Vandals look to bounce back at Bowling Green

Idaho football coach Robb Akey watched this week's foe, Bowling Green, play live on TV last Saturday. He also said he's seen tape of the game "2,000 times."

Either way, the Falcons looked the same.

"I was impressed with what I saw from Bowling Green on Saturday," Akey said.

And why wouldn't he be? Bowling Green gave Florida all it could handle before losing 27-14 at The Swamp. Two days earlier, Idaho struggled offensively in a 20-3 loss to Eastern Washington of the Football Championship Subdivision.

Idaho and Bowling Green square off for the third time in four seasons. Dominique Blackman is scheduled to make his Idaho debut at quarterback today, trying to give the Vandal offense a spark as Idaho tries to avoid an 0-2 start heading into next Saturday's game at LSU.

This year's Vandals who were around last year still remember the sting of last year's 32-15 loss at home to Bowling Green to open the season.

Bowling Green quarterback Matt Schilz chewed up the Vandal secondary last year, passing for 291 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Falcons jumped out to a 30-7 halftime lead.

"Defensively, we need to cut down on the big plays; that's what happened a year ago," Akey said.

"This has become a great series with them, kind of by accident," Bowling Green coach Dave Clawson said of Idaho, which beat the Falcons in the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl. "Last year we kind of caught them by surprise early, but in the second half it was a back-and-forth game."

Last week, Schilz was 24 of 49 for 204 yards and one intereception vs. Florida. Bowling Green scored first vs. the Gators, and its second touchdown tied the game at 14 five minutes into the third quarter. Two missed field goals by the Falcons kept the game from being more of a nailbiter.