Game 12 Preview: Idaho State vs. Weber State

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POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State football team closes out the 2014 regular season on Saturday, November 22 at 2:35 p.m. vs. Weber State. It is the final home game for 21 Bengal seniors.  The game will be broadcast live on 102.5 and 930 AM with Jerry Miller and Mark Liptak calling the action. The pregame show starts at 1:30 p.m.  To follow the game online log onto isubengals.com.

Weber State comes into today's game with a 2-9 record and a 2-5 mark in Big Sky Conference play. The Wildcats come into the game on a two-game winning streak, winning at North Dakota, 24-12 and beating Northern Colorado 34-21 at home.  Weber State averages 21.3 points per game and gives up 29.3. The Wildcat offense averages 378 total yards while the defense allows 427.3 yards-per-game. WSU averages 246.8 passing yards and 131.2 rushing yards a game.

The Wildcats lead the series 39-14. Weber State has won the last 11 meetings with the last Bengal win being a 34-0 victory at Holt Arena in 2002. That was also the last time ISU has shut out a conference opponent. Since 1985 ISU has only beaten Weber State two times.

Saturday is the final home game for 21 seniors. They will be honored at the end of the game on Saturday vs. Weber State. The 21 seniors are; Daniel McSurdy, C.J. Reyes, Brandon Golden, Christian Gines, Nick Albano, Justin Arias, Aaron Prier, Daniel Roundtree, Michael Berger, Vai Peko, PJ Gremaud, Keelan MCaffery, Mitch Beckstead, Jake Belnap, Sage Warner, Jim Bagley, David Forester, Robby Mackesey and Austin Graves. Taylor Ragan will also be honored after the game. His playing career was cut short due to injury but he is set to graduate this spring.

Bengals in the NCAA Team Stats
Here is where the Bengals ranks in the NCAA team stats
1st- Passing Offense- 350.5
4th- Passes Intercepted- 17
2nd- Total Offense - 553.5
1st- First Downs- 303
10th- Scoring Offense- 39.8
18th- Passing Efficiency- 147.69
30th- Rushing Yards per game- 203.1
24th- 3rd Down Conversions- .436
5th- 4th Down Conversion percentage- .706

Bengals Ranked in the NCAA Individual Stats
Here are where the Bengals rank in the indvidual NCAA stats.
Xavier Finney: 7th- rushing yards per game, 135.2; 13th- rushing touchdowns, 14; 23rd- Scoring per game, 8.4; 17th- All-Purpose yards, 146.00; 5th- rushing yards, 1,487
Justin Arias: 1st in completions per game (26.64); 1st- passing touchdowns, 35; 1st- passing yards, 3,754; 1st- passing yards per game, 341.3; 2nd- points responsible for, 216; 4th- total offense, 343.8; 17th- passing efficiency, 147.8; 34th- Completion percentage, .612
Madison Mangum: 1st receiving yards per game, 117.1;  5th- receptions per game, 7.7; 3rd receiving yards, 1,171.
Austin Graves: 18th, Sacks, .82 per game
Mitch Beckstead: 4th, Fumbles Recovered, 3;
Mario Jenkins: 19th, Tackles per game, 9.8

Forcing the Turnovers
The Bengal defense has forced 24 turnovers this season (17 interceptions, 7 fumble recoveries). Since the 2001 season the 2004 team forced 30 turnovers (17 interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries). The 2003 team forced 26 turnovers (11 interceptions and 15 fumble recoveries).

Bengals vs. Ranked Opponents
Idaho State's win over No. 21 Cal Poly was the first time it has defeated a ranked opponent since a 34-30 win over No. 5 Eastern Washington on Sept. 24. 2005. The Bengals had previously lost 24 straight games against ranked opponents.

Defensive Improvement
The Idaho State defense has shown improvement in 2014. The Bengals are allowing 31.7 points  a game, the best mark by a Bengal defense since giving up 30 points a game in 2006. ISU allowed 12 points in a win at Northern Colorado. That mark was the fewest points and ISU team has allowed against a Division I team since beating Weber State 34-0 in 2002. A week later the Bengals held Portland State to 13 points.

Bengal Bites
- Justin Arias is 246 passing yards from becoming the ninth player in the history of the Big Sky Conference to throw for 4,000 yards or more.
- Mario Jenkins 108 tackles is the most out of any freshmen in FCS football.
- The Bengal defense is +10 in the turnover margin.
- Xavier Finney has nine 100-yard plus rushing games, the most in the Big Sky Conference.
- The last time the Bengals have won back-to-back road games on consecutive weekends was in 1983. 1983 was also the last time ISU made the playoffs.
- Prior to forcing six turnovers in the 31-13 win at Portland State, the last time an ISU defense forced six turnovers in a game was a 2009 win vs. Portland State.
- The win at Portland State was the first road conference win in Novemeber since a 1996 win at Portland State.
- ISU's five game winning streak was the longest winning streak since opening the 1995 season 5-0.
- Xavier Finney leads the Big Sky Conference in rushing at 137.0 yards a game. That mark is the seventh-best in the nation.  ISU has never had a player finish the season as the top rusher in the Big Sky Conference.
- KW Williams has 10 receiving touchdowns and is now tied for fourth place for most receiving touchdowns in a season.
- The Bengal offense has 34 scoring possessions (30 touchdowns and four field goals) with drives two minutes or less.