.
“They have a very good defensive line,” Ford said of Portland State.
Tuaoa Tauili’ili, a 6-foot-3, 330-pound defensive tackle who transferred from Idaho State, "is a very large human,” Ford said. Spencer Elliott is "an edge rusher that can cause havoc. They create some wrinkles on offense that can cause you problems.”
But, Ford said, Idaho’s focus is on Idaho. And looking on the bright side.
“Although there’s the doom and gloom of college sports when you lose, there’s still lots to be positive about,” Ford said.
Idaho could have quarterback Joshua Wood, who missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, back today.
“I think he’s very close,” Ford said earlier this week. “All indications point that Joshua will be back this week in the lineup for us. Having him back will be back not only for our offense, but for our team in general.”
After today’s game, Idaho travels to Northern Arizona for a Friday night game, plays host to UC Davis on Nov. 8, visits Sacramento State the following week and hosts Idaho State on Nov. 22 in the regular-season finale.
“Three weeks ago we were a top-12 team, and that hasn’t changed that much,” Ford said. “We just haven’t performed to that level.”