{"id":114377,"date":"2023-12-08T17:25:28","date_gmt":"2023-12-09T01:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/?p=114377"},"modified":"2023-12-08T17:25:29","modified_gmt":"2023-12-09T01:25:29","slug":"fcs-playoffs-2023-idaho-ualbany-preview-dsds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/fcs-playoffs-2023-idaho-ualbany-preview-dsds\/","title":{"rendered":"FCS Playoffs: #5 UAlbany at #4 Idaho Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Kibbie Dome will light up the night in Moscow, Idaho on Saturday when Idaho hosts UAlbany for a 10 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN+. This quarterfinal matchup of the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in the FCS<\/a> playoffs features two of the most captivating young quarterbacks in the subdivision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only one will advance to the semis to take on the winner of Villanova and South Dakota State\u2019s quarterfinal. Idaho is in its first quarters since 1993 after surviving Southern Illinois\u2019 second-round push to overtime last week, while UAlbany is making its first appearance this deep in the FCS bracket in program history.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Idaho\u2019s Offense vs. UAlbany\u2019s Defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UAlbany\u2019s best season in recent memory, arguably ever, begins with the Great Danes\u2019 defense, which boasts Buck Buchanan Award finalist senior linebacker Dylan Kelly and a fellow senior in defensive end Anton Juncaj holding down the front. Kelly has mowed down ball carriers this fall to the tune of 148 total tackles, including 84 solo. Juncaj finished fifth in Buchanan voting and has an FCS-best 14 solo sacks to his name in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idaho is coming off a challenging outing on offense against SIU in which the Vandals scored three first-half points and finished 4-of-13 on third down vs. the Salukis\u2019 8-of-16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Danes bring the aforementioned imposing defense (27 turnovers gained) westward this Saturday, you wonder if Idaho is more likely to get back on track offensively in its second playoff game of this run. UAlbany has logged a lot of miles this season with its two FBS games (one at Hawaii), and that could catch up to the visitors in the dome this week. New York State to Moscow is reminiscent of Maine schlepping to Eastern Washington as far as CAA Football\/Big Sky playoff trips go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idaho redshirt sophomore quarterback Gevani McCoy and redshirt junior receiver Hayden Hatten form one of the best connections in the FCS. Hatten is third nationally with his 1,096 receiving yards and has notched nine touchdown catches.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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