Idaho in SEC country to take on Ole Miss
After a bye week, the Vandals are back in the South. They played at Arkansas State two weeks ago, and now they're taking on a significantly better team from a significantly better conference.
Read on for our Idaho-Ole Miss preview.
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Idaho at Ole Miss
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. PDT; Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Miss.
Records: UI 1-6; Ole Miss 4-3
TV/Radio: ESPN3; 1080/1280-AM
Overview: The good news for the Vandals is that they had a bye week to get third-string quarterback Taylor Davis acclimated to the first-team offense with Chad Chalich and Josh McCain out with shoulder injuries. The bad news is what's expected to be Davis' first start in 11 months will come against SEC foe Ole Miss, which upset No. 6 LSU last week and is receiving votes in the AP Top 25 poll. Idaho has dropped 26 consecutive games to traditional BCS conference teams since beating Washington State in 2000, and it's a 41-point underdog to the Rebels. If Chalich and McCain are unable to play, the Vandals will have just two healthy available QBs -- Davis and true freshman Matt Linehan.
Line: Ole Miss favored by 41 points
Injury update: Given that neither practiced Tuesday or Wednesday, it would be surprising if Chad Chalich or Josh McCain played today. Idaho doesn't disclose injury information, and coach Paul Petrino all but suggested on Monday that Taylor Davis would start. He also said on Wednesday that Idaho doesn't have a third healthy QB this week, after Davis and true freshman Matt Linehan. The Vandals could also be without cornerback Solomon Dixon and defensive end Quinton Bradley, who missed practice early in the week and have been in and out of the lineup the past month. In addition, center Mike Marboe has been playing with a heavy cast for a broken hand.
Homecoming of sorts: Idaho senior safety Trey Williams is from Itta Bena, Miss., around 100 miles from Oxford, where the Vandals and Rebels will play today. Williams is the only Idaho player from Mississippi. He had an interception at Arkansas State to help spark a second-half rally.