PREVIEW: Bears Head North to Face No. 13/11 Idaho in Big Sky Showdown

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LIVE STATS: GoVandals.com/sidearmstats/football

GAMEDAY INFO & TIMELINE
Kickoff – 2 p.m. PDT / 3 p.m. MDT

TICKETS & PARKING
Ticket and parking information for Saturday's game are available here.

WEEK 4 RECAP: Northern Colorado showed plenty of fight in its Big Sky opener but came up just short, falling 26-18 to Idaho State on Saturday afternoon at Nottingham Field. After trailing 16-0 midway through the second quarter, the Bears rallied behind quarterback Eric Gibson Jr., who threw for a career-high 396 yards and two touchdowns, the ninth-most in UNC's Division I history. Touchdown grabs from Carver Cheeks and Charles Garrison helped the Bears pull within one score early in the fourth, but the Bengals held on late to seal the win. UNC's offense piled up 426 total yards, marking its third straight game over 400. Cheeks caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown, while Garrison added 82 yards and a score. Mathias Price contributed 104 all-purpose yards, including 74 receiving. On defense, Cam Chapa led the way with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery, KJ Smedley recorded eight solo stops, and Ezra Ekuban added six tackles with one for loss.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday marks the fourth all-time meeting between Northern Colorado and Idaho.
Idaho leads the series, 2-1.
The teams first met in 2019, with Northern Colorado earning a 27-24 victory in Greeley.
The Vandals claimed the next two matchups—a 55-35 win in Moscow in 2022 and a 27-13 victory at Nottingham Field in 2023.
This year's meeting marks UNC's second trip to Moscow and the first since 2022.

THE LAMB ERA: Head coach Ed Lamb continues to mold Northern Colorado's identity in his third season at the helm. A two-time Eddie Robinson Award finalist for FCS National Coach of the Year, Lamb's focus on discipline, player development, and in-state recruiting has fueled steady progress within the program. After finishing 1-11 (1-7 Big Sky) in 2024, the Bears have shown marked improvement in 2025, already doubling their win total from last year and playing competitive football in every outing UNC opened the season with a 17-3 win over Chadron State, its first season-opening victory since 2017, then nearly upset FBS foe Colorado State before falling 21-17 on the road. The Bears battled No. 20/12 South Dakota to overtime in a 24-17 loss and then defeated Houston Christian 26-23 in overtime to even their record at 2-2. Saturday's setback to Idaho State drops UNC to 2-3 (0-1 Big Sky), but the offensive balance and defensive consistency continue to reflect the program's upward trajectory under Lamb's leadership.

GIBSON CLIMBS THE RECORD BOOKS: Redshirt junior Eric Gibson Jr. delivered one of the best passing performances in program history against Idaho State, throwing for 396 yards and two touchdowns. His total ranks ninth all-time in UNC's Division I record book, surpassing Jacob Knipp's 393-yard game in 2019 and Conor Regan's 392-yard effort in 2017. Gibson has now completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,146 yards and four touchdowns through five games while commanding one of the Big Sky's most efficient passing attacks.

CHEEKS LEADS THE CHARGE: Junior wideout Carver Cheeks remains the heartbeat of the Northern Colorado receiving corps, posting seven catches for 93 yards and a touchdown against Idaho State. Cheeks has now recorded at least 90 receiving yards in three of five games this season and leads the Bears with 26 receptions for 382 yards and two scores, averaging over 76 yards per contest.

GARRISON BREAKS THROUGH: Tight end Charles Garrison provided a major spark to UNC's offense with a 36-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter that jumpstarted the Bears' comeback. Garrison's three-catch, 82-yard outing was his most productive performance of the season and marked his second touchdown in three games. Through five contests, Garrison has totaled 11 receptions for 200 yards (18.2 yards per catch) and two touchdowns, emerging as a dangerous vertical option and key red-zone target in Gibson's arsenal.

DEFENSE STANDS TALL: Despite facing an early deficit, Northern Colorado's defense tightened up after halftime, holding Idaho State to just one touchdown over the final two quarters. Cam Chapa anchored the effort with a season-high 11 tackles and a fumble recovery, while KJ Smedley notched eight solo tackles and Ezra Ekuban added six stops with a tackle for loss.

SPECIAL TEAMS EDGE: Kicker Jacob Willig continued his consistent start to the season, connecting on a 29-yard field goal and both PATs against Idaho State. Through five games, Willig has converted 8-of-11 field goals and all seven extra points. He has been perfect from inside 40 yards and is 3-for-4 from beyond that mark. Punter Leo Blumentritt maintained strong field position with multiple kicks inside the 20-yard line, while the coverage units limited Idaho State's return game.

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