Alex Mosher

Staff Writer

The Idaho State football players are in the spotlight now more than ever before. The Bengals made their way back to the national rankings after their 48-45 win at Portland State. This was the first time since the beginning of the 2015 season that the football team has claimed a spot in the national rankings.

ISU was ranked 24th out of 25 teams last week in the media poll and 25th on the FCS coaches poll.

“Idaho State football has demonstrated the university’s commitment to excellence that is starting to permeate through our entire community,” said Kevin Satterlee, Idaho State University President.

Steve Schaack, ISU Athletics Media Relations representative, wrote an article early last week going over the Bengal’s history of being on the media and coaches poll.

In 2015, Idaho State was ranked 22nd in the media poll and 24th in the coaches poll. They held this spot for a week before falling out.

Idaho State ended its 2014 season holding the 25th spot in the final Sports Network poll. Prior to the end of the 2014 season, the Bengals were ranked for two weeks in October during the 2005 season, 11 weeks during the 2003 season and five weeks during 2002.

Idaho State dropped to 6-4 and 5-2 in the Big Sky Conference after its loss, 37-14, at Cal Poly (see page 8).

“We are excited and are going to celebrate our student-athletes and coaches in this moment,” said Pauline Thiros, Idaho State Interim Director of Athletics. “The ranking raises our expectations of ourselves further and from the top to bottom we are setting to the work of exceeding it.”

However, all of this was short-lived. After the loss last Saturday at Cal Poly, the Bengals are likely to find themselves out of the top 25 once again, repeating the same pattern in 2015.

The Bengals best chance to end the season in the top 25 will be to win their final game at home this Saturday against Weber State.