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POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State opens the 2021 season on Saturday, Sept. 4 vs. North Dakota at 1 p.m. in Holt Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN + with Dylan Carder and Kody Graves calling the action.
Jerry Miller and Mitch Beckstead will call the action live on KISU. Live stats will also be available for the game.
Series vs. North Dakota
North Dakota, 3-5 (1-4 Home, 2-1 Away)
2019 H 10/12 W, 55-20
2018 A 9/22 W, 25-21
2016 H 10/22 L, 28-21
2015 A 10/10 W, 37-31
2013 H 10/5 L, 28-25
2008 H 9/18 L, 38-35
1966 A 9/24 L, 41-0
1965 H 11/6 L, 27-0
Did You Know
This is the first home opener for Idaho State against a Division 1 opponent since the 2008 season. That year Idaho State lost 38-35 to North Dakota on Sept. 18
Scouting North Dakota
North Dakota went 5-2 during the spring season and are ranked No. 6 in the Coaches Preseason Poll and No. 7 in the STATS Preseason poll. The Fighting Hawks advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS plays, beating No. 12 Missouri State 44-10 and losing to James Madison 34-21.
Recapping Spring 2021
Idaho State finished its six-game spring season with a 2-4 record. Three of the four losses came in the final two minutes of the game. The Bengals beat SUU 26-24 and Idaho 24-22. The three last minute losses was 46-42 to No. 13 Eastern Washington, 31-27 at No. 15 UC Davis and 20-15 at No. 2 Weber State.
Idaho State had 10 players earn all-conference honors.
Tanner Conner,
Colton Belnap and
Jayden Dawson earned first-team accolades.
Terron Carey,
Jacob Angel and
Oshea Trujillo earned second-team honors while
Malakai Rango,
Kainoa Fuiava and
Connor Wills earned honorable mention accolades.
Tanner Conner and the 4 Freshmen
This springs receiving group was highlighted by the play of senior
Tanner Conner and four freshmen in
Jalen Henderson,
Jeff Harris, Christian Fredrickson and
Xavier Guillory. Conner caught 34 passes for 685 yards and three touchdowns. Fredrickson caught 20 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Guillory had 18 receptions for 324 yards and four touchdowns. Henderson caught 17 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown while Harris had 12 receptions for for 169 yards and two touchdowns.
Joining the receiver unit this fall is
Shane Dailey Jr., a transfer from South Dakota State and
Jared Scott a transfer from Wyoming and Jacksonville State. New to the team this fall are
Jovan Sowell, Kayson Isom and
Oakley Hussey. After an excellent freshman season in 2018,
Demonte Horton returns to the lineup after battling injuries.
Bengals Against Ranked Teams
This spring the Bengals played five of their six games against ranked teams. This season and the 2008 team are the only teams who have played five ranked teams in one season. Idaho State opened last year vs. No. 4 Weber State. On March 13, ISU played No. 13 Eastern Washington and on March 27 the Bengals played at No. 15/19 UC Davis. Weber State was ranked No. 2 in the final polls in the spring 2021 before the playoffs began.
Idaho State has only three wins vs. ranked opponents on the road.
2003: at No. 20 Cal Poly, W, 38-31
2015: at No. 23/25 North Dakota, W 37-31
2018: at No. 22 North Dakota, W, 25-21 (ISU's last win over a ranked opponent)
The last time Idaho State beat a Top 10 vs. 34-30 vs. Eastern Washington in Pocatello in 2005. Idaho State is 0-17 against Top 10 teams since then.
