THE RECORDS
Idaho is 3-3 overall and 1-1 in Sun Belt action after a thrilling victory at Louisiana-Monroe last Saturday. New Mexico State, which is coming off a bye week, is 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Sun Belt. Both team have league losses to Troy – Idaho 34-13 and NMSU 52-6.
THE COACHES
PAUL PETRINO is in his fourth season at Idaho. While it is his first head coaching job, it is not Petrino's first stint at Idaho. His coaching career began at Carroll College (his alma mater, 1989). From Carroll, he went to Idaho where he coached running back, receivers and special teams from 1992-94. From Idaho it was on to Utah State (1995-97), Louisville (1998-99), Southern Mississippi (2000-02), Louisville (2003-06), Atlanta Falcons (2007), Arkansas (2008-09), Illinois (2010-11) and Arkansas (2012).
DOUG MARTIN is in his fourth season at New Mexico State. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, he began his coaching career there as a graduate assistant before stops at East Texas State (1989-91) and East Carolina (1992-02) before accepting the head coaching job at Kent State. He was 29-53 at Kent State before spending 2011 as an assistant at New Mexico State and 2012 as an assistant at Boston College before returning to NMSU as the head coach.
THE SERIES
Idaho has a 15-7 lead in the series that first was played in 1971. The two teams, at times, have been members together of the Big West, Western Athletic and Sun Belt conferences. Of the 22 games in the series, 11 have been decided by a touchdown or less.
TELEVISION
The game is on SWX and ESPN3 with Sam Adams calling the play-by-play and Bill Ames providng the analysis.
2016 CAPTAINS
Captains will be announced weekly. DE Tueni Lupeamanu, QB Matt Linehan, OL Jordan Rose and P/K Austin Rehkow were captains against Louisiana-Monroe.
VANDAL RADIO NETWORK
KXLY sports personality Dennis Patchin continues to call the play-by-play and former Vandal defensive end and Vandal Athletics Hall of Famer Ryan Phillips is providing the analysis for the second season in a row.