Injuries Mount For Idaho

The University of Idaho could have fit its football injury list on a Post-it note most of the season. This week, the Vandals might need a scroll.

It appears, however, with the exception of an apparent season-ending knee injury to defensive end Ryan Knowles, most of the walking wounded will play in Saturday’s Big West Conference title game against Boise State.

“It looks pretty certain; everything says Ryan tore his ACL,” coach Tom Cable said. Knowles, a junior from Sandpoint, went down late in the third quarter.

Defensive end J.J. Johnston has a partially torn knee ligament that limited him to snapping on field goals and PATs in Idaho’s 44-41 double-overtime victory over New Mexico State on Saturday. “It’s painful as heck,” Cable said.

Jake Wimer, freshman Dan White and Yasir-Jamaal Cole saw most of the playing time at end.

Receiver Chris Lacy has an assortment of ailments. “He’s just sore and beat up - shoulder, legs, ribs,” Cable said. Lacy is expected to play.

Offensive lineman Brett Morton (back) shook off his injury and played, as did a number of Vandals during Saturday’s game.

Trainer Barrie Steele and his staff unofficially led the Vandals in rushing. His crew was summoned often to the Kibbie Dome turf, including three separate times on one 10-play scoring drive in the fourth quarter.

Receiver Chris Belser (knee) isn’t expected to play.

Conference honors

Two of the primary reasons for Idaho’s victory over New Mexico State were honored as Big West Conference players of the week.

Senior Ben Davis, who kicked a game-deciding 21-yard field goal in the second overtime, was the special teams player of the week for the second consecutive week. He beat North Texas with a field goal in the closing seconds last week.

Senior cornerback Dennis Gibbs won the defensive award. His interception at the goal line stopped New Mexico’s possession in the second overtime.

Utah State’s Aaron Jones, who had 10 catches for 297 yards in a 66-38 loss to Boise State, and BSU quarterback Bart Hendricks, who had four touchdown passes, shared the offensive award.

Sold out

Saturday’s game is essentially sold out. Boise State students began picking up 5,000 tickets Monday. In the unlikely event some of those tickets aren’t claimed, they’ll be sold to the public later this week.

Idaho has sold out its ticket allotment.

Ballot box

Boise State (8-2, 4-0 Big West) earned its first vote ever in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Idaho (5-5, 3-1) received one vote in the preseason USA Today/ESPN poll.

Interested spectator

BSU coach Dirk Koetter watched Idaho’s win over New Mexico State on TV hoping for a Vandals loss. That way, BSU would have wrapped up the Big West title instead of having to face Idaho for the crown Saturday.

“I was eating dinner and I turned it on and found that I couldn’t take my eyes off it,” he said. “Being honest, I’d rather Idaho lost and have the bowl invite going in. I don’t think too many coaches out there wouldn’t say that.”