In some ways, college football season has been a bit of a blur. And here we are in Week 10 with No. 7 Weber State set to host its final home game of the regular season when Idaho State comes to town for a 1 p.m. Saturday contest.

The Bengals come to Ogden with a 1-8 overall record. ISU has a win over Cal Poly (another 1-8 team), lost to Central Arkansas in a game the Bengals paid for UCA to play, and battled to a 28-20 loss against Montana before the wheels kind of fell off. ISU lost 24-10 in a home game to Northern Arizona, then 43-3 at UC Davis.

The UC Davis loss caused first-year head coach Charlie Ragle to openly question his players’ commitment, disclose that he told some of his non-seniors that they probably “wouldn’t be back next season,” and pose the idea that he might only travel half of his team to Ogden. He also said he has been “miserable” in his short time in Pocatello, what with the 1-8 record combined with health issues that have knocked him down.

He has since back-tracked on the number of players he will travel but said the Bengals plan to use more of its contingent of young players in the final two weeks of the season.

It doesn’t seem like the kind of setup that would lend itself to any kind of upset, or for Idaho State to overcome its lackluster history in this series.

MEET THE BENGALS

Expected starting quarterback Tyler Vander Waal broke a collarbone for the second consecutive season in the second game of this campaign. Hunter Hays and Sagan Gronauer have led Idaho State to 15.2 points per game, throwing a combined nine touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 11 games.

Xavier Guillory continues to play for the Bengals despite being charged by police for an alleged DUI at the end of October. He leads ISU in receiving with 764 yards (85 per game) and four touchdowns.

Raiden Hunter has been ISU’s most effective back, rushing for 56 yards per game on 4.8 yards per carry.

Senior linebacker Charles Ike is the leading defender for the Bengals, totaling team highs in tackles (79) and interceptions (3).

SENIOR DAY

The final regular-season game means senior day. There are 12 seniors listed on Weber State’s roster, plus a handful of others will be honored with the outgoing class. Some players may have eligibility left due to extra time granted by the NCAA due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; some of those may be calling it a career, some may return.

“I love these guys so much. And what they’ve helped us to accomplish is huge,” WSU head coach Jay Hill said. “As a group, super proud of what they’ve accomplished here and, as much as anything, what they will accomplish in life. Fired up for their futures and what they’ll become. There are so many really top-notch guys who are very intelligent, hard-working guys who will be really successful.”

Running back Josh Davis will leave as the most accomplished player of the group. After winning national freshman of the year in 2018, Davis should depart as the No. 2 all-time rusher in WSU history and No. 5 all-time in all-purpose yards even while battling a slew of injuries. Entering this week’s game, he needs 31 rushing yards to surpass Nick Chournos (3,593) for No. 2 on the rushing list and a total of 7 yards to take over Tim Toone (4,499) for No. 5 on the all-purpose list.

Ty MacPherson, the steady-handed receiver, is enjoying a career season. His eight touchdowns this season overcame his seven previous career TDs. He’s caught 40 passes for 743 yards this season.

Desmond Williams has been a difference-maker at safety. This season he has 59 tackles, one forced fumble and one huge interception returned for a touchdown to help bury Utah State in one of the program’s all-time great wins.

Joining Davis, MacPherson and Williams as players listed as seniors on the roster or who may be honored Saturday are: cornerback Marque Collins, tight end Justin Malone, defensive tackle Sione Lapuaho, linebacker Raoul Johnson, running back Kevin Smith Jr., linebacker Spencer Niutupuivaha, receiver Jon Christensen, offensive lineman Meleke Tauteoli, offensive lineman George Barrera, defensive tackles Kalisi Moli and Doug Schiess, fullback Breckin Gunter, linebacker Simote Lokotui and defensive end Shad Pulsipher.

TEAM VS. TEAM METRICS

Weber State’s offense averages 35.1 points (19th nationally) and 406.4 yards per game (36th). Idaho State’s defense averages allowing 35.4 points (99th) and 449.6 yards per game (105th).

Idaho State’s offense averages 15.2 points (112th nationally) and 339.9 yards per game (83rd). Weber State’s defense allows 18.1 points (10th) and 300.6 yards per game (11th).

ODDS & PREDICTIONS

Jeff Sagarin, longtime college football computer ratings guru, ranks all of FBS and FCS together. His system ranks Weber State No. 86 out of 261 Division I teams. Idaho State is No. 217 overall. Using his predictive element and accounting for home-field advantage, Sagarin’s formula favors Weber State by 32 points.

Bill Connelly, another longtime CFB statistician now at ESPN, publishes weekly predictions using his SP+ system. His SP+ formula ranks Weber State at No. 4 in FCS and Idaho State at No. 83 The system predicts a Weber State win by a score of 39-12.

DRatings predicts a Weber State win at 44-11 at a 99.3% probability.

ALL-TIME SERIES

Weber State leads the all-time series 47-15 with eight straight wins, and a 24-5 advantage in Ogden with 18 consecutive home wins.

Jay Hill is 8-1 against ISU, losing in his first season in 2014. That game was one of just three Idaho State wins in this series since 1985. The two teams began the series knotted 12-12 but Weber is 35-3 in the last 38 matchups.

WEATHER

Kickoff at Stewart Stadium is at 1 p.m. The forecast in Ogden calls for a cloudy day with a high of 42 degrees. It looks like rain will stay away this time, and the temperature will be at 39 degrees at kickoff.

TV & RADIO

Saturday’s game will air on KJZZ TV in Utah and stream on the ESPN+ subscription service. Dave Fox will be on the call with Frank Dolce and Tony Parks.

Steve Klauke and Jerry Graybeal will have the Weber State radio call locally on 103.1 FM and streaming online at www.1031thewave.com.

AROUND THE BIG SKY

It’s kind of a sleepy week in the Big Sky, with many top-half teams favored to win big in games over bottom-half teams. The exception to that is UC Davis at Idaho. UC Davis (5-4, 4-2 Big Sky) has won four straight games while averaging 54 points per game and must beat Idaho and Sac State to reach seven wins and make the playoffs. (If it does so, its resume would be very strong, with a two-point loss to South Dakota State and a five-point loss to Weber State included.) Idaho is 6-1 in games against FCS teams, including 5-1 in the Big Sky, and is angling for a playoff seed.

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