In his introductory press conference back in December last year first-year head coach Jason Eck called his Idaho team “sleeping giants”. Those words rang true all season as the once-lowly Vandals turned it around and won seven games this season and, more significantly, made the playoff cut for the first time since moving back down the FCS; not an easy feat in the Big Sky.
It was a bumpy start for Idaho. On the first play, freshman quarterback Gevani McCoy connected with receiver Hayden Hatten over the middle for what looked like a big gain. Hatten, though, was hit and fumbled the ball away.