Vandals 'have a lot to play for'

Thanksgiving week games and bowl games are a little bit alike, Idaho football coach Paul Petrino said this week.

The team that usually wins is the team more interested in preparing for the game, he said.

The Vandals need two road wins and a miracle to earn a bowl berth — and even at that, seldom do 5-7 teams from Group of 5 conferences get bowl invites. Idaho (3-7, 2-4 Sun Belt) will show how much interest it has today, when the Vandals collide with New Mexico State (4-6, 2-4) at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, N.M. The Aggies can become bowl eligible if they win out.

“We have a lot to play for,” Vandal junior defensive back Dorian Clark said. “Get better each and every day. We’ve got a lot of young players.”

One of the Vandals’ oldest players, fifth-year senior quarterback Matt Linehan, remains doubtful for today’s game — as well as the regular-season finale next Saturday at Georgia State — with a thumb injury to his right (throwing) hand. Linehan missed last week’s home finale vs. Coastal Carolina, after suffering the injury at Troy on Nov. 2.

“It doesn’t look great, but if he wants to go, he will go,” Petrino said.

If not, sophomore Mason Petrino, the coach’s son, would make his second straight start at QB. He was at the helm last week, when Idaho lost 13-7 to Coastal Carolina.

Led by quarterback Tyler Rogers, New Mexico State boasts the top passing offense in the Sun Belt with 354.9 passing yards per game, which ranks No. 4 nationally. Larry Rose III has four 200-plus-yard rushing games in his career, and is second in school history with 4,273 rushing yards and 34 rushing TDs.