Record: Overall .... Big Sky

Sac State ......9-0 .....6-0 ..... Playoff birth
Montana St....8-1 .....6-0 ..... Playoff birth
Idaho ...............6-3 .....5-1
Weber St ........7-2 .....4-2 ..... Likely 6-2, playoffs

UC Davis .........5-4 .....4-2
Montana .........6-3 .....3-3

Portland St ......4-5 .....3-3 ..... (going nowhere)
NAU .................3-6 .....2-4
EWU .................2-7 .....1-5
No. CO .............2-7 .....1-5
Idaho St ...........1-8 .....1-5
Cal Poly ...........1-8 ......0-6


Weber: plays Idaho State & NAU, so high probability of 6-2 Big Sky record

Montana: plays EWU & Montana St.

UC Davis: plays #1 and #3

Idaho: plays UCD and Idaho St

If Sagarin ratings are good for anything, they are predictive of point spreads. Any of the bottom six are closer to Cal Poly than they are to any one of the top six, and the top six are all within 8 points of each other. There is no team in the conference in the neighborhood of the mean rating for the conference, that what I meant by saying there is no middle. The sixth place team isn’t close to the seventh place team, there is a two touchdown difference.

The boys over at Tubs at the Club previewed the upcoming match up between the Aggies and Vandals

Highlights:
- They aren't particularly scared of Hastings passing game given Idaho's success against the pass and that Miles looked just okay against better teams and dunked on bad teams. They did acknowledge that Hastings is still leading a lot of passing categories in the conference even if it was helped out by playing bad teams.
- They believe that Gilliam has the potential to do real damage against them and that it is going to be key for the Vandals to shut him down in order to win. Mentioned several times that he's probably one of the best RBs in the history of the conference.
- Similarly to Hastings, they aren't particularly scared of our defense in that we don't put a ton of pressure on QBs. They did mention Rex Connors and Teddye Buchanan as guys they probably shouldn't test too much.
- Both guys predicted an Idaho win and went as far as to say that they don't really have much anxiety about this one. Just to be clear, they didn't predict a Vandals blowout or anything but they feel pretty confidently that Idaho will win.

Go ahead and give them a listen though. We should always be supportive of more media in the Big Sky!

So, they say Hastings struggled a bit against the top teams in the Nation like #1, $3, and#6. Uh yeah,a little bit, but we should have beaten #1 a few missed FGs two with a good chance of making them
But we were still in the games
I don't mean to say they are definitely wrong only I don't see them as good as any of those teams we habe played to date nor do I see them comparable to the weak teams we beat. They are closer to ourselves than those we played weak or strong teams.
So, there is absolutely no way to assume he will struggle against the Vandals a little or a lot. He May just !ight them up. There is nothing to speculate that he will or will not struggle against the weakest over .500 team we have played to date.

The next two games are going to be nail biters for me. Glad BB is here to keep my mind off of football, wink.

Gotchu.

My son wants to make the 5+ hour drive to the game. I think its 50/50 whether we go or not, but I would still appreciate any info on attending- pre game things to do, parking, what is visitor section, places to check out around Moscow?

I agreed and disagreed with some of the points that they made. I was very vocally against Hastings being the starting QB this season and he has largely proved me wrong. Sure there are some bad passes and decision making here and there, but he really has been solid for the most part. I think he really is one of the better QBs in the Big Sky currently and it's not just due to playing bad teams. I'm hoping that our defense can keep Hatten and Jackson in check though. Similarly to them believing the key to them winning is shutting down Gilliam, if we shut down those guys then we win. I would be at least a little nervous if I were an Idaho fan, but that's the beauty of differing opinions I suppose.

@Idaho Aggie is the one to ask. He is local and has already answered a ton of questions about gameday experience in PMs. I am also not too far to Moscow (about an hr and 15 mins or so) but am not familiar with the gameday experience compared to games in Pullman for WSU.

If you are considering staying overnight, I highly recomend the Best Western Plus across the street from UI. The indoor pool is always quite warm and the breakfast is excellent. They also have a shuttle to PUW airport. We stay there overnight every 4th of July, but we're also close enough that during Farmers Market season, we come up just for the day.They may be sold out since both UI and WSU are home, but they might have something available.

Breakfast Club is a great breakfast place. I also love Moscow Bagel both of which are downtown. There's a big sports bar too but I've never been in. There's a lovely ice cream shop called Panhandle Cone and Coffee with freshly made waffle cones. Moscow has several Asian fusion options too. Red Bento has decent sushi but nothing like the west side of WA. (Idaho Aggie I'm really excited for that new place in Lewiston btw). There is also a delicious greek restaurant, Mad Greek which we loved last time we were here. Of course Pullman has it's share of restaurants too, 10 mins away but I'm not as familiar with the restaurants there. Pullman is hosting a Cougars game at 12:30pm and the nice thing is that except right by the stadium the city does not shut down in game day gridlock. So if you're driving on the hwy it might be a little busy but the traffic flow is pretty good I'd say. I have had no issues driving there within an hour of game time.
We love Moscow and hope to buy a second property there some day since we're always going up there.

Gracias hermano, great info

Food wise, I'll throw in Gambino's on 6th Street in Moscow. Good sandwiches, pasta and both thin and stuffed pizza.

(Franz Joseph ..sorry couldn’t resist) Hayden Hatten ran wild on the first half against EWU. Had 4 TD catches. He has got decent size (6’2”) and bodies up the smaller cornerbacks. Hope the Ags have a strategy to keep him in check. Idaho running backs scorched EWU on the outside - not so much up the middle but the EWU defense is pretty poor. I think the key will be to get some pressure on their QB McCoy who is having a good year.

I hope Kraft and/or Davis is back this week. I really think Kraft is a solid receiver - just been plagued by injuries.

Agree totally on your assessment of Hastings and your post in general.

FWIW, DB Jordan Perryman starts for UW, though he missed 3 weeks due to injury.

Good assessment. I thought Haden was bigger before your post. He played tight end as a freshman, which is why I thought he was bigger. You don’t stop a guy like him, but our DBs are taller and more athletic than a few years ago, so I’m hopeful. We played against him twice in 2021 so he won’t be a surprise,
I like Kraft a lot also. Davis was a pleasant surprise this year, he didn’t look as fluid and athletic last year in his limited opportunities. If healthy we have good receivers.

This defense would be pretty scary if Perryman was still out there.

They've been playing very well as a unit, I think they've only let one game get away from them and that was in Bozeman, which, should worry fans a bit...as they're playing a strong team on the road again this Saturday. Turnovers, going to need turnovers.

:up: thanks for the rec

Absolutely. If we go 7-4, we'd have wins over a top-25 team (on the road) plus a top-10 team (maybe still top-5 for Sac depending on other results). We'd also have losses to an FBS team and three losses to top-10 FCS teams (two of which were close).

I don't have the time to spend looking at all of FCS, but I wouldn't be shocked if we get in going 6-5 where the loss is a close one. I think this would be more likely to happen if we lose close on the road at Idaho but beat Sac since that's a signature win.

Reminds me of our 2019 schedule. By the final rankings we faced #1, #3, #4, #6 and #9 plus played at Cal and at North Dakota (7-5 but made the playoffs). Teams 1, 3 and 4 were three of the four semifinalists in the playoffs that year too.

Although we have had perhaps the toughest schedule in all of the FCS, the fact remains that win don't have a "significant" win yet. We fell off the radar with the pollsters after we went 1-4 regardless of how competitive we were in those loses. Even though we have won our last 4 games against weak opponents by an average margin of 40 points (54-14), no one has really taken notice.

I think Idaho is a must win for us. A close loss will only solidify the pollsters opinions that the Aggies can't win tough games. Could we still make the playoffs if we were to lose at Idaho and then upset Sac? Honestly, I think so.

From the Enterprise:

“We’re down to the final stretch and it’s really about finishing now,” Hawkins noted.

“But for our guys to put themselves in position to play meaningful games in November is a great opportunity, This is where you want to be this late in the season. Idaho is playing really, really well, but we’re anxious to get up there in the Dome. These are two great football teams.”

Regarding the Kibbie Dome:

The Kibbie Dome itself is a conversation starter. While Hawkins describes it as “quirky,” with “dead air,” Aggie placekicker Isaiah Gomez is looking forward to playing indoors because “weather will not be a factor when I’m kicking.”

Today’s Kibbie Dome began as an outdoor stadium, but then a giant wooden roof was added over the stadium bowl in 1975.

According to a story by ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Dave Wilson, “It’s made entirely of wood, which is a badge of honor in that part of the country. The University of Idaho launched one of the first forestry departments in the country in 1909, and it’s one of the school’s proudest moments.”
The title of the ESPN piece says simply “An ode to the Kibbie Dome, college football’s weirdest stadium.”

Noted Bonagura and Wilson, “It comes into view about a half-mile before the state border, dwarfing everything around it on the University of Idaho campus. Most first-timers assume it’s an airplane hangar. Students joke it’s a giant beer can on its side.”

The roof is 400 feet across, at the center reaching 144 feet above the playing field. In all, it covers 4.5 acres.

TCU head coach Sonny Dykes recalled visiting the Dome when he was coaching at Louisiana Tech.
“I love the place. There were between 6,000 and 8,000 people at the game,” he told the ESPN authors, “and it sounded like between 60,000 and 80,000. I’ve coached in a bunch of big places and that was as loud as any place I’ve ever been.”

A capacity crowd of 16,000 is expected at the Kibbie Dome on Saturday. By Dyke’s math, that should equate to the amount of noise created by a crowd of 160,000 or so.

The Aggies will do a traditional “walk through” at an empty Kibbie Dome on Friday afternoon. They can only imagine what it will sound like come Saturday.

https://www.davisenterprise.com/sports/bob-dunning-ucd-prepare-for-showdown-at-kibbie-dome/

Here's a link to the ESPN article about the Kibbie Dome:







https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32319238/an-ode-kibbie-dome-college-football-weirdest-stadium

Hey all excited to compete vs you all. I really like UCD. Had the chance to come tour in April and fell in love with your school Truly is California's College town. Im glad we can finally compete. I hate that if we win, it'd knock yall out. But best of luck this week. If anyone is making the trek, hope you are shown the Palouse hospitality. Enjoy a Bloody Mary at Corner Club before game and a Tub of Rainier after. Go Vandals!

You should be fine. that said i think parking in the Law lot by stadium is $10 and the money goes to the ROTC program I believe. Otherwise your guranteed best bet is go park at corner club and ride the fun bus. It is free (with a purchase at the bar) drops off in front of Kibbie dome and picks up right in front after the game as well!

still appreciate any info on
attending- pre game things: Vandal Village outside our new hoops arena is fun and family-friendly. The farmers market just ended in october but in future is very fun on saturday mornings. Also our tailgate lot opens up 4 hours before game but RVs arrive thursdays so tons of people out and about from thursday night until sunday around noon.

parking: Lower law lot is $10 goes to ROTC, otherwise parking at dome is for Donors and students only. but the lower law lot walk is like 65 seconds to stadium. not bad. Also campus is very walkable so could always park for free downtown and walk through campus to the dome.

what is visitor section:
Sections 9 & 10 are the visting section. but if looking to have a seat back sections 4-8.


Places to check out around Moscow?
Corner Club for a Tub
The Universities Golf course is fun and inexpensive (pretty tough though)
Campus bookstore and Greek Row are very cool (one of the last true greek rows in country)
Both Arboretums are cool, but the new arb is easier to get to and better IMO.
honestly a trip to the creamery in Pullman for Cougar gold cheese isnt bad.
Appaloosa museum is cool but i believe is closed on weekends.

I think this will be a tough game. Disagree with the Tubs guys that we shouldn't be worried. Hawkins is good coach and Idaho has only ever beaten him once in 1998 i believe when he was Boises OC. I believe we break through probably like 28-24 or 28-27. but tight and my guess is you have a ball with chance to win and our D buckles down and gets a stop.

my son graduated from WSU and I miss my trips up there, but REALLY miss the cougar gold cheese!

I'll add the Monarch to the list of places to stay. It's downtown and if you're up for a walk the Dome is about 15 minutes away. It's a beautiful campus and I always enjoy the walk. The folks who own the Monarch also own Nectar across the street and I think you get a free cocktail if you go there for dinner. Good food, this week they have Korean Fried Chicken and my wife and kids went there. Maialina is at 6th and Main and is a great pizza spot (and I love their steak and roast chicken too). In Pullman I recommend Birch and Barley on Bishop Street, not just because my daughter is a bartender manager there! BaseballatDobbins, the folks who own the Breakfast Club also own Birch. There's an excellent Chinese restaurant, Tan's, just past Birch, maybe a quarter mile. The regular menu is pretty standard, but there's a whiteboard by the cash register with other items, and they are great. We always order off that.

Lodgepole is on Main and First, and has wonderful food. You may need a reservation if you go there. One World Coffee is at Main and 6th, and is owned by friends of ours. If you don't want coffee you can get beer and wine there.

I'm going to be watching with a visiting prof at the law school who was at Davis when my wife and I were there in the '80s, but we had never met before. I'll be looking for BaseballatDobbins as we'll be sitting in the same area. Let us know if you make it.

Welcome to the forum! Like I said in some of my previous posts and over on the Idaho forum, this has become one of my favorite conference match ups in the last couple seasons. It should be a great game if both teams play up to their potential.

Who wants it more, both teams hungry, typically favors the home team. Can either of the defenses get any takeaways? Will Gilliam have the game of his life?...or will he get shut down as he's the guy to be stopped. How will #7 play in white? This is why you play the damn game.