WAC Football Preview: Nov. 7

This weekend’s four Western Athletic Conference contests this weekend are spread across three days. Yesterday, Boise State survived a scare from Louisiana Tech to win in Ruston, 45-35.

Here’s today’s matchups, all times Pacific.

• Utah State (2-6, 1-3 WAC) at Hawaii (2-6, 0-5 WAC), 7 p.m. (ESPN360)

This is a matchup of two of the WAC’s bottom-dwellers, but don’t let that fool you. The Aggies are a much better team than their record indicates, with their three conference losses coming by a combined 10 points. For the Warriors, the postseason hopes are on the line — this is their last shot to remain bowl-eligible. A slim hope, yes, because Hawaii needs to win all five of its remaining games to do so, but it’s a hope nonetheless. Utah State, too, could squeak into a bowl at 6-6 if they win out. Whichever team loses this game answers their postseason questions: No.

Utah State’s offense has been a powerhouse, led by Diondre Borel’s 240 yards per game in the air and Robert Turbin’s 110 yards on the ground. But they’ve been unable to stop anyone else from scoring, and have made a series of crucial fourth-quarter errors to cough up games in the waning minutes. The Warriors were turned upside down in the third game of the season, as #1 quarterback Greg Alexander went down with an ACL injury. Hawaii hasn’t won a game since, and sophomore Bryant Moniz, thrust into the starting spotlight, has been underwhelming at best. Neither team’s record is great, but look under the hood and the Aggies have been far more impressive.

• Fresno State (5-3, 4-1 WAC) at Idaho (7-2, 4-1 WAC), 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

Akey’s Army returns to the Thunderdome at night on national TV for the second time this season. Undefeated at home so far, the Vandals face one of their toughest challenges yet: a Fresno State squad that rolls up 260 yards per game on the ground on the strength of NCAA-leading tailback Ryan Mathews. Stopping him is impossible for even the WAC’s best teams, as Boise State found out. Idaho’s task will be tough enough: just slow him down. If the Vandals can’t keep him in check, this game could get real ugly real fast.

But all is not lost for the Vandals — Fresno State’s defense has been unspectacular, and if there’s one thing Idaho is capable of doing, it’s putting points up on the scoreboard. Bulldog quarterback Ryan Colburn hasn’t done much through the air, so if the Vandals can get ahead early and make the game a shootout, it could be tough for Fresno State to effectively utilize Mathews. Given the Vandals’ defensive struggles of late, that’s a very big if. The game could hinge on turnovers — Colburn, like Idaho QB Nathan Enderle, has proven pick-prone. Defensive TDs could be huge for either team.

Better Know a Foe: Hawaii

Resuming our Better Know a Foe series of conversations with beat writers who cover the Vandals’ football opponents, today’s guest is Honolulu Advertiser columnist Ferd Lewis.

The Warriors are in a tough spot right now. What’s the mindset within the program and its fans?

UH is 2-3 and the math tells us the team needs to win five of its remaining eight games to nail down a berth in the hometown Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, the avowed goal. The problem is that half the road games still remain and the immediate lineup — at Idaho, home with Boise State and at Nevada — means they’ll be underdogs all three weeks. Coming off consecutive one-sided losses and with fading bowl hopes, there is a developing circle-the-wagons mindset and desperation for a win.

How much did losing Greg Alexander hurt the team?

By virtue of the way he finished last season and the manner in which he lit up Wazoo earlier this year, Greg Alexander was becoming the “franchise” for the passing game. His loss for the season was exacerbated by the loss of his backup, Brent Rausch, three weeks earlier.

Has Bryant Moniz performed about as well as could be expected from a third-string backup?

Moniz began as the fourth or fifth QB on the depth chart in the spring but was challenging for No. 2 when the season began. He has a good arm, is a quick study in the offense and lacks mostly experience.

Good Morning Vandal Nation: Oct. 1, 2009

The first day of October — an auspicious day, for official hoops practice is now just over two weeks away.

In the WAC opener for Louisiana Tech and Hawaii yesterday, the Bulldogs gave the Warriors the business — a 27-6 pasting in which Hawaii QB Greg Alexander was sacked five times and knocked out of the game with a knee injury. The La. Tech defense didn’t let up then — they proceeded to sack his backup, Bryant Moniz, twice more. The Bulldogs are looking like the real deal, while the Warriors’ vaunted air attack is riddled with holes.

There’s a bunch of good stuff on the Idaho Vandals today, including an ESPN.com feature on Nathan Enderle.

Remember to pick up your student tickets at the Kibbie Dome ticket office — fewer than 1,000 are remaining.

Football

• ESPN.com’s Graham Watson says long-suffering Vandal QB Nathan Enderle is finding redemption.

• Idaho is the No. 1 team to watch among non-AQ conferences, Watson argues.

• The Honolulu Advertiser’s Stephen Tsai reports on the Warriors’ loss to La. Tech, and columnist Ferd Lewis says Hawaii’s weaknesses were mercilessly exposed.

• The Idaho Press-Tribune’s Jake Alger thinks one drive may define the Vandals’ season.

• The Coloradoan’s Kelly Lyell reports the Rams are preparing for a rowdy Kibbie Dome.

• The Salt Lake Tribune’s Lya Wodraska tabs Idaho as one of the unexpected stories of the season.

• The Nevada Sagebrush’s Juan Lopez previews the Wolf Pack/UNLV rivalry game, noting that Nevada’s current seniors have never lost to the Rebels.

• Lewiston Tribune writer Jesse Baumgartner has a Vandal practice wrap from last night.

• The Las Cruces Sun-News’ Teddy Feinberg says the NMSU Aggie offense is a work in progress. (h/t to Bleed Crimson)

Men’s basketball

• Parsing the WAC’s Kevin McCarthy makes his preseason All-WAC picks.

Volleyball

• The Vandals fell to Eastern Washington on the road last night, in their final non-conference match.