After splitting two games against two Football Bowl Subdivision opponents (loss to Oregon, win against Wyoming) and playing six national teams in the past seven weeks, Idaho is coming off a 38-7 loss to Montana State I urgently need to see you again.

Cal Poly is not that. But facing the Mustangs (2-4, 1-2 Big Sky Conference) in the Vandals' third home game might be the next best thing.

“We’re not going to lose our confidence,” Idaho coach Jason Eck said. “The three teams we lost to are a combined 20-1.”

Here are three things to keep an eye on as the Vandals (4-3, 1-2) look to get their season back on track Saturday.

1. Can Idaho get through this game without losing another quarterback? The Vandals' early-season starter Jack Layne is still recovering from a collarbone injury suffered in the opener against Oregon.

Jack Wagner, who started five games, is still feeling the effects of a shoulder injury suffered against Wyoming, according to Eck.

Nick Josifek, who started against Montana State, is out the rest of the year with a broken collarbone.

Wagner, who has completed 66 of 132 passes for 837 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions and ran for 48 yards this year, is expected to start against the Mustangs.

Behind him is newcomer Rocco Koch. So far he has led the scout team all season and has not had a loss in any game. But Koch will be the replacement this week.

Things get scary after him. The Vandals' emergency quarterbacks are three freshmen who were recruited to other positions and last played quarterback in high school: defensive back Aaron Kinsey of Rogers High School; linebacker Wayne Queen of Lake City High School; and wide receiver Marquawn McCraney, a wide receiver from Highline High in SeaTac, Washington.

2. Is Deshaun Buchanan the real deal? The redshirt freshman from Chandler, Arizona, came on in the second half against Montana State to replace injured starting running back Elisha Cummings and provided Idaho's few offensive highlights. He ran for 49 yards in nine attempts and caught a 9-yard touchdown pass for the Vandals' only score. “He did a great job. “He was our offensive player of the game,” Eck said. Cummings may play against Cal Poly, Eck said, but Idaho likes to rotate running backs. Nate Thomas served in that role until he suffered a shoulder injury against Northern Arizona. “Eli has a better chance of coming back this week than Nate,” Eck said. If so, Buchanan will likely get the call to work with Cummings.

3. Will Elijah Ponder perform well against Vandals? Cal Poly's redshirt senior defensive lineman recorded two sacks against Idaho last season. Overall, Ponder had 10 sacks in 2023. This year, Ponder has 26 total tackles, including 7.5 for loss, four sacks and a fumble recovery. For the Mustangs he plays both defensive end and interior defender. Given Idaho's precarious situation at quarterback, the Vandals will do well to keep an eye on him.