Vandals travel to Idaho State today

Idaho plays its first road football game since November 2019 today, when the Vandals (2-1, 2-1 Big Sky) travel to Pocatello to play Idaho State (1-3, 1-3) at 3 p.m. (PlutoTV Channel 1061, 92.5 FM).

Idaho rallied past Southern Utah last week, while Idaho State lost 31-27 when UC Davis scored a touchdown with 8 seconds remaining.

The teams have met twice since Idaho returned to the Big Sky, with ISU winning 62-28 in 2018 in Pocatello and Idaho winning 45-21 in 2019 in Moscow.

As of earlier this week, Idaho coach Paul Petrino had no idea how many players might miss the game due to positive COVID-19 tests. There have been a few each week; some weeks more, some weeks less.

"We always test on Sunday, and we test again this morning," Petrino said Tuesday, in his weekly meeting with area media. "It's always around 5 o'clock today that's always the nervous time. And then we get tested again on Thursday."

ISU freshman Christian Fredrickson, who helped Rigby High beat Coeur d'Alene in double overtime in the 2019 state 5A title game in Moscow, is tied for second in receiving with 14 catches for 150 yards.

Junior quarterback Tyler Vander Waal, a transfer from Wyoming, has thrown for 1,177 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

"Their last two games, they've had the lead going into the last drive," Petrino said. "Their quarterback's a good player; he can throw it all over the field, he can run it, and he's athletic. So we have to make sure we put pressure on him, and make him feel pressure, and get after him. They do a good job throwing the ball around, and we have to do a good job putting pressure on the quarterback."