POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State football team plays host to Northern Arizona on November 3 in Holt Arena at 4 p.m. and plays at Northern Colorado on October 20 at 1:35 p.m. The Bengals leads the series with Northern Colorado 20-8 after beating the Bears 50-20 in Pocatello last season. The last win in Greeley was a 41-13 victory on Oct. 7, 2006. This is also the last time the Bengals have won on the road.
Northern Arizona leads the series with the Bengals 31-17-1. The last time Idaho State beat the Lumberjacks was a 24-17 victory in Holt Arena on Nov. 13, 2004.
Here is a closer look at each team.
Northern Colorado
Despite an 0-11 season in 2011, the Bears improved each game losing two of their last three games by six points or less. This year Northern Colorado returns 33 letterwinners from last year's team with eight returning starters on offense and five on defense.
The Bears return quarterback Seth Lobato, who played in 10 games while passing for 2,448 yards and 17 touchdowns. The majority of the receiving corp returns for Lobato. Chris Morris is the top returning statistical leader from 2011 as he caught 51 passes for 502 yards. Quentin Hildreth is the top returning running back as he rushed for 388 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Defensively, Clarence Bumpas, a preseason all-conference member in 2012, had 145 tackles and 10 tackles for loss in 2011. Cameron Friend returns as he led the team with three interceptions. Friend, Lobato, Marcel Gibbons and Nick Chandler are this year's team captains.
Northern Colorado opens the season August 30 at Utah.
Northern Arizona
Last year Northern Arizona lost five games by a combined 20 points. The NAU team has an experienced offense returning led by the play of running back and Walter Payton Award candidate Zach Bauman and senior quarterback Cary Grossart. Bauman has produced over 2,400 yards in his two seasons and scored 30 touchdowns. Grossart earned All-Big Sky Honorable Mention honors last year as he averaged 249.5 yards a contest while throwing 16 touchdowns.
The team returns 15 starters and 39 letter winners overall as well as 26 players who have been on the team and coming off a redshirt year.
Defensively, NAU ranked fifth last year in the conference in total defense and third in overall scoring allowed. The defense returns seven starters but looking for help on the defensive line to fill the void left by the graduation of four experienced players including three starters, Isaac Bond,Dan Pela and Blayne Anderson. Bond was two-time all-Big Sky selection. NAU opens the season August 30 at Arizona State.
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