Now trending: breaking curses

Trevan Pixley, Lewiston Tribune, Idaho
·3 min read

Sep. 30—The Idaho football team has been breaking curses suffered by teams of yesteryear just four games into the season.

The Vandals will host Big Sky foe Northern Colorado at 6 p.m. Saturday on homecoming with an opportunity to end more droughts as well as continue some positive streaks.

Here are some things to watch:

1

The Bears and Vandals have played once since Idaho rejoined the conference in 2018, with Northern Colorado earning a 27-24 victory on Sept. 28, 2019.

The Vandals had a 24-10 lead before the Bears scored 17 unanswered points to seal the victory in that one.

There also was one current Vandal who showed up on the stat sheet, Connor Whitney.

He finished with two catches for 53 yards. His biggest reception came in the second quarter when quarterback Mason Petrino found him for a gain of 31 yards.

2

It's been tough sledding for the Vandals when trying to string together conference wins.

The last time UI won back-to-back conference games was against Idaho State and Cal Poly from Oct. 19-Nov. 2, 2019. That also was the last time UI won two straight overall before it broke that curse this past Saturday with a win at Northern Arizona.

That might make it seem as if the Vandals' current 2-2 mark is one of their best starts to a season in a long time. However, it's actually par for the course for UI. Idaho has started the first quarter of the season 2-2 four out of the past five years. However, a 3-2 start will tie the Vandals' best since 2010.

3

A win against the Bears will tie Idaho's best win total in the conference and will be the first time UI has compiled three consecutive conference wins.

It also would be the first time the Vandals have won three in a row since 2016.

That year, UI won five straight to finish the season, including a 61-50 decision against Colorado State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

4

There wasn't a seat to be had in the student section during Idaho's home opener Sept. 17 against Drake.

Idaho's 42-14 win against the Bulldogs continued its streak of winning its home opener, earning its fourth straight in the first game to start the Kibbie Dome portion of the schedule, but it goes deeper.

The Vandals also have a four-year streak of starting 2-0 at the Kibbie Dome. A win against the Bears will extend it to five.

5

Idaho and Northern Colorado make up two-fifths of Big Sky teams currently 1-0 in conference play.

The Bears and Vandals are the only two teams with unbeaten conference records who are going head-to-head this weekend, meaning a victory will send the winner to the top of the standings.

Pixley may be contacted at (208) 848-2290, tpixley@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @TreebTalks.