The only time BG and Idaho met, Freddie Barnes was setting national records for the Falcons and Idaho was an eight win team.

A year and a half after that epic Humanitarian Bowl showdown, both teams look much different.

The Falcons had to deal with replacing their quarterback and leading receiver last season, a process that saw the team struggle to a 2-10 record.

This year, Idaho will have to go through that phase, as it loses a significant portion of a passing offense that was 10th in the nation in passing yards per game last season.

Gone is quarterback Nathan Enderle, who threw for 240 yards and four touchdowns against the Falcons in the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl. The four-year starter threw for 74 touchdowns in his career, while he threw a career-high 3,314 yards last season.

Also gone are the team’s three leading receivers from 2010, Eric Greenwood (46 catches, 741 yards, six touchdowns), Daniel Hardy (32 catches, 545 yards, one touchdown) and Maurice Shaw (32 catches, 410 yards, two touchdowns); and the team’s leading rusher, Deonte’ Jackson (113 carries, 442 yards, four touchdowns).

Replacing Enderle will be senior Brian Reader, who completed 59.2 percent of his passes in limited action last season. In two seasons of playing time, he has thrown 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Leading the receiving corps this season is junior Justin Veltung, who had only 25 catches last season, but scored eight times. However, Veltung has been out of action for the last week with turf toe. While he has yet to be ruled out of the game, it is unlikely he suits up.

In the event that Veltung can’t play, the Vandals’ leading returning receiver would be Kama Bailey, a senior who caught 31 passes last season for 326 yards. Bailey is also Idaho’s second leading returning rusher.

Defensively, the Vandals struggled last season, finished 96th in the nation in total defense. They allowed 231.4 yards per game through the air, and 188.9 rushing yards per game.

Their 28.3 points per game allowed was good for 71st in the nation.

The Vandals lose one of the best players on their defense, DE/LB Aaron Lavarias, who had 10 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss last season.

However, the Vandals return a strong group of linebackers Robert Siavii and Tre’Shawn Robinson, who led Idaho with 91 and 80 tackles, respectively, last season.

In the secondary, the Vandals lose starting corner Shilo Keo, who led the team with three interceptions last season, but return corner Aaron Grymes and safety Gary Walker.

Head coach Robb Akey is entering his fifth year with the program. While his 17-33 record in four season isn’t spectacular, he team has been trending up in recent years.

He took over a team that was 6-17 the two years before he took over, and struggled to a 1-11 record in his first season in 2007, with the only win coming against FCS (Division IAA) Cal Poly.

The 2008 season was not much better for Idaho, as they finished 2-10. However, with an experienced squad, Akey led the Vandals to an 8-5 record in 2009 and a 6-7 record last season.