Three would be charm for UI

The trend is clear, but it will have to change if the Idaho Vandals plan on becoming bowl eligible.

The Vandals have essentially played five good to very good football teams. They’ve lost all five. Three were blowouts, including a 68-10 loss to Hawaii on Saturday. Two were close – a 42-26 loss to Boise State and a 27-17 loss to Michigan State.

Idaho has swept four struggling opponents. Those four – I-AA Idaho State (2-6), Utah State (1-7), New Mexico State (2-6) and Louisiana Tech (2-6) – have combined for two I-A wins this season.

Nevada (5-3, 2-2 in the Western Athletic Conference), which visits Idaho at 2 p.m. Saturday, and San Jose State (5-2, 2-1) are Idaho’s primary bowl competition. The Spartans visit Idaho in the Vandals’ regular-season finale Nov. 25.

Idaho, (4-5, 3-2) needs two more wins to become bowl eligible, but probably needs seven to actually earn a bowl bid. The WAC has three bowl tie-ins, but Boise State could create another vacancy if it wins out and qualifies for a BCS bowl. Hawaii is probably bound for the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. The WAC is also affiliated with the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise and the inaugural New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque.

The top two WAC finishers are guaranteed bowl berths. After that, “it’s up to the bowls in conjunction with the WAC to place teams that would be in the best interests of the WAC,” commissioner Karl Benson said.

However, the NCAA won’t allow a 6-6 team to be placed in a bowl when a 7-5 is available, Benson said. That scenario could occur if Idaho wins two of its last three, while Nevada or San Jose State reach seven wins.

Consider the following: Boise State goes to a BCS bowl, Hawaii plays in the Sheraton Hawaii bowl, Nevada and San Jose State each go 7-5 and Idaho finishes 6-6. Given that scenario, Benson asked the NCAA a few weeks ago if it would be possible for Idaho to play in the MPC Computers Bowl and allow San Jose State to be an at-large participant in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego. The NCAA said nope.

“We can’t even talk about that (bowl possibilities) right now,” Vandals coach Dennis Erickson said. “We’re trying to pick ourselves up and trying to win a fifth game.”

Hawaii or BSU?

New Mexico State coach Hal Mumme reiterated his belief that Hawaii is a better team than Boise State. “Offensively (Hawaii) gives you more problems, they can run the ball with the big kid and of course throw it as good as anybody,” Mumme said. “Defensively, they’re very athletic. We had 500-some yards passing on Boise and 300-something on Hawaii.”

Erickson said both are excellent teams, but “they’ve obviously played (a BSU win 41-34). You can compare them forever, but Boise State beat them. That’s the bottom line.”

Said Broncos coach Chris Petersen: “Guys can make statements all they want. At the end of the year, we’ll let our record speak for itself.”

Sorry about that

Benson recently did something he’s never done in 16 years as a conference commissioner: He wrote a letter of apology to a student-athlete. Benson sent the letter to Boise State receiver Jerard Rabb, who was ejected for two celebration penalties after catching a 1-yard touchdown pass against Louisiana Tech on Oct. 7.

After watching videotape, Benson said the ejections weren’t warranted.

“Neither call should have been made,” Benson said.