Idaho at Fresno State
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 7 p.m. PT
WATCH: Live on Facebook (Exclusive)
LISTEN: Vandal Radio Network | Vandal Xtra | TuneIn App | TuneIn
LIVE STATS: GoVandals.com/FBstats
MEDIA INFORMATION: Idaho Game Notes | Idaho Media Guide | Fresno State Game Notes 
 
The next chapter of University of Idaho football begins Saturday (Sept. 1), at Fresno State in the 2018 season opener for both teams. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. PT from Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, Calif. The game will be broadcast exclusively on Facebook.
 
WATCH: The game will be streamed live exclusively through Facebook, produced by Stadium. Dan Hellie will handle play-by-play with David Carr providing analysis and Vandal Athletics Hall of Famer Kelli Johnson reporting from the sideline. The stream can be found on the Facebook pages for Vandal Athletics and Stadium. A live video player will also be embedded on a splash page at GoVandals.com on game day.
 
LISTEN: Dennis Patchin is in his fourth season as the radio voice of the Vandals. Patchin will call play-by-play alongside Vandal legend Ryan Phillips, who will provide color commentary. The game can be heard on the Vandal Radio Network and online at GoVandals.com. Find stations on the network HERE.
 
ABOUT FRESNO STATE: Head coach Jeff Tedford led the Bulldogs to the Mountain West Conference West Division title last season in his first year at the helm of his alma mater. Fresno State was predicted to repeat as division champions in 2018. The Bulldogs return 17 starters from last season, including first-team All-MW linebacker Jeff Allison. The Vandals and Bulldogs have met 15 times previously, including seven times as league opponents in the Western Athletic Conference from 2005-11.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Fresno State leads 11-4. The Bulldogs have won the last 10 meetings.
 
THE RETURN: This season, Idaho football returns to the Big Sky Conference and the Football Championship Subdivision. The Vandals previously won eight conference titles as a charter member of the Big Sky from 1963-95. Idaho qualified for the national playoffs 11 times in their final 14 years at the then-Division I-AA level. A 22-year run in the Football Bowl Subdivision netted a 3-0 record in bowl games, including a win in the 2016 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Five current Vandals started in the latest bowl victory.
 
Sixth-year head coach Paul Petrino was an assistant coach on Idaho's last Big Sky championship team in 1992. Petrino coached running backs and wide receivers during his three-year stint as an assistant in Moscow from 1992-94, his first Division I coaching job. Among his wide receivers on the 1992 championship team was Walt Saunders, father of Vandal senior running back Isaiah Saunders.
 
PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Three Vandals landed on the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team, as voted on by select media members who cover the league. Cade Coffey (punter), Kaden Elliss (linebacker) and Noah Johnson (offensive guard) each earned spots on the 31-player all-league team. The same trio was named to Phil Steele's Preseason All-America Team, including Johnson getting a first-team nod. He and Elliss were also named preseason All-Americans by STATS.
 
CLOSE ONLY COUNTS IN...: The Vandals played a school-record seven games decided by one possession last season. All seven came in Sun Belt Conference play. Idaho went 2-5 in those contests, suffering its five conference losses by a combined 24 points.
 
A MAN WHO CAN DO BOTH: Idaho senior Kaden Elliss is expected to play a substantial role on both sides of the ball for the Vandals. Elliss, a preseason All-American at linebacker, will take a significant amount of snaps on offense as a tight end, wide receiver and full back. Last season Elliss was a second-team All-Sun Belt selection at linebacker with 80 tackles, including 16 for loss and six sacks. He also made seven receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns in limited action at tight end.