Sept. 15, 2002
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San Diego State (0-3/0-0) at Idaho (0-3/0-0)
Saturday, September 21, 2002
2 p.m. PDT
Kibbie Dome (16,000 capacity)
Moscow, Idaho
Television: There is no television for San Diego State-Idaho.
Radio: All San Diego State football games can be heard live in southern California on XTRA Sports (690 AM). Lee Hamilton calls the action with former Aztec quarterback Mark Halda returning to the broadcasts to provide analysis. John Kentera reports from the sidelines. Mike McGregor is the producer.
The Records: San Diego State enters the contest 0-3 as is Idaho. The Vandals will be playing their first home game of the season.
The Rankings: Neither team is ranked.
SDSU Coach Tom Craft: Tom Craft is 0-3 in his first season at San Diego State and overall.
Idaho Coach Tom Cable: Cable is 6-19 in his third season at his alma mater. He is a former San Diego State graduate assistant.
The Series: San Diego State has a victory in the only previous meeting between the two schools, 40-21, in 1996. The Aztecs are 13-2 against schools that currently have membership in the Sun Belt Conference.
Back To The Airport
The San Diego State Aztecs (0-3) hit the road for the third time in four weeks when they visit the Idaho Vandals Saturday afternoon in Moscow, Idaho. There is no television for the Aztecs-Vandals contest. The game is the home opener for Idaho. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in the Kibbie Dome.
Been There, Done That
While there will be no television cameras in the vicinity, Idaho and San Diego State are no strangers to the bright lights of the big time. Both teams have lined up against formidable gridiron opponents in the opening weeks of the 2002 season. San Diego State's first three opponents (Fresno State, Colorado and Arizona State) give the Aztecs the nation's 13th toughest schedule to date, according to Jeff Sagarin.
Yeah...So?
It is doubtful the Vandals will be impressed with SDSU's opposition. Idaho has faced off against Boise State, Washington State and Oregon in the first three weeks, all on the road. As a result, Idaho's schedule is ranked as the second toughest in America. The Vandals will meet Washington on Sept. 28th to close their non-conference season.
And Then There's This
The bottom line in college football always has and always will be turnover margin. San Diego State and Idaho both enter Saturday's game winless and perhaps the one telling stat is turnovers. The two teams enter the tilt tied in the NCAA's turnover margin category at No. 100. Both teams are at -1.67 turnovers per game.
So This Is Idaho...
San Diego State will be playing its first game in the state of Idaho. The Aztecs have never faced Idaho State or Boise State and are meeting Idaho for just the second time with the first meeting coming in 1996 in Mission Valley.
Flashback 1996
The Aztecs and Vandals are meeting for just the second time ever. San Diego State won the first meeting in the 1996 season opener, 40-21. In that contest quarterback Billy Blanton passed for 306 yards with Az Hakim catching six passes for 174 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown reception. San Diego State jumped to a 20-3 lead and cruised to the win. Both teams ended the game with more than 400 yards of total offense (SDSU 476, Idaho 412).
Aztecs And The Sun Belt
San Diego State is 13-2 all-time against teams that currently compose the Sun Belt Conference. However, the 1996 game against the Vandals is the only meeting San Diego State has had against a Sun Belt opponent in the last 25 years, dating back to a 1976 season-opening win over Arkansas State.
Former Aztecs And Other Connections
There are several connections between the two teams this week. Idaho head coach Tom Cable was a graduate assistant at San Diego State in 1989 when SDSU went 6-5-1 in Al Luginbill's first season. Idaho offensive coordinator Bret Ingalls spent five years on the San Diego State sidelines, including stints as the offensive line coach, running backs coach and offensive coordinator. IU defensive line coach George Booker spent the past two seasons in the same position at San Diego State working for Ted Tollner. Idaho kicker/punter Mike Barrow attended Ventura's St. Bonaventure High School, as did Aztec wideout Adam Gray Hayward. Vandal defensive end Dennis Taeatafa attended nearby Patrick Henry High School.
Road Time
San Diego State will head to Moscow looking to end a five-game road losing streak, dating back to last year's 14-7 win at Colorado State. The Aztecs have also dropped their last five non-conference road games, dating back to a 1999 win at Kansas, 41-13. For the record, San Diego State is 154-154-11 all-time in road games.
The Rare Air
San Diego State will be playing its first "indoors" game since 1994 when it visits Moscow on Saturday. The Aztecs dropped a 40-17 decision at Minnesota in 1994 in game played in the Metrodome.
Scouting Idaho
Expect a long game Saturday afternoon at Idaho. Along with San Diego State's aerial attack, the Vandals will bring in the nation's 18th-ranked passing offense (273 yards per game). The Vandals' brutal schedule has contributed to some of their defensive numbers (117th in pass efficiency defense, 115th in scoring defense). Idaho's Josh Jeimberg is sixth nationally with more than six catches per game.
600 And Counting
San Diego State alum and former athletic department staffer Tom Ables will reach his own milestone on Saturday. He will see his 600th San Diego State football game. Ables was the school's first sports publicist and he served as sports editor of the Daily Aztec. For his contributions to SDSU through the years, he was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame in 1993. He writes a feature in Aztec Saturday, SDSU's game-day magazine, called Looking Back. To date, San Diego State has played 796 football games in its history.