With the first half of the football season in the books, Idaho State has fallen into a pattern − a pattern it hope to break out of in getting above .500 for the first time since 2018 when Portland State comes to the ICCU Dome Saturday afternoon.
Through six games, the pattern has been alternating losses and wins which sees the Bengals come into the game at 3-3 on the year and 1-1 in Big Sky Conference play. Part of that record, of course, is the schedule. Having to play teams like Oregon State, North Dakota and Montana State is difficult at any time, but part of it as well is the lack of consistency. That’s the word head coach Cody Hawkins kept referring to in his weekly press conference.
“For me, the biggest message for our guys has been consistency and respect,” he said. “I think for us, if you look at how our season's gone, our guys have probably ridden the wave of emotion a little bit and we have to do a better job of being consistent in our entire approach. I thought last week was awesome, the guys really brought it, now we have to continue to match or exceed our effort, intention, preparation and recovery getting ready to play Portland State.”
The Vikings, who are 0-5 on the year and 0-1 in the league, have had a nightmare of a season so far, having to play both Washington State and Boise State on the road, had a home game cancelled because of a whooping cough outbreak and then last week suffered a brutal 27-26 loss at UC-Davis on the final play of the game when a second was put back on the clock after it thought it had already won.
But despite the record, Hawkins said Portland State has talent and some guys who can be real difference makers.
“Portland State is about as dynamic as anybody on offense and at the skill positions. Quincy Craig and Dante Chachere are unbelievable and they’ve played a murderous schedule, but man they are really capable," he said. "Between Brian Thomas and Bruce Barnum, those guys care a lot about Idaho State football. They were here in the early 2000’s, and they know a lot of the history here. They have a lot of great athletes and this is an important game for us.”
It will also be difficult in a preparation sense because of a change in the Viking coaching staff, according to Hawkins.
“They made a change in the defensive coordinator, last week. They had a different coordinator than they had in the past," Hawkins said. "That’s a unique situation for us. Yes, they’ve played five games, but their defense last week was totally different from what they showed the first four weeks.
“Now we think we’re lucky because we see a defense similar to what they were doing the first four weeks of the year and then last week they were really funky. I talked to my buddies at UC-Davis and they said the front was different, the back end was different, even the personnel was different. They were moving guys in and out. So they are willing to do some things to try to put their guys in a position to be successful and they had some last week. They forced a bunch of turnovers, they made Davis kick field goals and they were a few inches away from being victorious. I think they are hungry for a win.”
Hawkins mentioned Viking head coach Bruce Barnum, who was on the ISU staff under Larry Lewis that shared the 2002 Big Sky championship − the last the Bengals have ever won. Barnum was asked how he gets his team to move past that crushing controversial loss to the Aggies and get ready for ISU.
“First off in a loss, twice they felt victory,” Barnum said. “Twice, at the end of the game, that feeling was there. ... using that feeling for motivation for where we are headed and then go back in time and fix it, fix what went wrong. Don’t be mad at the referees or anybody, just fix it, fix that moment. So that’s how we’re approaching this Saturday and the game in Pocatello.”
Barnum then talked about how he views this year’s edition of Idaho State.
“They are a quality opponent who is playing well," he said. "They’re moving the ball up and down the field pretty much doing what they did last year, chucking and ducking. On defense, they’ve got some guys playing that I like a lot.
“For us to win, we have to capitalize on the opportunities. On the road, you have to run the football, you run the ball to win. And then we have to slow down what they are trying to do on offense. Somehow, you’ve got to get a three-and-out, rally to the football.”
Kick off from the ICCU Dome is set for 4 p.m.
FROM THE SIDELINES:
Bengal kicker Gabe Panikowski was named the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time. It was his last-second 33-yard field goal that beat Cal-Poly last Saturday night.PSU and ISU have played each other 27 times in the past 28 years. The Bengals lead the all-time series 27-19-1 and have won four of the last five games.Despite numerous changes due to injury, ISU’s offensive line has only allowed one sack in the last three games.The 425 passing yards last week against the Mustangs moved ISU up to seventh in the FCS division at 290 yards a game through the air.The Vikings Bruce Barnum has been the head coach for 10 seasons. He is 3-5 against Idaho State in his previous meetings. The teams did not play each other in 2022.
PORTLAND STATE NOTABLE ALUMNI:
Courtney Love, musician; Clint Didier, former NFL tight end; Neil Lomax, former NFL quarterback; Tom Trebelhorn, former MLB manager; Ime Udoka, head coach of the Houston Rockets; Freeman Williams, former NBA guard; Nancy Wilson, musician; Julius Thomas former, NFL tight end.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Television: ESPN+ Pay subscription service (Kickoff 4 p.m.)Radio: KISU-FM 91.1 (Pregame 3:30 p.m., Kickoff 4 p.m.)
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