Bengals host Boise State in season opener

Doug Lindley/Idaho State Journal

The Governor’s Cup is caput, nada, thrown away like a day-old newspaper.

Boise State and Idaho are visiting Pocatello, but the Cup — an annual event that crowned the top soccer team in the state as either a Vandal, Bronco or Bengal since 1998 — is not at stake.

So when Idaho State plays Boise State today at Davis Field starting at 4 p.m. it’s just another game.

But there are some reasons why it’s more than that. The Bengals would love to avenge last season’s 3-2 loss in Boise, and considering how the all-time series between ISU and BSU is deadlocked at 7-7-1, the winner of this afternoon’s match will move in front.

Neither squad has played an official game this year. Idaho State shook the cobwebs off last Tuesday, throttling the College of Idaho to the tune of 9-0. Let’s presume neither one wants to begin this season in a hole at 0-1.

And even though the Cup has been shelved, it doesn’t mean a win today for either squad won’t affect recruiting Idaho’s in-state talent.

Plus, one of Idaho State’s starting 11 is a Boise State transfer. As recently as a few months ago, Whitney Peterson called herself a Bronco.

If those reasons don’t suffice to convince anyone that ISU vs. Boise State is more than just another game — sans Governor’s Cup — perhaps Idaho State coach Allison Gibson can.

“We definitely want to be the top school in Idaho,” Gibson said, after Tuesday’s exhibition shellacking. “I think winning these games gives us that right. The bragging rights if nothing else.”

Following Tuesday’s game, where the Bengals scored more goals than they had in the first two exhibition contests combined, Idaho State looked ready for another level of competition.

Gibson constantly preaches that everything the Bengals do in fall camp and the preseason is about preparing for the conference slate.

Boise State and Idaho both provide real tests for ISU to judge its progress up to this point of the season. And the Broncos — under first-year head coach Jim Thomas — will challenge Idaho State’s defense like no other opponent has in 2013.

“It’s going to be interesting. We played them in the spring under their new head coach, and they had a lot of mobility in their front line and their midfielders,” Gibson said. “... It’ll be more of a challenge for our defense to try and keep things straight and organized in front of them as there’s this ensuing chaos of runs.”

The Mountain West Conference tabbed Boise State fifth in its preseason poll, but the Broncos return nine starters from a team that finished second in the Mountain West last season, including leading goal scorer junior Shannon Schueren.

Schueren scored or assisted on all three of BSU’s goals in the matchup one year ago. And as a freshman, the Bothell, Wash., native scored a goal off the bench to help the Broncos knock off ISU 2-0.

“There’s a lot of fun angles to (the game), but I think at the end of the day it’ll be a great opportunity to see where we’re at,” Gibson said. “And I think that’s the most important thing. Of course, we want to be the dominant school in Idaho.”

Notes: Peterson, the Boise State transfer, said facing her former teammates will be interesting. “They’re still my friends, but when I line up on the field they’re still my opponents,” she said. “I’ll be ready to go.”