MOSCOW, Idaho - UC Davis is the third ranked opponent in a row for Idaho and this may be the toughest of them all. The fourth-ranked Vandals open Big Sky play at No. 14 UC Davis. The Aggies and Vandals are both on a three-game winning streak after dropping a close game to a Power-4 team in the season opener. The Aggies sport the best statistical defense that Idaho has seen since the season opener. Davis has had the easier slate, but welcome Idaho into UC Davis Health Stadium which hosted over 14,000 fans last weekend. The game has been dubbed the FCS Game of the Week by Stats Perform. 

ABOUT IDAHO: The Vandals became the first team with two FCS ranked wins after topping UAlbany and Abilene Christian. The Vandals are on a three-game win streak after dropping the season opener at Oregon. Keyshawn James-Newby leads the FCS with 6.5 sacks through four games. The Vandals are ranked 11th as a team in the FCS in sacks, despite playing two FBS teams with a strong tradition of offensive line play. Quarterback Jack Wagner has been solid, picking up wins in his first three starts. Jake Cox, Jordan Dwyer and Nate Thomas lead the Vandals with two touchdowns each on the season. 

ABOUT UC DAVIS: Idaho native Lan Larison is one of the best running backs in the country, but the Aggies have been one of the best in the country in the pass game. They are 11th in the country at 272.8 yards per game through the air. UC Davis has a strong defense, ranking 24th in total defense and 29th in scoring defense. First-year head coach Tim Plough is a veteran coach who has worked at every level of college football, but returned to his alma mater for his first head coaching job.  1. ECK'S VANDALS TOPPLE THE MOUNTAIN WEST, AGAIN: Idaho is now 2-0 in games against Mountain West programs under Jason Eck after topping Wyoming 17-13 last Saturday in Laramie. The Vandals have given up just 19 total points in two games against Mountain West opponents in the last two seasons and gave up just one touchdown between the two games. The win helps put Idaho in excellent position as it moves into the FCS portion of the schedule. 

2. ROAD WARRIORS: Idaho opens with four of its first five games on the road to start the season. The Vandals played back-to-back FBS opponents in Oregon and Wyoming before hosting a ranked UAlbany team at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome before traveling to Abilene Christian. The Vandals are 3-1 through the first four games and close the stretch at UC Davis for the Big Sky opener. The Vandals opened the 2023 season with five of the first six games on the road and went 5-1 in that stretch, the only loss coming against Cal. In the first two seasons under coach Eck, Idaho won as many road games (eight) as the previous six seasons. 

3. YOUTH ON OFFENSE: There are 54 offensive players listed on the Idaho roster. One, transfer tight end Mike Martinez,  is listed as a senior. Out of the 54, 46 are listed as freshmen or sophomores. The youth movement on the Idaho offense is real, but the talent is there to match after the Vandals put together Top-10 FCS recruiting classes each of the last two years. 

4. STARTING FRESHman:  Season opening starting quarterback Jack Layne was injured in the fourth quarter of Idaho's season opener at Oregon. He is expected to be out for an extended period of time, opening the door for redshirt freshman Jack Wagner to step into the starting roll. Wagner started the Wyoming game by completing his first eight passes before end the game at 12-21 for 101 yards and a touchdown.  He didn't throw an interception and was sacked just once in the 17-13. He had another solid performance against UAlbany, throwing for 156 yards and two touchdowns. He has yet to turn over the ball. Idaho is 5-0 under Eck when the season opening back up QBs starts the game.

5. EXPERIENCE IN THE TRENCHES: Idaho has replaced starters at nearly every skilled position on offense, both corner positions and two of three linebackers, but the line is a different story. Seven of the 10 offensive linemen on the final depth chart of last season return, including four starters. On the defense, six of the eight return, including all four starters from last season. Last year, nine of the 10 players on the O-line depth chart were freshmen or sophomores and while there is still not a single senior on the O-line, the group has the game experience of a much older squad. 

6. DOMINANT D-LINE: The Idaho defensive line has shown that it can play with anyone. It faced two strong FBS units and came away with a Big Sky Conference leading seven sacks. Keyshawn James-Newby leads the FCS with 6.5 total sacks through three games, surpassing his total of five from all of last year. The Vandals held Oregon to just 24 points, the first time an FCS team has ever held Oregon under 35 points. It held both teams scoreless in the third quarter and held Wyoming to just one touchdown on the day. Dallas Afalava has two tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery. Idaho didn't allow a touchdown from the first quarter of the Wyoming game until the final minutes of the UAlbany game.