The 2016 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the Sun Belt Conference during the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Paul Petrino, the Vandals played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho. A football-only member of the Sun Belt, Idaho finished the regular season at 8–4 (6–2 in Sun Belt, third).
The Vandals were invited to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise and defeated Colorado State 61–50 to finish at 9–4. It was the program's final bowl game as an FBS team and last winning season for six years.
Preseason Sun Belt coaches poll The Sun Belt coaches preseason prediction poll was released on July 21, 2016. The Vandals were predicted to finish eighth in the conference.
Sun Belt coaches poll 1 Appalachian State 114 (5) 2 Arkansas State 110 (5) 3 Georgia Southern 98 (1) 4 Georgia State 735 Louisiana–Lafayette 70 Troy 7 South Alabama 62 8 Idaho 48 9 New Mexico State 37 10 Texas State 30 11 Louisiana–Monroe 14
Schedule Idaho announced their 2016 football schedule on March 3, with five of the twelve games at home.
Personnel
Game summaries Montana State
Statistics MTSTIDHO First downs 19 15 Total yards 305 357 Rushing yards 110 229 Passing yards 195 128 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 36:14 23:46 Team Category Player StatisticsMontana State Passing Tyler Bruggman 19/35, 191 yards, TD, INT Rushing Chad Newell 25 rushes, 105 yards, TD Receiving Mitchell Herbert 4 receptions, 62 yardsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 8/22, 128 yards, INT Rushing Aaron Duckworth 15 rushes, 112 yards, 2 TD Receiving Deon Watson 2 receptions, 67 yards
At No. 8 Washington
Statistics IDHOWASH First downs 17 27 Total yards 322 482 Rushing yards 104 126 Passing yards 218 356 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 33:15 26:45 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 19/29, 187 yards, TD Rushing Mason Petrino 9 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Isaiah Saunders 2 receptions, 54 yardsWashington Passing Jake Browning 23/28, 294 yards, 5 TD Rushing Myles Gaskin 12 rushes, 67 yards, TD Receiving Dante Pettis 6 receptions, 88 yards, 2 TD
At Washington State
Statistics IDHOWSU First downs 15 26 Total yards 257 509 Rushing yards 78 228 Passing yards 179 281 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 30:40 29:20 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 19/33, 172 yards Rushing Aaron Duckworth 13 rushes, 43 yards Receiving Deon Watson 5 receptions, 62 yardsWashington State Passing Luke Falk 21/36, 226 yards, 3 TD Rushing James Williams 14 rushes, 126 yards, TD Receiving Kyle Sweet 4 receptions, 77 yards, TD
At UNLV
Statistics IDHOUNLV First downs 21 26 Total yards 378 539 Rushing yards 129 364 Passing yards 249 175 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 26:47 33:13 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 17/35, 249 yards, TD Rushing Aaron Duckworth 20 rushes, 90 yards, TD Receiving Callen Hightower 4 receptions, 67 yards, TDUNLV Passing Johnny Stanton 14/26, 175 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Lexington Thomas 19 rushes, 160 yards, 2 TD Receiving Darren Woods Jr. 4 receptions, 66 yards
Troy
Statistics TROYIDHO First downs 27 19 Total yards 530 255 Rushing yards 157 89 Passing yards 373 166 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 29:39 30:21 Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Brandon Silvers 31/42, 373 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jordan Chunn 22 rushes, 137 yards, TD Receiving John Johnson 7 receptions, 128 yards, TDIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 19/34, 166 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Aaron Duckworth 15 rushes, 50 yards Receiving Trent Cowan 5 receptions, 58 yards, TD
At Louisiana–Monroe
Statistics IDHOULM First downs 18 27 Total yards 414 523 Rushing yards 203 221 Passing yards 211 302 Turnovers 0 4 Time of possession 31:01 28:59 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 21/38, 211 yards, TD Rushing Aaron Duckworth 16 rushes, 121 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Frysinger 4 receptions, 100 yards, TDLouisiana–Monroe Passing Garrett Smith 20/38, 302 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Garrett Smith 13 rushes, 88 yards, TD Receiving Xavier Brown 3 receptions, 96 yards, TD
New Mexico State
Statistics NMSUIDHO First downs 17 34 Total yards 428 651 Rushing yards 62 169 Passing yards 366 482 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 21:03 38:57 Team Category Player StatisticsNew Mexico State Passing Tyler Rogers 19/29, 302 yards, 2 TD Rushing Larry Rose III 11 rushes, 32 yards Receiving Tyrian Taylor 4 receptions, 110 yardsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 29/36, 476 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Isaiah Saunders 12 rushes, 59 yards, TD Receiving Deon Watson 6 receptions, 129 yards,td
At Appalachian State
Statistics IDHOAPP First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Rushing Receiving Appalachian State Passing Rushing Receiving
At Louisiana–Lafayette
Statistics IDHOULL First downs 22 18 Total yards 384 266 Rushing yards 157 105 Passing yards 227 161 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 32:32 27:28 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 20/30, 227 yards Rushing Isaiah Saunders 21 carries, 86 yards, TD Receiving Isaiah Saunders 5 receptions, 55 yardsLouisiana–Lafayette Passing Anthony Jennings 17/30, 161 yards Rushing Elijah McGuire 17 carries, 55 yards Receiving Michael Jacquet 3 receptions, 77 yards
At Texas State
Statistics IDHOTXST First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Rushing Receiving Texas State Passing Rushing Receiving
South Alabama
Statistics USAIDHO First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Rushing Receiving Idaho Passing Rushing Receiving
Georgia State
Statistics GASTIDHO First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia State Passing Rushing Receiving Idaho Passing Rushing Receiving
Vs. Colorado State (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
Statistics IDHOCSU First downs 30 25 Total yards 606 600 Rushing yards 225 155 Passing yards 381 445 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 36:05 23:55 Team Category Player StatisticsIdaho Passing Matt Linehan 21/31, 381 yards, 4 TD Rushing Isaiah Saunders 33 rushes, 147 yards, 3 TD Receiving Deon Watson 5 receptions, 140 yards, TDColorado State Passing Nick Stevens 21/36, 445 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT Rushing Dalyn Dawkins 16 rushes, 118 yards, TD Receiving Bisi Johnson 7 receptions, 265 yards, 2 TD
After a scoreless first quarter, the Vandals would jump out to a 41–14 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Both offenses would go off in the final quarter, scoring a combined 56 points for a final score of 61–50 in favor of Idaho, breaking the record for the most points scored in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, with the previous record being set in 2009, which also featured the Vandals. The two teams scored a combined 84 points in the second half, breaking the bowl record for most points scored in a half, with the previous record being 76 in the first half of the 2015 Independence Bowl. Idaho quarterback Matt Linehan would be named the game's MVP; Linehan finished the game throwing for 381 yards and 4 touchdowns and had one rushing touchdown.
References