Idaho State knocks off Sac State in Big Sky opener

 Coverage of Idaho State's 44-24 win over Sac State

HOMECOMING BASH — Bengals finish strong against Sacramento State

Bengals' defense reborn against Sac State

Photo gallery from the game.

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE DOME

Long time coming
Idaho State’s last win against a Division I team not named Northern Colorado was Nov. 14, 2009. The Bengals defeated Portland State 41-34 at home.

The Bengals’ last win on homecoming was Oct. 6, 2007 when ISU beat Northern Colorado 26-14.

Offensive explosion
Idaho State’s 44 points were the ninth most scored by a Bengal team in the past 12 years.

ISU’s 639 total yards of offense is the second most in a game since 2004. Senior quarterback Justin Arias threw for 413 yards, the 16th best mark in ISU history for most passing yards in a game.

Sophomore Madison Mangum had a career-high 174 yards receiving.

Xavier Finney moved into sixth place on the ISU all-time rushing list for the most yards. His 135 yards against Sac State gives him 1,770 for his career. Nick Whitworth is in fifth place with 2,353 yards.

New starting corner
Idaho State’s Erik Collins started at corner opposite Brandon Golden. The junior from Mount Holly, N.J., played for Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Collins committed to Idaho State on Aug. 17, according to Yahoo! Sports, and replaced senior Vai Peko in the starting lineup. His third-quarter interception of Sacramento State quarterback Garrett Safron in the end zone helped preserve Idaho State’s 30-17 lead.

“Guys are competing. Our philosophy is we’re going to play the best players,” said co-defensive coordinator Spencer Toone. “He’s doing a good job right now, so he’s getting more playing time.”

Up next
ISU has won two games in a row and now plays next weekend at No. 2 Eastern Washington.

The Eagles (4-1, 1-0 BSC) defeated UC Davis on Saturday in Davis, Calif. Star quarterback Vernon Adams went 23-for-38 passing for 303 yards and two touchdowns.

Eastern Washington defeated Idaho State last season 55-34 in Holt Arena. ISU quarterback Justin Arias threw for 441 yards but Adams tossed five touchdowns to pace the Eagles.

SCORING SUMMARY
Idaho State 44, Sacramento State 24
Sacramento State   7   10   0   7 — 24
Idaho State   3   21   6   14 — 44
First quarter
ISU — Zak Johnson 19 field goal, 13:07. Key plays: Idaho State moved down the field quickly with passes from Justin Arias to Madison Mangum of 30 and 39 yards. Drive: eight plays, 73 yards, 1:53. Idaho State 3, Sacramento State 0

SAC — DeAndre Carter 11 catch from Garrett Safron (Brad Cornish kick), 3:09. Key plays: A methodical drive that ate up six minutes and 36 seconds of the clock. Safron rolled to his right and hit Carter on the move for the score. Drive: 14 plays, 91 yards, 6:36. Sacramento State 7, Idaho State 3

Second quarter
ISU — Xavier Finney 1 run (Zak Johnson kick), 14:56. Key plays: Sacramento State’s leading tackler Darnell Sankey was ejected for targeting after a hit to the head on Mangum over the middle. Broc Malcom caught a 30-yard pass from Arias. Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 3:08. Idaho State 10, Sacramento State 7

ISU — KW Williams 35 catch from Mangum (Johnson kick failed), 6:56. Key plays: Arias threw a backward pass to Mangum, who then turned downfield and lofted a pass to Williams. Finney had his longest run of the game, 17 yards. Drive: nine plays, 94 yards, 2:47. Idaho State 16, Sacramento State 7

SAC — Carter 4 catch from Safron (Cornish kick), 4:52. Key plays: Safron ran for 15 yards, De’Jon Coleman had a 14-yard run and a roughing the passer penalty on Hayden Stout pushed the Hornets into ISU territory. Drive: six plays, 86 yards, 2:00. Idaho State 16, Sacramento State 14

ISU — Malcom 19 catch from Arias (Mangum catch from Arias), 3:12. Key plays: Arias went deep again to Mangum (42 yards) and then whipped the touchdown to Malcom, who had to make a circus catch along the back line of the end zone. Drive: six plays, 75 yards, 1:40. Idaho State 24, Sacramento State 14

SAC — Cornish 42 field goal. Key plays: ISU’s Mario Jenkins committed a personal foul penalty. Safron completed passes to Dominic Coulter and Nnamdi Agude. The drive stalled on two incomplete Safron passes, his first incompletions of the game. Drive: eight plays, 50 yards, 2:17. Idaho State 24, Sacramento State 17

Third quarter
ISU — Finney 3 run (Arias pass failed), 14:45. Key plays: Cody Sorensen picked off Safron and returned the interception 44 yards to Sac State’s 3-yard line. Drive: one play, 3 yards, 0:03. Idaho State 30, Sacramento State 17

Fourth quarter
ISU — Mangum 11 catch from Arias (Johnson kick), 9:05. Key plays: Arias completed six straight passes and Finney ran twice for a total of 12 yards. Drive: nine plays, 80 yards. 3:59. Idaho State 37, Sacramento State 17

SAC — Carter 31 catch from Safron (Cornish kick), 7:21. Key plays: Safron hit Agude for 34 yards and Carter fought off an ISU defensive back in the end zone to haul in the touchdown. Drive: six plays, 77 yards, 1:37. Idaho State 37, Sacramento State 24

ISU — Finney 3 run (Johnson kick), 3:52. Key plays: ISU stuck to the ground. Finney had carries of 14 and 16 yards. Daniel McSurdy added runs of 5 and 15 yards. Drive: eight plays, 75 yards, 3:29. Idaho State 44, Sacramento State 24

Individual Stats
Passing — Sacramento State: Garrett Safron 33-49-382-3-2. Idaho State: Justin Arias 30-42-413-2-1
Rushing — Sacramento State: Garrett Safron 13-92, De’Jon Coleman 10-47, Jordan Robinson 9-28. Idaho State: Xavier Finney 26-138, Daniel McSurdy 9-50, Justin Arias 3-7.
Receiving — Sacramento State: DeAndre Carter 14-158, Nnamdi Agude 11-153, Jordan Robinson 3-16, Dominic Coulter 2-27. Idaho State: Madison Mangum 8-174, KW Williams 6-87, Broc Malcom 6-69, Josh Cook 5-55.

ISU game day: Sacramento State (includes links)

Idaho State and Sacramento State get things started at 2:05 p.m. at Holt Arena.

Here are some links to the Journal's coverage in Saturday's game day section ...

A win against Sac State could launch Bengals into rest of the season

We think we know where each team in the Big Sky belongs. But what about Idaho State?

And here's what we wrote during ISU's bye week and in the day's leading up to today's game (in chronological order) ...

Sac State enters Big Sky play hot but not overconfident

If the team wins, people will come

No game but the Bengals have work to do

Idaho State notebook: Heavy workload for Finney

Veteran offensive line anchors Idaho State's offense

The good and the bad: ISU vs. Chadron State — Deciphering the pluses and minuses


TODAY’S CRUCIAL MATCHUP
The two starting quarterbacks will never be on the field at the same time, but both are the respective driver of his team’s fortunes.

Garrett Safron is 2-0 against the Bengals and his dual-threat ability could cause Idaho State major issues defensively.

Safron has two rushing touchdowns this season 70 yards or longer, but he can also sit back in the pocket and pick apart a careless secondary.

“It comes down to rush lanes, whoever is in the rush lanes, keeping a balanced rushing attack,” said ISU co-defensive coordinator Spencer Toone. “You can’t leave big windows open, lanes for him to run and throw (through).”

“He’s an athlete, just all around. Just a complete athlete,” said linebacker Mario Jenkins. “We’re going to have to not let their best player beat us.”

 Idaho State is concentrating on Safron because he makes the Hornets go. Outside linebacker Hayden Stout thinks Safron is the best QB ISU has played this season. But the sophomore mentioned that the Hornets have other offensive options.

Sac State running back Jordan Robinson has run for 360 yards and three touchdowns this season, and the sophomore is averaging 7.3 yards a carry.

But it all comes down to Safron for the Hornets.

It’s a similar story on the other side. ISU senior Justin Arias is the unquestioned leader of the Bengals. Arias isn’t as mobile as his counterpart Safron, but he’s got the more dangerous arm.

Arias has been particularly adept throwing the ball deep to his athletic receivers. Arias has touchdown passes of 42 and 52 yards.

 Whichever team’s signal caller is able to avoid turnovers and capitalize with touchdowns in the red zone has the best chance to win.

IDAHO STATE KEYS TO SUCCESS

1.

It wouldn’t be an Idaho State game week without more discussion of Idaho State’s play on special teams. From the first game of the season, the Bengals have had disastrous results in the phase of the game that isn’t the offense or defense.

Against Utah, ISU gave up a punt and kickoff return for a touchdown and the Utes blocked a field goal.
Utah State ran back a punt for a touchdown and the Aggies swarmed Idaho State in kickoff returns and forced the Bengals into poor field position.

Idaho State head coach Mike Kramer — the Bengals special teams coach — said he expected his team to clean up the mistakes in their third game of the season against Chadron State.

But the Eagles blocked a field goal and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown. The play stymied ISU’s offensive rhythm and sparked a 21-point fourth quarter from Chadron State.

A game the Bengals led 39-13 turned into a closer-than-expected nail-biter. ISU had to recover an onside kick with just over a minute left in the game to preserve its first win of the season.

“Some of it’s luck, some of it’s gamesmanship and some of it is ability,” Kramer said, referring to the Bengals struggles on special teams. “But we have got to stop that. ... Our defense can’t defend plays when they don’t get on the field.”

2.

Keep the running game going. In their first three games, the Bengals averaged 171 yards a game. Last season, ISU ran the ball for 94 yards a game. Since Idaho State offensive coordinator Don Bailey and head coach Mike Kramer installed the spread offense when they took over the ISU football program in 2011, this year’s squad is the best running team they’ve had.

Junior running back Xavier Finney, who has rushed for 385 yards and two touchdowns, is a big reason why.

“He probably takes coaching about as well as any player on our team,” Kramer said. “... Easily one of the most improved players we have in our program. And not just from last year but from the time he’s gotten here. As Xavier continues to grow the best is still ahead for him.”

The biggest reason for ISU’s improvement on the ground, of course, is the offensive line. It’s a group with one lone senior — Jim Bagley — but they’re all returning starters.

The line will be tested against Sacramento State. The Hornets play with four down defensive linemen, and they’re a stout group. Middle linebacker Darnell Sankey leads the Big Sky with 56 tackles.

Sacramento State leads the Big Sky in rushing defense, holding teams to 131 yards a game. The Hornets are well aware of Finney’s success at this point of the season.

“If we expect we’re going to go up there and start arm tackling this (Finney), there’s now way,” said Sac State coach Jody Sears. “We’re not going to bring that guy down with arm tackles. He’ll have another 170-yard day.”

3.

Offensively, Idaho State has to score touchdowns when it drives into the red zone. Defensively, ISU must force the Hornets to kick field goals when they push into the Bengals’ side of the field. Both teams expect to move the ball. Either team can gain an advantage if it can slap six points on the board with a touchdown while forcing the other side to settle for field goals.

“Our philosophy is if you hold a team to field goals they’re not going to beat you with field goals,” said Idaho State co-defensive coordinator Spencer Toone. “Our offense will do a great job and they’ll put points on the board. If we gave up nothing but field goals I would be very, very happy.”

To this point of the season, Sacramento State has scored 11 touchdowns and kicked two field goals in 15 trips into the red zone.

Idaho State is 9 for 11 in the red zone and has punched it in for touchdowns eight times. The Bengals were particularly good against Chadron State, going 6 for 7 in the red zone where ISU quarterback Justin Arias worked with precision and tossed four touchdown passes.

Sacramento State has an answer for the Bengals if they are forced into field goals. Hornets kicker Brad Cornish kicked five field goals against Weber State in Sac’s 42-31 victory.

 Cornish has made more field goals (6) than any other kicker in the Big Sky. ISU’s freshman kicker Zak Johnson is 2 for 5 this season and two field goal attempts have been blocked.

Idaho State football notes from Sac State press conference (videos)

Idaho State football notes
— It’s Idaho State’s homecoming this week. The Bengals are looking for their first win on homecoming since 2007 when they knocked off Northern Colorado 26-14.

As part of homecoming, ISU will wear all-new, gun-metal gray alternate uniforms.

— Sacramento State leads the series with Idaho State 11-6. Most recently, the Hornets upended ISU 24-9 in 2011, Mike Kramer’s first season in Pocatello. And Sac State outscored ISU 54-31 at Holt Arena in 2012.

— Sacramento State senior quarterback Garrett Safron has thrown for 302 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in two games against the Bengals. He’s run for another 121 yards and a touchdown. Kramer compared Safron to ISU starting quarterback Justin Arias.

“(Safron) might use his feet to do a few more things and Justin might use his arm to do a few more things,” Kramer said. “But both guys are weirdly, significantly similar.”

— Idaho State (1-2) is coming off a bye after beating Chadron State 39-34 Sept. 13 in Holt Arena. The defense was missing several key players along the defensive line and the time off allowed the Bengals to heal up.

 Offensively, however, Idaho State had found a groove after piling up a season-high 550 yards of offense against the Eagles. ISU associate head coach and offensive coordinator Don Bailey said he tried to use the bye to get better.

“I thought we had an excellent bye week. Probably as good as the last 10 years,” he said. “I thought those guys were pretty intense and got a lot of good work out of it. We just wanted to stay relaxed and keep executing and stay in a rhythm.”

— Receivers Madison Mangum and Broc Malcom both had career days against Chadron State. The duo combined for 249 yards and four touchdowns on 19 catches.

For Malcom, it was a game of redemption. The sophomore had several drops the week before against Utah State.


“I do have to say I was pretty upset with myself,” Malcom said. “So I just kind of took it in. I didn’t really react too much or stay focused on it. But I did use it as motivation the next week and into the game against Chadron.”

 — Sacramento State interim head coach Jody Sears worked with Kramer and ISU outside wide receiver coach Sheldon Cross at Washington State.


Sears coached the cornerbacks and was the co-defensive coordinator.

“We know Jody pretty well. So it’s more of just a general idea of who Jody is and what he does,” Cross said. “... We have a pretty interesting feel for him.”

— Idaho State versus Sacramento State is a 2 p.m. game at Holt Arena. The game will be broadcast on 102.5 FM and 930 AM and on Watch Big Sky (http://www.americaonesports.com/bigsky.asp).

If the team wins, people will come

The crowd just prior to kickoff of Idaho State versus Chadron State on Sept. 13, 2014 at Holt Arena.

Idaho State won its first game of the season Sept. 13 in Holt Arena. The worst crowd for an ISU home football opener in five years was there to see it happen.
 
As Chadron State roared back in the fourth quarter on the back of three straight touchdowns, a chunk of the fans who were in attendance to start the game had already left after Idaho State led by 21 points at halftime.

The reported attendance, 4,838, was the lowest in an Idaho State home opening game since 2010, John Zamberlin’s final season as the Bengals head coach.

One factor that may have played into the low attendance is that Chadron State, a Division II team, is not the draw for ISU fans like long-time Big Sky rivals Weber State and Montana.

But in the past 11 years, Idaho State has played non-Division I teams seven times and averaged nearly 1,200 more fans than what the Bengals pulled into Holt Arena for the matchup with the feisty Eagles.

What gives?

Idaho State head coach Mike Kramer thinks he knows.

“I wouldn’t buy a ticket to watch a 2-9 team or a 3-9 team. I wouldn’t do it,” he said. “I don’t care if you charge me a buck or a $100.”

Kramer continued: “I don’t blame the fans at all. Until we put a consistent, considerable team on the field that’s going to show an entertainment value every single game, we’re ... going to have empty seats. And deservedly so.”

Idaho State went 3-9 in 2013 and that followed seasons of 1-10 (2012) and 2-9 (2011).

The Bengals started this year with back-to-back losses on the road to Utah and Utah State. Preseason expectations of the Bengals weren’t high either. Big Sky coaches tabbed ISU to finish 12th in the preseason poll.

“We have got to rise this program to the point where we’re an entertainment value,” Kramer said. “And you’re not an entertainment value when you get your teeth handed to you every week. So I see it. I love the fact that fans are coming. As more fans come, great. Do I feel like those fans should come before the product is shown? Absolutely not.”

Kramer wants to validate to Eastern Idaho and Bengal fans that there is a team in Pocatello worth paying money to show up and watch. It’s part of the reason why the finish to the Chadron State game was disappointing.

ISU had a chance to make a statement with a 39-13 lead in the third quarter. Holding on for a five-point victory might not inspire fans to think Idaho State can field a winning team, something the program has not done since 2003.

And it’s why Saturday’s homecoming game against Sacramento State carries a heavy weight.

Homecoming crowds are the largest of the season for Idaho State football many years. In 2013, ISU averaged 5,367 fans in six games at Holt Arena but 7,568 showed up for homecoming against North Dakota.

Idaho State did not leave a lasting impression that the program has taken major steps forward after having to hold off Chadron State in the fourth quarter. But beating a 3-1 Sacramento State team and starting the Big Sky schedule 1-0 could send a message.

“The disaffection in this program is legendary,” Kramer said. “Fifty one years of god-awfulness intersected with a couple years of OK-ness. ... But if we’re a good team, I’m going to buy tickets. I want to see that show.”

Forte, Tillman named Big Sky’s players of the week

The Big Sky Conference named Eastern Washington running back Quincy Forte as the league’s Offensive Player of the Week, North Dakota cornerback Alex Tillman the Defensive Player of the Week and Montana State returner Shawn Johnson the Special Teams Player of the Week.

Forte rushed 17 times for 190 yards and scored four touchdowns in No. 2 Eastern Washington’s 52-51 road victory over No. 14 Montana State. Forte averaged 11.2 yards per carry.

Tillman registered the first interception of the season for North Dakota and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown in a 13-3 victory over Stony Brook. With North Dakota holding a 6-3 lead late in the third quarter, Stony Brook drove to the North Dakota 7-yard line. Tillman stepped in front of a John Kinder pass, evaded Kinder at midfield and went untouched the rest of the way. It was the longest interception return in North Dakota’s Division I history.

Johnson amassed a school-record 374 all-purpose yards with three touchdowns in Montana State’s 52-51 loss to Eastern Washington. Johnson had 141 kick return yards on four returns with a long of 49. He also had 21 punt return yards, 150 rushing yards and 62 receiving yards. He caught two TD passes and scored on a 70-yard run. Johnson’s 374 all-purpose yards were the sixth-most in single-game Big Sky history.

ISU press conference 9-17-14

Idaho State hosted its weekly press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Watch interviews with Mike Kramer, Don Bailey and Roger Cooper down below.

If you missed it, check out the Journal's "The good and the bad: ISU vs. Chadron State — Deciphering the pluses and minuses"

And here's Idaho State's football coverage in Thursday's paper ...

Veteran offensive line anchors Idaho State's offense

Idaho State notebook: Heavy workload for Finney


 

Bengals falter late but hold on for first win of the season

The ending wasn't beautiful but Idaho State found a way to win its first game of the season Saturday at Holt Arena.

Justin Arias threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns, Xavier Finney racked up 158 yards on the ground and the receiving duo Madison Mangum and Broc Malcom were electric.

But another special teams blunder — this one a 80-yard blocked field goal for a touchdown — helped Chadron State rally in the fourth quarter with 21 straight points.

 

News and notes from the dome

The return of Gremaud
Idaho State suspended PJ Gremaud for conduct detrimental to the team about 24 hours before opening the season against Utah. The senior linebacker returned to the field against Chadron State and registered one tackle.

Gremaud was slated to be ISU’s starting weakside linebacker. In his absence freshman Mario Jenkins finished the first two games as the Bengals’ leading tackler. Jenkins started the third game of his collegiate career Saturday, picking up two tackles and one pass breakup.

Idaho State head coach Mike Kramer acknowledged Gremaud met the necessary requirements to rejoin the team but wouldn’t comment any further.

A banged defensive line
Chadron State running back Michael Madkins racked up 115 yards rushing and one touchdown, a 39-yard scamper down the right sideline late in the fourth quarter.

The Bengals, though, were shorthanded along the defensive line. Seniors David Forester and Sage Warner and junior Derek Berrey were out with injuries that Kramer attributed to physical action against Utah and Utah State to begin the season.

Forester and Warner are the regular starters and Berrey has nine tackles this season. The Bengals went to Robby Mackesey to start in one defensive end spot and moved Drew Sharkey from outside linebacker to the line.

“That’s tough on our defensive front,” Kramer said.

A powerful run game
Idaho State’s 232 rushing yards is the most in a single game since Sept. 8, 2007 when the Bengals ran for 245 yards against Southern Oregon.

Junior running back Xavier Finney broke the 100-yard mark for the second time in three games. After pounding out a career-high 158 yards against the Eagles, Finney has 379 total rushing yards and is on pace to rush for 1,516 yards this season.

Finney also scored his first two touchdowns of the season Saturday.

“I kind of want to get a longer touchdown,” Finney said. “I’m tired of these 1-yard, 2-yard, 5-yard touchdowns. I need to get a longer touchdown to get the team going.”

Career nights for ISU receivers
Broc Malcom and Madison Mangum both set career highs in receiving yards. Mangum finished with 123 yards and also set a personal-best with 11 receptions. Mangum’s two touchdowns were the first of his career at ISU.

Malcom led the Bengals in receiving with 126 yards. The sophomore lit up Chadron State’s defense in the first half for 122 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches.

****
SCORING SUMMARY
Idaho State 39, Chadron State 34

Chadron State 6 0 7 21 — 34
Idaho State 7 20 12 0 — 39

FIRST QUARTER
CSC — Robert Jackson III 3 run (Jonn McLain pass attempt failed), 7:34. Key plays: Michael Madkins had runs of 21 and 10 yards, while Jonn McLain hit passes of 13 and 19 yards. But it was McLain’s recovery of his own fumble at the Idaho State 3-yard line that kept the drive alive, and Jackson scored on the following play. Drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 5:09. Chadron State 6, Idaho State 0.

ISU — Broc Malcom 10 pass from Justin Arias (Zak Johnson kick), 5:10. Key plays: A 52-yard catch by Malcom put Idaho State on Chadron’s 17-yard line. Idaho State then over came two false start penalties and Arias hit Madison Mangum for 14 yards to set up the touchdown pass. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:36. Idaho State 7, Chadron State 6.

SECOND QUARTER
ISU — Madison Mangum 7 pass from Justin Arias (Zak Johnson kick), 14:26. Key plays: Xavier Finney had a catch of 11 yards and ran for 20 total yards on the ground during the drive. Daniel McSurdy added a 21-yard scamper. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:00. Idaho State 14, Chadron State 6.

ISU — Broc Malcom 11 pass from Justin Arias (Zak Johnson kick), 8:31. Key plays: Arias started the drive with a 20-yard pass to Malcom, and Chadron followed that with a 15-yard roughing the passing penalty. Arias had completions of 10 yards to Mangum and 11 to Josh Cook. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 3:06. Idaho State 21, Chadron State 6.

ISU — Xavier Finney 5 run (C.J. Reyes pass attempt failed), 2:28. Key plays: Idaho State started on their own 39-yard line, and picked up three first downs to keep the drive moving. Finney rushed for 27 yards on four carries. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 3:20. Idaho State 27, Chadron State 6.

THIRD QUARTER
ISU — Xavier Finney 2 run (Justin Arias pass attempt failed), 11:41. Key plays: A 34-yard Madison Mangum catch with a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty added to it put Idaho State on Chadron State’s 36-yard line. Mangum added a 17-yard catch. Chadron committed a 6-yard pass interference penalty that put Idaho State on the 2-yard line with a first down. Drive: 9 plays, 90 yards, 3:14. Idaho State 33, Chadron State 6.

CSC — Kyle Vinich 2 pass from Jonn McLain (Randy Wentz kick), 8:26. Key plays: Jonn McLain had a run of 14 yards and hit Ethan Bauer for 18 yards. Idaho State committed a 12-yard personal foul penalty. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 3:12. Idaho State 33, Chadron State 13.

ISU — Madison Mangum 15 pass from Justin Arias (kick failed), 4:38. Key plays: Arias hit Hagen Graves for 10 yards and a personal foul penalty by Chadron State added another 10 yards, putting Idaho State on the Eagles’ 10. Xavier Finney had 16 yards on the ground on three carries. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:52. Idaho State 39, Chadron State 13.

FOURTH QUARTER
CSC — Jordon Jones 80 blocked field goal return (Randy Wentz kick), 11:55. Key plays: Chadron State penetrated Idaho State’s line at right guard and blocked the field goal attempt. Idaho State 39, Chadron State 20.

CSC — Michael Madkins 1 run (Randy Wentz kick), 7:44. Key Plays: Chadron State started drive at its own 48-yard line. Drive: 3 plays, 52 yards, 1:19. Idaho State 39, Chadron State 27.

CSC — Danny O’Boyle 25 pass from Jonn McLain (Randy Wentz kick), 1:22. Key plays: Kyle Vinich 23-yard catch was part of McLain’s 78 total yards passing on the drive. An Idaho State personal fould penalty negated a Bengal fumble recovery. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 2:20. Idaho State 39, Chadron State 34.

The following video is produced by Jeff Papworth:

Chadron State is a dangerous Division II team

Chadron State sports information

Chadron State is no humdrum Division II football program.

The Eagles have averaged nearly eight wins a season since 1987. With long-time head coach Brad Smith, Chadron State has won 71 percent of its games and developed into a football powerhouse in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Under third-year head coach Jay Long, Chadron State went 9-3 in 2012 and finished the season ranked 18th in the country. Last year, Long and the Eagles went 8-3.

Long is guiding the Eagles through a tumultuous moment in the program’s history. Chadron State is on probation after determining its former football coach, Bill O’Boyle, had secret bank accounts and doled out extra benefits for players.

Chadron State isn’t banned from the playoffs nor did it lose any scholarships, but it’s a dark moment for a program that’s proud of its all-time leading rusher, current San Diego running back Danny Woodhead.

O’Boyle was abruptly fired in October 2011 after the school discovered some issues in fundraising.

According to the Division II Committee on Infractions' report, O'Boyle opened a private bank account in 2009 for proceeds from the football program's golf tournaments. He used the account for football and personal expenses, including paying a traffic ticket. He also used two other outside accounts to pay concession workers and for recruiting expenses.

O'Boyle was questioned by school officials but didn't reveal the location of the golf tournament money and the existence of the outside bank accounts.

O'Boyle also gave an athlete $150 to settle a school bill and another $100 to an athlete so he could purchase health insurance. The committee said O'Boyle should have known he violated rules by giving money to athletes.

The Eagles also were penalized for using an ineligible player in 2011.

Chadron State's probation runs until November 2016, its six wins in 2011 and nine wins in 2012 have been forfeited, and the school has been fined $5,000.

Regardless of the sanctions, Idaho State head coach Mike Kramer is wary of the Eagles. In Kramer’s first three seasons, ISU has played two teams from the RMAC, Western State and Black Hills State.

The Bengals whipped Western State in 2011 (44-7) and in 2013 (29-3) and downed Black Hills State 38-5 in 2012.

But Chadron State, Kramer says, is a more dangerous squad.

“I think our fans will recognize a good-looking team when they watch Chadron State’s offense roll onto the field,” Kramer said. “They are a very, very good looking football team from head to toe.”

The Eagles’ offensive linemen range from 6-foot-1 to 6-7 and average 290 pounds. In Chadron State’s season-opening victory the O-line cleared the way for 212 yards on the ground and averaged 6.2 yards a carry. Seven different Eagles toted the rock in the 42-25 victory over Missouri S&T.

The Eagles can attack through the air, too, and they rely on a two-quarterback system. The starter is senior Jonn McLain, who threw for 260 yards and a touchdown a week ago.

Chadron State goes to senior Patrick O’Boyle for a change of pace. O’Boyle is 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds and is the Eagles leading rusher.

“They’re a pretty dangerous team on offense,” said ISU sophomore running back Hayden Stout, “so we’re going to have to come out and play just like we did against Utah State.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Big Sky power rankings

For more Bengal football game day coverage ...

CURIOSITY PIQUED — Showing tenacious vigor against Utah and Utah State, the Bengals have our attention

Today's crucial matchup and keys to success     

1. Eastern Washington
    Weber State’s Cameron Higgins is the Big Sky Conference’s career leader in touchdown passes with 98. Higgins needed 48 games to set the record.
    Eastern Washington junior Vernon Adams has tossed 91 touchdowns ... in 30 games. Adams, who has completed 68 percent of his passes for 16 touchdowns and one interception in three games this season, is the early favorite to win the Football Championship Subdivision’s Walter Payton Award.

2. Montana
        It’s a small sample size but Montana has the No. 1 defense in the conference. The Grizzlies, ranked fourth in the country, are holding teams to 287 yards per game.

3. Montana State
    MSU lost one of its all-time greatest quarterbacks of all time in DeNarius McGhee, but the Bobcats’ new signal caller, sophomore Dakota Prukop, showed off a different dimension last week against Black Hills State.
    Prukop went 14-for-16 for 202 yards and two touchdowns in the air, and the Austin, Texas, native ran for 176 yards and another three scores.

4. Northern Arizona
    The Lumberjacks are the first Big Sky team to win on the road this season when they held off Abilene Christian 27-21.

5. Southern Utah
    SUU lost to Nevada 28-19 and then No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana blasted the Thunderbirds 41-14. Southern Utah takes on another ranked opponent today: No. 11 South Dakota State. At least it’s home in Cedar City, Utah.

6. Sacramento State
    In his home debut, Sacramento State’s interim head coach Jody Sears gets to host Weber State, the school that fired him last November.

7. Cal Poly
    Cal Poly’s flaws were exposed in a 44-18 loss at South Dakota State. The Mustangs were gouged for 502 yards of offense, including 318 on the ground. SDSU’s Zach Zenner is one of the best backs in the country.
    The 0-2 Mustangs have a great opportunity to grind out their first win of the season at home Sept. 20 against Portland State.

8. UC Davis
    It’s impossible to tell anything about UC Davis. The Aggies lost big to Stanford and then crushed lower-level opponent Fort Lewis at home. We won’t know much going forward either. Davis is at Colorado State today and doesn’t play a Big Sky opponent until Sept. 27.

9. Weber State
    The Wildcats impressed in a 24-7 loss to No. 1 North Dakota State last week in Ogden, Utah. Weber State could only muster 66 yards rushing on 29 attempts but fighting with the Bison into the second half is no easy task.

10. Idaho State
    Idaho State had better avoid a letdown dropping down to host Division II Chadron State after traveling to two Football Bowl Subdivision teams to start the season.

11. Northern Colorado
    Northern Colorado was a four-touchdown underdog to UNLV, but the Bears nearly pulled off the upset in a 13-12 loss. UNC was particularly good at stopping the pass. The Bears picked off UNLV quarterbacks four times.

12. Portland State
    The Vikings kept it close to Oregon State in a 29-14 loss, but then struggled to hold off Division II’s Western Oregon, giving up 38 points and 413 yards passing.

13. North Dakota
    UND needed to recover three forced fumbles and block two kicks to hold off Robert Morris 16-13.

Idaho State notebook: Safety play improving

For more Bengal football coverage check out this story ... ISU's declining home attendance will only improve with winning  

And listen to this recorded radio stream discussing Idaho State's 0-2 start and what to expect going forward (I only made a couple errors. Good luck finding them!) 

On to some news and notes:

Kramer praised the play of junior strong safety Taison Manu from Saturday’s game at Utah State.

Kramer has repeated time and again that when ISU’s safety play rises to the level he expects, the Bengals will have a defense to contend in the Big Sky Conference.

Manu, who graduated from Highland High School, had nine tackles against the Aggies after forcing a fumble and picking up seven tackles at Utah on Aug. 28.

“Taison Manu continues to play outstanding on defense,” Kramer said. “He has really been resurrected by Spencer and our defensive staff. ... You’ve got to find out where he’s at on every play now because he’s becoming that safety factor that we’ve always had in our defenses at Eastern Washington or Montana State.”

Offensive line shuffle
Sophomore offensive lineman Skyler Phillips is expected to return to Idaho State’s starting lineup Saturday. Phillips, who started all 12 games as a true freshman, will slide into the starting role at right guard.

Sophomore Thomas Vazorka started in Phillips’ absence the past two games. Idaho State ran for 280 yards and the offensive line played well, but Kramer says Phillips is a “superstar.”
Burtenshaw takes over long snapping duties

Former Pocatello standout Andy Burtenshaw is the first long snapper Mike Kramer has ever recruited on scholarship.

And two games into his freshman season, Burtenshaw will take over as Idaho State’s long snapper after senior Jake Belnap went down with an injury against Utah State. Kramer said Belnap will be unavailable for about two months.

Defensive depth
Burtenshaw is a capable replacement for Belnap as a long snapper, but Belnap’s absence does hinder Idaho State’s depth defensively. Belnap played in nickel packages defensively for the Bengals and had three tackles at Utah.

With Belnap out, ISU’s front seven loses depth and it’s a unit banged up after two straight games against Football Bowl Subdivision competition. Utah State, in particular, was physical at the point of attack.

Outside of Belnap, Kramer would not specify who is questionable along the defensive line against Chadron State.

“We’re concerned with some other guys who may or may not be available on Saturday on the defensive front,” he said. “Very physical game against Utah State and they did a nice job of pounding us off the ball. We’re still a little unavailable in our defensive line up to this point. We’ll see how that unfolds.”

ISU radio changes
Idaho State’s 2:35 p.m. game against Chadron State on Saturday at Holt Arena will be broadcast on 102.5 FM and 930 AM. Jerry Miller and Mark Liptak, who is replacing Tim Lewis, will call the game.

The good and the bad: ISU at Utah State — Deciphering the pluses and minuses from the Bengals’ 20-point loss to the Aggies in Logan

The Idaho State Bengals have the worst scoring defense in the Big Sky Conference and are averaging a paltry 17 points per game on offense.

They’re 0-2 and their road losing streak is up to 46 games after dropping a 40-20 decision at Utah State on Saturday. The Bengals’ special teams have largely been a mess in two games allowing two punt returns and a kickoff return for touchdowns.

But you know who else wasn’t satisfied with the first two weeks of the season? Utah and Utah State.

Even though they both won by at least 20 points, neither the Utes nor Aggies were happy with how they played against Idaho State. Utah was upset with how the Bengals were able to run the football and Utah State didn’t create any kind of separation from ISU until late in the second quarter.

There was even a smattering of boos raining down from the Aggie faithful in the first half.

ISU was a cause of those boos and that says something about how the Bengals were playing. With that, let’s break down the pluses and minuses from Idaho State’s game with Utah State.

Plus: The defense. Idaho State forced the Aggies to punt eight times and while Utah State posted five touchdowns, two of them had nothing to do with ISU’s defense.

In fact, only once did Utah State take possession of the football and drive the full length of the field against ISU, and that was late in the fourth quarter. The other two scoring drives were 52 and 17 yards long, respectively, products of excellent field position via a good USU punt return and an interception of Idaho State quarterback Justin Arias early in the third quarter.

Utah State finished the game with 427 total yards of offense, 311 of those on the ground. Idaho State’s much-maligned defense hasn’t proven it’s good enough to stop teams in the Big Sky. Remember, Utah racked up 589 total yards of offense in the opening game of the season.

But limiting Utah State to three offensive touchdowns and quarterback Chuckie Keeton to 116 yards in the air on 30 passing attempts is a good sign.

Minus: Idaho State’s field position. For the second straight game, Idaho State was consistently buried in its own end of the field, and opponents started drives in ISU territory or near the 50-yard line.

Most of the time the Bengal offense strolls onto the field with 80 or 90 yards of green turf separating them from the end zone. Meanwhile, ISU’s defense has had far less green real estate behind them to protect.

Utah State began four drives in Idaho State territory, and the Bengals were pushed back inside their own 16-yard line eight times.

Minus: Idaho State’s backup quarterback play. It’s not that ISU’s backup quarterbacks have played poorly. They haven’t played at all.

Arias was on the field for nearly the entire game at Utah and he took all the snaps Saturday. Arias has thrown 87 passes for 465 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions in two games, and he’s the only quarterback on the Bengal roster to attempt a pass.

Plus/Minus: Idaho State’s wide receiver play. Utah State’s secondary was a physical bunch and the Bengal wideouts struggled to create any separation, particularly in the first half. But as the game wore on, the sophomore-laden group did a better job of shaking loose.

Sophomore BYU transfer Madison Mangum caught a game-high six passes and sophomore KW Williams topped the 100-yard mark. Both Williams and Broc Malcom hauled in long touchdowns, and sophomore tight end Josh Cook (six catches for 63 yards in two games) is a great security blanket for Arias over the middle.

Those are some of the positives.

The negatives: After the Utah State game, ISU head coach Mike Kramer said all three of Arias’ interceptions were the wide receivers’ faults, and Malcom had several drops, one of which landed right in the lap of Utah State cornerback Jalen Davis. Davis returned the interception 44 yards for an easy touchdown.

Plus: The most difficult two-game stretch of Idaho State’s season is over. ISU seems relatively healthy, the bank account is considerably larger after two money games and the Bengals play six of their final 10 games in Holt Arena.

Bengals in  Big Sky rankings   
— Junior running back Xavier Finney is the Big Sky’s leading rusher with 221 yards. Finney is the only running back in the top 10 to not score a touchdown.

— At 232.5 yards, senior Justin Arias is third in the Big Sky in passing yards per game.

— Sophomore wide receiver KW Williams is sixth in the Big Sky averaging 76 yards a game.

— Freshman Mario Jenkins is the fourth-leading tackler in the Big Sky with 24 total takedowns.

Big Sky players of the week

Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams is the Big Sky’s Offensive Player of the Week and Northern Colorado cornerback Courtney Hall is the Defensive Player of the Week. North Dakota’s Spencer Cummings is the Special Teams Player of the Week.

Adams threw for a career-high 475 yards and seven touchdown passes in No. 2 Eastern Washington’s 59-52 loss to Washington of the Pac-12.

Hall, a 5-foot-8, 168-pound recorded four tackles and intercepted two passes in Northern Colorado’s 13-12 loss to UNLV of the Mountain West Conference.

Cummings blocked two second-half field goal attempts by Robert Morris to help preserve a 16-13 victory over the Colonials on Saturday.

ISU game day: Bengals head to Utah State

Idaho State faces Utah State on Saturday at Romney Stadium in Logan, Utah.

All of the Journal's coverage leading up to the game starting with wrapping up ISU's last game, a 56-14 loss at Utah ...

The good and the bad: ISU vs. Utah — Deciphering the pluses and minuses from the Bengals’ season-opener

Utah State looking to bounce back against Idaho State after lopsided loss
Keeton is a nightmare for the Bengal defense — but is he healthy?

5 questions for the Aggies 

Stories in Saturday's Idaho State Journal previewing the game ...

Following the Aggie road map — Utah State turned around its football program and the Bengals would like to follow suit

ISU game day: TODAY’S KEY MATCHUP

ISU game day: IDAHO STATE KEYS TO SUCCESS

And to read more about Idaho State, I'd suggest going here and here.

A few Idaho State football notes:

— Idaho State at Utah State will be broadcast live on 930 CBS Sports Radio or Rock 102.5. The game can be viewed online at themw.com. For live stats log onto isubengals.com.

— After tonight’s game against Utah State, the Bengals will have played every four-year football program in Utah in one calendar year. Starting Sept. 7, 2013, ISU played Dixie State and has since taken on Southern Utah (Oct. 26, 2013), BYU (Nov 16, 2013), Weber State (Nov. 23, 2013) and Utah (Aug. 28, 2014).

— ISU has lost its last 45 games on the road. The last time the Bengals won away from Holt Arena was Oct. 7, 2006, a 41-13 win over Northern Colorado.

— Idaho State does not comment on injuries to players. So the status of sophomore offensive lineman Skyler Phillips and backup tight ends Tyler Wright and Tyler Graves is unclear.

All three of those players missed the Utah game.

Sophomore Thomas Vazorka started in place of Phillips at right guard against Utah. Without Wright and Graves, ISU used only one tight end, Josh Cook, the regular starter.

Kramer did say, “We’ve got a couple dudes that missed last week’s game that are getting awful close to being ready to go. Their availability will be something we still look at the rest of the week and they’ll do nothing but help us.”

5 questions for the Aggies + videos from Wed's ISU press conference

As if playing one Football Bowl Subdivision opponent wasn’t enough, Idaho State travels to play Utah State on Saturday nine days after losing to Utah 56-14 in Salt Lake City.

USU is coming off a loss of its own, a 38-7 defeat at Tennessee. The Aggies and their star quarterback Chuckie Keeton will want to get back on track against the Bengals.

In preparation for the game, The Herald Journal’s Wade Denniston, the Aggies’ football beat writer, was kind enough to answer five questions about the Utah State football team.

(You can find Wade on Twitter here, and check out his Utah State coverage here.)

Question 1: Two-part question: Just how good was linebacker Kyler Fackrell, who is out for the season with a knee injury, and what does the loss mean to the Aggie defense?

Denniston writes: Kyler was very, very good. The fact he was an All-America candidate attests to that. What makes him so good is he is an extremely-fast, long-levered linebacker who can play both the pass and the run. At 6 foot 5 and 245 pounds, Kyler is a very physical player who spent a lot of time in the opposing backfield causing havoc — he led the team with 13.0 tackles for loss in 2013, to go along with 5.0 sacks. His loss is a huge blow for the Aggie defense due to the fact the linebacker group is the most talented on the field for USU and it has now lost two linebackers to season-ending injuries — redshirt freshman Alex Huerta, a projected starter during fall camp, is out with a shoulder injury.

Question 2: What did go right for Utah State in the 31-point loss to Tennessee on Sunday?

Denniston writes: Not much, to be honest. Turnovers killed the Aggies, a penalty on the very first offensive play from scrimmage proved to be a drive- and momentum-killer and USU missed a field goal. Head coach Matt Wells did praise the play of JoJo Natson in the punt return game, though. Of the eight times the Vols punted — they were high and very short in order to prevent the USU speedster from doing what he does best — Natson fair caught seven of them in a very difficult environment. 

Question 3: How deflating is it to the Utah State fan base that Chuckie Keeton's Heisman campaign is pretty much demolished one game into the season?

Denniston writes: Honestly, it's not too deflating. Chuckie was definitely a long shot at best and he would've had to play extremely well each and every week. To face an SEC opponent on the road in your first game back from major knee surgery is not easy, either. For Chuckie and the team, they've always had one goal in mind and that's to win the Mountain West championship — not win a Heisman Trophy, although that would have been the icing on the cake.

Question 4: What kind of college football atmosphere should Idaho State expect in Logan, Utah, on Saturday? Is the game day setting underrated, overrated or properly rated?

Denniston writes: The Aggies love playing in front of their loyal fan base, especially the student section, which is as rowdy as ever. What used to be a basketball town has quickly turned into a football town with the success the program has had the last four years. The student section has brought all the chants they do in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for basketball games over to Romney Stadium, and the players just love it. The game day setting is a lot better than it used to be here, beginning with tailgates and other pre-game festivities.

Question 5: How has Keeton recovered from his knee injury? How does he compare to the player before the injury? And does Keeton have the offensive line and playmakers on the perimeter to be successful?

Denniston writes: Keeton is fully recovered from his knee injury and shows no signs of the injury, other than the fact he wears a brace now. He is throwing the ball well, running it well and generally making good decisions. The offensive line, anchored by former Idaho State Bengal Kevin Whimpey, played extremely well last Sunday in the hostile environment of Neyland Stadium — the Aggies only had one false start and they protected Chuckie fairly well. USU has surrounded Chuckie with a lot of weapons as the wide receiver corps is deep and talented, led by Natson, Ronald Butler and Brandon Swindall. Newcomer Hunter Sharp is also a welcome addition to the mix. Joe Hill, who has also returned from a knee injury, provides good speed out of the backfield and he's someone that can take it to the house when he gets out in open space.

Utah State press conference leading up Saturday's game against Idaho State

Tuesday, Utah State head coach Matt Wells and players Kevin Whimpey and Nick Vigil addressed the Aggies' season-opening 38-7 loss to Tennessee and USU's home opener against Idaho State this Saturday

Watch a video of the press conference here.

You can read the entire transcript here.

Read the Idaho State Journal's from the presser here: Looking to bounce back against Idaho State

Interesting quotes:

Matt Wells on Tennessee game: "It’s a very humbling defeat and very eye-opening for us as a program. It’s something I haven’t gone through here and something we’re not planning on going through anymore. There are absolutely a lot of learning experiences for us, coaches included, that we can make adjustments on and get better at and we surely will."

Wells on Idaho State: "The first thing that jumps out to me is their quarterback. I like him. He’s a really good player. He played well in Salt Lake last week. He’s got a lot of moxie and made some really good throws early in the game. He does a nice job with the zone read. Their O-line is coached really well. They’re targeted well and did a nice job in the run game early on. We know what they’re going to look like on defense. They are going to play out of an odd front, they’re going to pressure with a mix of zone and man. They’ll have things covered down. The biggest thing for us is focusing on us and getting ourselves ... to come out and do whatever we can to get this taste out of our mouth."
 
Kevin Whimpey on Idaho State (Whimpey played for the Bengals in 2008): "The way that they play. Some teams that have been bad in the past stay bad because of their attitude and effort. I can see the attitude in the players just by the way they play and celebrate with each other. Even when they were down by so much to Utah, they were still giving effort. There was no quit that I saw and I think they work hard as a team regardless of the scoreboard.”

"I’m grateful to Idaho State for giving me that semester scholarship and giving me the opportunity to get out on the field. That being said, the attitude was different when I was there. It was just guys playing for themselves, selfish play. Although I did have a lot of friendships with the guys on the team, it wasn’t that team feeling like, ‘let's go out there and get this win.' There was no real belief." 

Nick Vigil on Idaho State: "We haven’t had an opportunity to go over film too much so far, we’ve been going over the Tennessee film trying to get some things corrected. From what I’ve watched so far they’re pretty athletic. They’ve got some guys at receiver who will go up and get the ball. Their running back is quick and has good vision. ... Their quarterback throws a good ball. He makes good decisions and is mobile as well. He’s somebody we’re going to have to contain."

Vigil on Idaho State's running backs: “I watched a little bit of the Utah game and they played them really tough through the first quarter. Their offense was moving the ball up and down the field. They made a few mistakes, but their running backs looked really good. They look fast and athletic with good vision. We’re going to have to contain those guys.”

Vigil on injury to star Utah State linebacker Kyler Fackrell: "It’s hard see a guy, especially of his caliber, go through something like that since he is a guy that could potentially go to the NFL after this year. It’s hard to see him go through that because he’s a close friend. It hurts us defensively, as he’s arguably our best defensive player, but it’s an opportunity for some younger guys who haven’t played that much to step up."

Vigil on playing at home in Romney Stadium: "I feel like it’s an advantage to play here with how loud it gets. I think people come here and they don’t realize how loud it actually gets in here. Our student section is probably second to none in the entire country. We don’t get as many fans as some other teams, but with how loud it gets in here I think it affects teams."