UI’S Cable Roots For The Bad Guys

Tom Cable doesn’t know the words to the Boise State University fight song, but he hopes Broncos’ fans hear the tune all afternoon Saturday.

Idaho’s football coach is in the uncomfortable position of pulling for the Vandals’ primary rival. He has no other choice.

If Boise State defeats Utah State in Bronco Stadium, Idaho can win the Big West title by defeating New Mexico State on Saturday and BSU in Bronco Stadium on Nov. 18.

“That’s about as strange as it gets,” Cable said of rooting for the Broncos. “I just never have. All the times it has come down to Idaho and Boise State, Idaho was already there, so this is kind of role reversal from when (Idaho) was in the driver’s seat.

“If Utah State beats them, my hats off to (coach) Mick Dennehy and his team because they would have defeated everybody. But I do hope Boise wins and I hope we win.”

Utah State wins the crown if it defeats Boise State. It cannot win the title if it loses to Boise. If there is a three-way tie between UI, BSU and Utah State, the Aggies would be eliminated because they wouldn’t have five I-A wins.

Cable is thankful Idaho is even in the title chase. The Vandals (4-5, 2-1 Big West) are coming off an ugly, last-second win over North Texas. They haven’t been sharp since the first half of the Arkansas State game nearly a month ago.

“I thought we could have won one or two more games,” Cable said. “Losing to Montana and West Virginia hurt us and not showing up to play against Utah State was unacceptable.”

BSU or USU?

New Mexico State coach Tony Samuel wouldn’t offer a prediction on the BSU-USU showdown, but he expects points to be plentiful.

“I tell you what, that’s two very good offenses coming together at the right time,” Samuel said. Samuel should know. His Aggies lost to Utah State 44-37 last week, allowing Emmett White to rack up 578 all-purpose yards. NMSU fell to Boise 34-31 two weeks ago.

“The only thing that could hurt White is we probably wore him out,” Samuel joked. “He probably ran for too many yards, returned too many kicks. He’s going to have to recover.”

Dollars and fannies

Coach Dirk Koetter says he will donate $1 to BSU’s scholarship fund for every fan over 28,000 at Saturday’s game with Utah State.

Koetter is fed up with hearing that Boise is a football town. He wants to see evidence Saturday at 30,000-seat Bronco Stadium.

“You know how many times people have been telling me, `If we do this, we’ll sell out for this game,”’ Koetter said. “I’ve been hearing that for three years. It’s time.

“We need to get no excuses from the fans.”

Hollis hopeful

Don’t go to Arkansas State’s athletic director to figure out if the school’s football coach will be back. They’re one and the same.

The Indians are 0-10 in Joe Hollis’ fourth year. Hollis is also wrapping up his first year as interim A.D. School president Les Wyatt is expected to review Hollis’ tenures separately, but there has been no indication a change is imminent.

Arkansas State, meanwhile, is adjusting its typically brutal schedule. The original 2001 schedule had Georgia, Oklahoma and Miami. Baylor replaced Oklahoma and Arkansas State might put a I-AA opponent in Miami’s slot.

Notes

Idaho receivers dropped seven passes in Saturday’s win over North Texas, including three potential touchdowns. Josh Jelmberg had three drops, but made the key reception to position Idaho for a game-winning field goal… . UI cornerbacks Cleavon Bradshaw and Duval Seamster are back after serving one-game suspensions. Seamster returns as the starter. Cable said Seamster would have started last week if he hadn’t violated a team rule. Tim Sams started against North Texas and was “magnificent,” Cable said… . Utah State’s Emmett White leads the nation in all-purpose yardage over Arkansas State’s Robert Kilow. White averages 254.9 yards per game; Kilow 189.2.