‘This is a winnable game’: Idaho travels to Reno seeking FCS-over-FBS upset against Nevada
MOSCOW, Idaho – Former Western Athletic Conference foes will meet for a cross-classification matchup on Saturday when the Idaho Vandals visit the Nevada Wolf Pack.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. from Reno. The game will air locally on SWX, and the broadcast will be available to stream on the Mountain West Network.
The Wolf Pack (0-1) are coming off a 66-14 loss at sixth-ranked USC. The Vandals (1-0) thumped Lamar 42-17 Aug. 31 in Beaumont, Texas.
Idaho, a Big Sky Conference team that plays in Division I’s lower-level Championship Subdivision, opened as a 3-point favorite against Nevada, a Mountain West Conference program from the higher-tier Football Bowl Subdivision.
FCS-over-FBS upsets aren’t so uncommon these days, and the Vandals have become one of the better teams in the FCS. They’re ranked No. 7 in the STATS FCS poll.
Nevada is a rebuilding program that hasn’t won a game since Sept. 3, 2022. The Wolf Pack went 2-10 last season under first-year coach Ken Wilson, then used the transfer portal to reshape their roster.
“I think this is a winnable game,” Idaho coach Jason Eck said. “We’ll have to play very, very well. We may need some help from them, but I don’t think we’re coming in here as 40-point underdogs or anything.”
Eck’s Vandals have experience against FBS squads. Idaho gave Washington State a test last year in Week 1, but couldn’t complete a late drive and lost 24-17. A week later, the Vandals outplayed Big Ten opponent Indiana throughout the first half, but lost steam and fell 35-22 in Bloomington.
“We played two Power Five teams and we were battling the whole time,” said Idaho safety Tommy McCormick, who hails from Fallon, Nevada – about an hour east of Reno. “We feel like we have an even better team than we did last year, so confidence is really high going into this one.
“(Nevada) should assume that this isn’t gonna be a rollover game from us. I’m expecting the best from them, and they’re gonna get our best.”
Eck said the Vandals will take chances and play aggressively. That might mean some trick plays and fourth-down tries.
“The message to the team when we have games against (FBS) teams is: We’re gonna be aggressive, we’re gonna play to win. We’re not gonna go in there and try to keep it close, keep it respectable. We’re gonna go for the win.
“You gotta look at it as an opportunity. It’s a great challenge, but the other side of a great challenge is a great opportunity.”
Idaho is 0-8 against FBS opponents since the Vandals moved back to the Big Sky in 2018. But Vandals fans may remember some of the team’s upset wins over FBS teams (then Division I-A) during Idaho’s heyday in the 1980s and ’90s. The Vandals beat five D-IA teams between 1984-95 – Idaho became an FBS program in 1996.
And many Vandals fans will surely remember the rivalry between Idaho and Nevada. The teams haven’t met since 2011, but they used to be conference foes.
Idaho and Nevada were both in the Big Sky from 1979-91 – the matchups in the 1980s and ’90s were often entertaining games between highly ranked D-IAA programs. The Vandals and Wolf Pack played each other every year from 2005-11, when they were members of the WAC.
Nevada has a 20-9 record in the series. Idaho is seeking its first win over the Wolf Pack since 1999.
“We gotta make a big jump from last week for this to be a game that we have a chance to win,” Eck said.
Eck noted that FCS teams went 0-42 last weekend against FBS opponents. The coach named a few keys to an upset victory.
The Vandals must avoid turnovers and penalties. They committed two turnovers and eight penalties last weekend.
FBS/FCS matchups are often decided at the line of scrimmage, where the speed and size advantages are most significant.
The Vandals need a strong showing from their young offensive line, which performed well but not exceptionally last weekend. Tailback Anthony Woods rushed for 138 yards on 13 attempts, but 93 yards came on one carry.
Idaho’s secondary will face a tough test against a Nevada offense that “throws a lot of deep balls,” Eck said. The Wolf Pack connected on two 70-yard gains through the air last weekend. Nevada’s best player is probably senior receiver Jamaal Bell, who recorded 121 yards and a touchdown versus USC.
The Vandals’ passing offense – the team’s primary strength – will be looking to find weak spots in a Nevada secondary that gave up 453 passing yards and six touchdowns last week. It should be noted, however, that USC boasts one of the nation’s elite passing units.
Idaho quarterback Gevani McCoy and receiver Hayden Hatten are coming off solid outings.
McCoy completed 14 of 19 passes for 164 yards and two TDs. Hatten had 91 yards and two TDs on seven receptions.
The Vandals’ top players should be fresh after resting for much of the second half last week.