THE MATCHUP
Western Oregon (0-0) at Idaho State (0-1)
3 p.m. (PT) Saturday
ICCU Dome
Pocatello, Idaho
FOLLOW ALONG
SERIES HISTORY VS IDAHO STATE
- Overall Record: 0-1
- In Monmouth: 0-0
- In Pocatello: 0-1
- Neutral: 0-0
- Streak: Idaho St. - 1
- Last WOU Win: N/A
- Last Meeting: 8.31.2017 - 37-6 loss in Pocatello
- First Meeting: 8.31.2017 - 37-6 loss in Pocatello
WOU RETURNING STAT LEADERS
WOU NOTES
The Charleston connection
Former NFL lineman, Oregon native and Independence High grad Jeff Charleston played his first three years at Western Oregon before transferring to Idaho State his final season. Charleston played in the NFL from 2006-12, winning a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints.
Two decades of Coach Ferg at the helm, 39th overall at WOU
Western Oregon head football coach
Arne Ferguson enters his 20th year (19th season due to no 2020 season because of the pandemic) and his 39th year overall at Western Oregon (spending just one season outside of Monmouth in 1992). He was a first-team all-conference player for the Wolves from 1985-88, began coaching at WOU in 1989, became the defensive coordinator in 1997 and the head coach in 2005. His 103 wins is the second most in WOU history, behind only Bill McArthur's 180 wins in 36 seasons.
Wolves return 10 players that earned 2023Â All-LSC recognition:
- First Team:
Thomas Johnson (snapper)
- Second Team: Tommy McKedy (OL),
Dominique Loggins (RB)
- Honorable Mention:
Keating Hinkley (OL),
Brenden Hodge (WR),
Keyvaun Eady (WR),
Kade Hustler (FB),
Joseph Northcutt (DE),
Gio Antonini (DE) and
Malcolm Liufau (LB)
Wolves picked eighth in Lone Star Conference
The Western Oregon football team was tabbed to finish eighth when the Lone Star Conference Football Preseason Poll. The preseason poll is voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members. WOU finished 3-8 overall in 2023 and 2-6 in LSC play - tied for sixth in the conference.
2024 LSC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
| Rank |
Team |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
Central Washington |
20 |
286 |
| 2 |
Angelo State |
6 |
260 |
| 3 |
UT Permian Basin |
4 |
244 |
| 4 |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
|
202 |
| 5 |
Midwestern State |
|
153 |
| 6 |
West Texas A&M |
|
149 |
| 7 |
Eastern New Mexico |
|
128 |
| 8 |
Western Oregon |
|
118 |
| 9 |
Western New Mexico |
|
68 |
| 10 |
Sul Ross State |
|
42 |
Tackling is the family business for Liufau, and business is good
WOU two-time all-conference linebacker Malcolm Liufau has racked up 106 tackles in his first two seasons with the Wolves - including a team-best 66 last season. Tackling is in the bloodline as he's the younger brother of Dallas Cowboys rookie and former Notre Dame linebacker Marist Liufau.
Loggins in rare air with 200-yard performance in 2023
WOU senior running back Dominque Loggins had the 14th 200-yard rushing game in WOU history last season at Eastern New Mexico on Sept. 19 - rushing for 209 yards (ninth in WOU history). He needed just 19 carries to reach that mark (11.0 yards per carry) - marking the first time in WOU history a player has rushed for 200-plus yards on fewer than 20 carries (the previous low for a 200-yard game was Bill Volk's 22 in 1994 when he rushed for 247 yards against Lewis & Clark).
