ISU game day vs No. 21 Cal Poly

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TODAY’S CRUCIAL MATCHUP
Idaho State vs expectations
It’s been a wild ride for Idaho State up to this point of the season. The Bengals began 2014 with no outside expectations. They were supposed to mount another losing season and finish in the cellar of the Big Sky Conference.

After the first three months of the season, though, Idaho State has positioned itself to contend for its first conference championship since 2002 and a potential berth in the FCS playoffs. Both senior quarterback Justin Arias and freshman linebacker Mario Jenkins have been put on watch lists for some of the country’s biggest season-ending awards. Everything has come together for the Bengals during their four-game winning streak.

“We’re having a good time,” said ISU senior offensive lineman Jim Bagley. “... It’s a new experience, especially for the guys who have been here.”

It’s a new experience for the entire team with the exception of the coaching staff. Bengals coach Mike Kramer and offensive coordinator Don Bailey have been at this point before. Kramer and Bailey won three Big Sky titles when they coached together at Montana State.

Kramer said earlier this week that November belongs to coaches. It’s when he can make an impact on his players’ mind sets entering games where the pressure of an entire season reaches its apex. It’s the kind of pressure no player on ISU’s roster has felt since arriving in Pocatello.

There isn’t any reason to assume the Bengals will cave now that they’ve reached this point. But today’s matchup with Cal Poly is a de facto playoff game in the Big Sky Conference, where six teams are still in serious contention for the Big Sky championship.

If the Bengals want to remain there, all they have to do is play well at home where they haven’t lost this season.

1
Get the offense back on track. Idaho State coach Mike Kramer expects a high-scoring battle. But for that to happen, the Bengals offense has to find the same kind of rhythm it’s had at home all season long.

In four games at Holt Arena, Idaho State has scored 200 total points and averaged 657 yards of offense. Granted, those numbers are slightly inflated because the Bengals hosted two lower-division opponents (Chadron State and Simon Fraser), but they’ve been nearly as good against Big Sky teams Sacramento State and Southern Utah.

With Cal Poly, the specific challenge for Idaho State is to remain consistent. The Mustangs rarely blitz and concentrate on making opponents score only after long, arduous drives down the field.

The Bengals want to rely on Pocatello’s elevation and playing fast to wear down Cal Poly.

“I think playing here at Holt Arena is a distinct advantage,” said Bengals offensive coordinator Don Bailey. “We’re at 4,500 feet, which is a different deal no matter what elevation you’re at normally. We want to go fast and attack people. I think that’s an advantage. ... By the middle of the second quarter that can play a factor in the role of a football game.”

2
Maintain discipline on defense. One of Cal Poly’s biggest advantages week in and week out is the fact that its triple option is such a unique offense to go against for most defenses. There are only a handful of college programs in the country still running a similar scheme.

Idaho State is relying on co-defensive coordinator Spencer Toone’s expertise to develop a game plan to slow down the Mustangs’ high-powered attack.

Toone squared off against an option offense when he played at Utah in the early 2000s, and the Blackfoot-native coached against Air Force as a graduate assistant at Utah State.

“He’s the guy really who has the sense of what we’re trying to accomplish,” said Idaho State head coach Mike Kramer. “There’s a PHD in preparation for this style of offense.”

Toone said the most difficult thing with teams utilizing the triple option is figuring out how to replicate the same kinds of looks the defense will see on game day throughout the entire week of practice.

In particular, Toone is worried about the start of the game. Cal Poly has most of its success in the first quarter where it has outscored its opponents 72-31 over the course of the season.

“I think a lot of that goes to the speed of how they run it and the looks that they get are very precise,” Toone said. “Our goal is to make sure our guys are ready by snap one to be able to play at a high level and execute that throughout the game.”

3
Get up early. Idaho State beat Portland State 31-13 last week, but the statistics show it was a much closer game than the final 18-point margin indicates.

ISU won the yardage battle 430-424, and the Vikings had one more first down than the Bengals. The big difference in the game was PSU’s six turnovers, including five interceptions

Portland State, just like Cal Poly, is a team that relies on the run to power its offense. But after Idaho State built a 14-point lead in the first quarter, the Vikings were forced to take to the air 45 times, an area well outside the comfort zone.

If Idaho State can jump out to another fast start against Cal Poly, the Mustangs would be forced to use their entire playbook, too.

And by the same logic, if the Mustangs can grab an early lead, they can lean on long, time-consuming drives to shorten the game and keep ISU’s high-octane offense off the field. Cal Poly’s final touchdown drive against Montana State a week ago took eight minutes and two seconds off the clock in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats were left with less than three minutes to try and rally from an eight-point deficit, eventually losing 35-27.