Idaho (0-3) vs. RV Abilene Christian (1-1)
MOSCOW, Idaho - Returning home to the comforts of the P1FCU Kibbie Dome, Idaho Football kicked off the six-game homestand last Saturday and will host the second home contest in as many weeks. On the heels of honoring the latest class of Vandal greats to be inducted into the school's hall of fame, another important group in school history will be recognized on Saturday vs. Abilene Christian.
IDAHO ATHLETICS WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE - 9/14/2026
A LOOK AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN
Starting the season ranked as high as #15 in the FCS polls, Abilene Christian has not gotten its desired start to 2026, but the 0-3 record is not indicative of the team coming to Moscow.
Coming into the season, ACU got the toughest draw of any non-conference foe that Idaho will see this year, having a schedule ranked as the 17th-hardest out of 128 FCS programs by Massey. The Wildcats opened the season vs. #14/15 Lamar, followed by traveling to Lubbock for a matchup with #13 (FBS) Texas Tech, and are coming off a home loss to #8/12 Stephen F. Austin. Abilene Christian has the potential to play up to eight teams in the regular season who are ranked or receiving votes in the polls.
Paving the way for ACU will be the veteran offensive line that has received a lot of attention from the UAC. Tackle Luke Roaten was named a Second-Team Preseason All-American by Stats Perform FCS. Luke's twin brother Landon started next to him in 2025 and was named First-Team All-UAC, and center Colter Lynch earned Second-Team honors after all three started all 14 games for the Wildcats.
Defensively, DB Dillon Williams has arrived in Abilene as the top FCS transfer portal safety, coming off a two-season stint at Central Arkansas where he compiled 163 total tackles, a sack, three interceptions, and 11 pass breakups.
10TH ANNIVERSARY - 2016 FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL
Ten years ago, Idaho Football, at the time a Sun Belt squad, earned bowl eligibility for the first time since 2009. Quarterback Matt Linehan led the Vandals to a 7-4 regular season and a bid to the 2016 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertsons Stadium in Boise.
In one of the greatest postseason showings in school history, Linehan completed 21 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns with no picks as Idaho rolled to a 61-50 win over Colorado State in which they led by a margin as high as 34 points. The victory cemented what is still a perfect 3-0 record for the Vandals in bowl games after wins in 2009 over Bowling Green and 1998 over Southern Miss.
Members of the 2016 team will be welcomed back to the P1FCU Kibbie Dome to commemorate the tenth anniversary of one of the greatest wins in program history.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR
-
Idaho's offense has put up strong numbers, especially against FCS competition. In the season opener vs. Cal Poly, the Vandals put up 482 yards of total offense in Ian Shoemaker's OC debut, more than any game last season and the most since a 38-28 win over Eastern Washington in 2024 (487).
-
Saturday will be just the second-ever meeting between Idaho and Abilene Christian. UI visited Abilene during the 2024 season, knocking off the then #19 Wildcats, 27-24.
-
The Wildcats bring a lot of familiarity with another Vandal opponent with them. They knocked off Lamar in the 2025 playoffs and opened 2026 in Beaumont with a loss to the Cardinals, giving Idaho deep insight into two opponents at once. ACU travels to Moscow next Saturday, Sept. 19.
-
The Vandal defense continues to make strides with each passing game, allowing just 3 points in the second half to a top-15 Lamar squad in Week 3.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
-
3: Idaho is one of three FCS teams to record multiple wins over FBS programs since 2023 (Idaho beat Nevada 33-6 in 2023, Idaho beat Wyoming 17-13 in 2024)
-
17: This past offseason, the Vandals celebrated the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history and the second-best '25 class in the FCS, bringing in a total of 17 three-star prospects.
-
8: Number of FBS, Preseason Top 25 FCS, and teams that received ranked votes that Idaho plays this year.
-
3: Idaho's strength of schedule rating per Massey.
-
9: Nine of Idaho's twelve regular-season contests have received a regional or national broadcast assignment. The Vandals will face Cal Poly and Montana State on ESPN and Utah on ESPNU, while Lamar, Abilene Christian, Southern Utah, Eastern Washington, and UC Davis have all been picked up by SWX, and the Battle of the Little Brown Stein with Montana will be broadcast on Scripps Sports.
-
34: Idaho scored 34 points against Cal Poly in Week 1, the third-highest total in a season opener since 2015.
-
83: The Vandals boast a veteran offensive line with four of five 2025 starters returning, each of which having started games prior as well. Layton Vining, Charlie Vliem, Kiegan Henson, and Leon Evans have combined for 83 career starts coming into 2026.
TRADITIONS
Idaho football is also continuing the tradition of the Vandal March. Every home game, the football team and coaches will kick off the opening of the Vandal Fan Zone by walking through the crowd and greeting fans as they make their way into the Dome before the game starts. This will take place approximately two and a half hours before kickoff. The Vandal Fan Zone will open at this time as well.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow the Vandals on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest updates.
TICKETS: Season tickets, mini plans, and single-game tickets are available here or by calling the Idaho Ticket Office at (208) 885-6466.
