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Unbeaten Bengals Open Big Sky Play at Southern Utah
POCATELLO, Idaho – Fresh off a bye week and riding a program-best 3-0 start since 1995, the #14/16 Idaho State Bengals hit the road to open Big Sky Conference play against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds (1-3, 0-1 Big Sky) Saturday at Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City.
Southern Utah is coming off a tough 28-26 loss to St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota this past weekend. The Thunderbirds were able to score a touchdown in the waning seconds of the contest, but could not convert the two-point attempt to tie the game up.
Game 4 Information (Links Above)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KISU (KISU.org, 91.1 FM) Scott Gross PxP, Joel Richardson Color
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
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· Facebook: IdahoStateFB
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Series vs Southern Utah
· Idaho State leads the all-time series 12-8-1 (21 meetings)
· ISU is 10-3 at home in the series, 2-5-1 on the road
· The Bengals dropped last year's meeting 46-24 in Cedar City (Aug. 30, 2025)
· This is the first meeting between the programs since Southern Utah rejoined the Big Sky Conference, the last conference meeting was in Spring 2021, a walk off 26-24 win for the Bengals in Cedar City.
Bengal Bites
A TOP-10 DEFENSE NATIONALLY: Idaho State ranks No. 4 nationally in passing yards allowed (126.0/game), No. 2 in team passing efficiency defense (78.93 rating) and No. 10 in scoring defense (14.7 points/game) through three weeks.
BIG SKY'S BEST PASS DEFENSE: Idaho State leads the Big Sky Conference — and ranks No. 4 nationally — in passing yards allowed (126.0/game), and leads the conference in team passing efficiency defense (No. 2 nationally, 78.93 rating).
A NATIONAL TOP-10 TURNOVER MARGIN: Idaho State ranks No. 9 nationally in turnover margin (+1.67) through three games, part of a takeaway attack that has produced 6 interceptions from five different players this season.
A DISCIPLINED FRONT: Idaho State ranks No. 24 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Sky in team tackles for loss (6.7/game), a total built by contributions across the front seven. Trehsyn Fesili paces the group and ties for the Big Sky lead in sacks per game (0.83).
A Historic Start: Idaho State's defense has been on fire to start the 2026 season, that is not a surprise, but where do they rank in program history? since the start of the FCS era (1978) this is the 5th best defense in points allowed through the first three games of the year allowing only 14.6 points per game. Only 1981 (9 PPG), 1984 (14 PPG), 1995 (12 ppg) and 2001 (13.3 PPG) allowed less points per game through the first three.
PRESSURE PACKAGE: Idaho State's 2.00 sacks per game rank No. 38 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Sky. Trehsyn Fesili ties for the conference lead in sacks per game (0.83) — a mark he shares with Southern Utah's Myles Amey, a matchup to watch Saturday.
COOKE CLIMBING THE RECORD BOOK: Through three games, quarterback Jordan Cooke has moved to 6th all-time in program history in passing yards (6,372), 4th in career completions (506), tied for 9th in passing touchdowns (36), and 5th in passing attempts (868).
COOKE AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS: Cooke ranks No. 6 nationally in passing touchdowns (8) and No. 8 in points responsible for (54) through three games — both marks leading the Big Sky.
LINDBERG'S BUSY FALL: Mason Lindberg leads the Big Sky and ranks No. 3 nationally in field goals per game (2.33). He's made 7 of 9 attempts this season, with a long of 48 yards.
ANAHU-AMBROSIO'S BREAKOUT: Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio's three-catch, 195-yard, two-touchdown night against San Diego vaulted him to the team lead in receiving yards (281, No. 14 nationally) and receiving touchdowns (3, No. 7 nationally, tied with Chedon James).
MASON'S STEADY HANDS: Julian Mason leads the team in receptions per game (6.00), ranking No. 13 nationally.
JAMES KEEPS FINDING THE END ZONE: Chedon James ranks No. 7 nationally in receiving touchdowns (3), part of a receiving corps that has produced touchdowns from four different pass-catchers this season.
FREEMAN IV'S RETURN GAME: Robert Freeman IV, Idaho State's starting running back since Week 2, ranks No. 20 nationally in punt returns (11.8 avg) and No. 5 nationally in combined kick returns (237 yards).
REYNOLDS ANCHORS THE MIDDLE: Nathan Reynolds ranks No. 9 nationally in total tackles per game (11.0), tops on the team.
SHORTY LEADS A BALANCED TURNOVER HAUL: TreShawn Shorty leads the team with 2 interceptions this season, part of a turnover attack that has produced picks from five different Bengals — Shorty, Jacob Perez, Troy Wilkey, Jackson Daniels and Collin Lewis.
NATION'S BEST IN FOUR CATEGORIES: Idaho State ranks No. 1 nationally in 4th down conversion percentage (1.000), red zone offense (1.000, 8-of-8 scoring), interceptions (6) and winning percentage (1.000).
LEWIS'S PICK-SIX: Collin Lewis's 28-yard interception return for a touchdown against San Diego was Idaho State's first pick-six since 2021, and the first defensive-tackle touchdown for the program since Kainoa Fuiava's fumble-return score in 2018.
A PROGRAM-HISTORY PLAY: Anahu-Ambrosio's 90-yard touchdown catch against San Diego ranks as the 3rd-longest offensive play in program history since 2000.
BEST START SINCE 1995: Idaho State's 3-0 start is its best since the 1995 team also opened 3-0 en route to a 5-0 start.
LONGEST WIN STREAK SINCE '81: The Bengals' current 7-game winning streak is the program's longest since the 1981 team won seven straight en route to a championship season.
SERIES SQUARED WITH SAN DIEGO: Idaho State's 59-17 win evened the all-time series with San Diego at 1-1, avenging the Toreros' 24-0 win in the programs' only previous meeting, 68 years earlier in 1958.
BALL SECURITY: Idaho State has lost zero fumbles this season, tying for No. 1 nationally in fumbles lost.
PROTECTING THE QB: Idaho State's offensive line ranks No. 33 nationally in sacks allowed (1.33/game), helping fuel the nation's No. 3 passing attack.
A TOP-5 AERIAL ATTACK: Idaho State's passing offense ranks No. 3 nationally at 326.7 yards per game.
BLOCKED PUNTS: Idaho State ties for No. 3 nationally and leads the Big Sky with a blocked punt this season.
CALAYCAY'S RETURN SPARK: Noa Calaycay's punt-return touchdown ties for No. 3 nationally this season, adding a special-teams dimension to Idaho State's attack.
A HAND IN EVERY TAKEAWAY: Trehsyn Fesili's fumble recovery ranks No. 6 nationally, and Fesili, TreShawn Shorty and Zion To'oto'o are all tied nationally in forced fumbles — depth that has helped fuel Idaho State's turnover margin.
WINNING WITHOUT THE CLOCK: Despite the 3-0 start, Idaho State ranks last in the Big Sky and No. 110 nationally in time of possession (25:22/game) — a sign of how much of the Bengals' damage has come on the explosive plays rather than long, clock-eating drives.
A REUNION WITH THE BIG SKY: Saturday's game is Idaho State's first meeting with Southern Utah since the Thunderbirds rejoined the Big Sky Conference, and serves as the Bengals' 2026 conference opener.
IDAHO STATE HOLDS THE EDGE: Idaho State leads the all-time series with Southern Utah, 12-8-1, though the Thunderbirds have won the last meeting, 46-24, in Cedar City last season.
A LOPSIDED TIME-OF-POSSESSION MATCHUP: Southern Utah ranks No. 1 nationally in time of possession (36:54/game) — the exact opposite of Idaho State, which sits last in the Big Sky in the same category. Whichever tendency wins out Saturday could shape the game's identity.
VANCE LEADS THE NATION IN COVERAGE: Southern Utah's Parker Vance ranks No. 1 nationally in passes defended (2.33/game) and No. 2 in interceptions per game (1.00) — a matchup to watch against an Idaho State passing attack that ranks No. 3 nationally.
CHALK PACES A POWERFUL GROUND GAME: Southern Utah running back Floyd Chalk ranks No. 2 nationally in rushing yards (427), rushing yards per game (142.3) and rushing touchdowns (7), fueling a Thunderbird offense that ranks No. 3 nationally in rushing yards per game (277.7) — a stress test for an Idaho State run defense that ranks No. 92 nationally.
AMEY-FESILI SACK RACE: Southern Utah's Myles Amey and Idaho State's Trehsyn Fesili are tied for the Big Sky lead in sacks per game (0.83) — a pass-rush duel worth tracking on both sides of the ball Saturday.
A CONTRAST IN STRENGTHS: Idaho State's defense (No. 4 nationally in pass yards allowed) squares off against a Southern Utah offense built around the run (244.8 ypg, No. 3 nationally) — while Southern Utah's defense, which has struggled against the pass (290.0 ypg allowed), will have to contend with the nation's No. 3 passing attack.
Too Early Look Ahead
Following Saturday's game in Cedar City, Idaho State returns home for a matchup with the NAU Lumberjacks at 6:00 PM MT in the ICCU Dome Oct. 3.
