Idaho takes its October rebound on the road Saturday, heading to Hillsboro Stadium to play Portland State after pulling out a 31-28 Homecoming win over Southern Utah. The Vandals needed Owen Forsman's 53-yard game-winning field goal to finish that one, and now they are trying to turn that escape into another step forward.
The timing matters because Idaho is 3-5 overall but 3-2 in the Big Sky Conference, and it has gone 3-1 in October after opening 0-4. Portland State comes in at 2-6 overall and 2-2 in the league, but the record has not told the full story for a team that already beat Weber State and once led then-No. 6 UC Davis 21-0 at halftime before losing. That is why Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. has spent more time on the tape than the standings.
Ford called Portland State a much-improved group and said Chris Fisk is a phenomenal coach. He said the film shows a team that plays with effort, plays together and has been locked in physically up front. That is the note Idaho has to respect, because Portland State's defense is giving up 518.9 yards per game but still has a pass rusher in Avery Duscik, who has six sacks and two forced fumbles. If Idaho cannot sort out early protection, the yardage edge it holds on paper can disappear quickly.
The Vandals have their own numbers to trust. They are averaging 407.1 yards per game on offense, and Joshua Wood has 2,189 passing yards through eight games while ranking third nationally in total offense and adding eight rushing touchdowns. Idaho also showed a running game against Southern Utah, piling up 227 yards on the ground. Damonte Bias led that push with a career-high 89 yards on 11 carries, while Hayden Kincheloe and Kenny Golston each added 46 yards. Ford said a fast start will be critical, and he wants early points that can force long-yardage third downs. That is the cleaner path against a team that can be dangerous when it gets organized.
Portland State can still make the game awkward if Idaho lets it settle in. Delon Thompson leads the Vikings with 643 rushing yards and five touchdowns, and Idaho already proved it can control a runner when it held Floyd Chalk to 58 yards on 17 carries. The question is whether the Vandals choose to press for an immediate lead or play more conservatively while feeling out the rush. Ford's comments suggest the answer is to attack early, because this game is less about surviving a 2-6 opponent than about making sure a surging October does not lose its shape at the first real setback.
If Idaho starts fast, it can put Portland State into the third-and-long spots Ford wants and give its offense room to keep the October run alive. If it does not, the Saturday Halloween matchup becomes exactly what the tape suggests it can be: a much tougher night than the records imply.
