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Football preview; Idaho at Louisiana-Lafayette

Idaho Vandals head coach Paul Petrino reacts to Idaho Vandals quarterback Matt Linehan (10) as he exits the field after a failure to convert on a 4th down pass during the second half of a college football game on Saturday, Sep 17, 2016, at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash. WSU won the game 56-6. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
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Vandals at Ragin’ Cajuns

Kickoff: 2 p.m. at Cajun Field, Lafayette, Louisiana

Records: Idaho 4-4, 2-2 Sun Belt, ULL 3-4, 2-2

Online/Radio: ESPN3/1280-AM, 92.5 FM

Overview: Those inside the Idaho football program have seen the private victories that coach Paul Petrino referenced this week – the improvement in the team’s GPA and Academic Progress Rate, the strides made in the weight room, the stronger work ethic. Entering the final month of the season, the Vandals have a chance to make a much more public proclamation of how far they’ve come. A win at Louisiana-Lafayette would put them one victory shy of bowl eligibility with three games left. “It’s very important,” Petrino said of getting at least two more wins and reaching the postseason for the first time since 2009. “We’ve had a lot of private victories. … But for everybody to know it, I think that puts a stamp on it – so that you show the whole country how much we’ve improved.” Idaho is a five-point underdog to the Ragin’ Cajuns, a team that Petrino described as “very talented.” Running back Elijah McGuire is third in the Sun Belt in rushing and all-purpose yards. Freshman linebacker Joe Dillon is tied for second in the conference with six sacks. ULL lost at New Mexico State (a team that Idaho blew out at home) and was shut out by Appalachian State before cruising past Texas State its last time out. The Vandals and Ragin’ Cajuns were off last week. UI is in the midst of a 42-day stretch between home games. This is its second of three straight away games, sandwiched in between two bye weeks.