Week 3 football preview: Friday night will feature several matchups of undefeated foes
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IDAHO FALLS — Week 3 of the IHSAA football season brings an increased number of conference matchups and a handful of games featuring eastern Idaho teams currently ranked among the state’s elite.
The Highland Rams (3-0), who jumped to No. 2 on the state 6A media poll this week, will play one more out-of-region opponent at Lake City High School — in Coeur d’Alene — Saturday, before opening their conference schedule hosting Thunder Ridge (2-0) next week. Rigby (2-1), who opened their season with a loss at Coeur d’Alene, fell from the top five after CDA lost to Lewiston last week. That pushed Madison (3-0) into the No. 5 spot among the state’s 6A schools.
Rigby, looking to move back into the top five, will host Bishop Kelly (2-0) in our East Idaho News Game of the Week. The Knights are currently the top 5A team in the state, according to the media poll.
Here are some of the other top storylines going into the fourth weekend of Idaho High School football.
Another showdown of unbeatens
West Side (2-0) sits atop the state’s 3A Division, with wins over Firth (No. 5) and South Fremont.
Marsh Valley (2-0) has scored a combined 80 points en route to wins over South Fremont and Teton. The Eagles received votes but have not yet joined the ranks of the state’s top-five 4A teams.
A win over the Pirates would undoubtedly move them onto that list while a West Side victory would cement the reigning state champs as a contender once again.
Who gets off the schneid
Idaho Falls (0-2) and Century (0-3) have each limped through the first few weeks of games.
The Tigers have suffered through a 20-13 loss at Thunder Ridge and a 35-16 loss hosting Pocatello. Now they will go to Pocatello to face the host Diamondbacks, who have suffered lopsided losses to Nampa (42-7), Burley (33-0) and Canyon Ridge (41-13).
One of them will earn their first win of the season.
Surprise?
Speaking of Pocatello, the Thunder (2-0) find themselves ranked fifth in the 5A Division. This after finishing 7-3 with a semifinal loss in the state tournament last year.
Blackfoot, on the other hand, suffered through an 0-9 season in 2023, before hiring new head coach Josh Steward, formerly with Declo. Stewart told EastIdahoNews.com that he did not want to put a win-total expectation on the season, but insisted his team would “win some games” while being competitive week in and week out.
The Broncos (1-1) were quick to scrap any fear of another winless season when they scored a 34-28 victory over Preston in Week 1. They followed that with a 42-0 loss to Skyline. Now, in its first road test of the new season, Blackfoot will look to establish itself as a threat against a Pocatello team with title hopes.
Ririe looks for third win
The Bulldogs are off to a 2-0 start and try to make that 3-0 against a Marsing team that is also 2-0 and leads the Western Idaho Conference. Both are receiving votes in the 3A state media poll.
Ririe won just three games all season a year ago. The Bulldogs won two games in 2022, one in 2021, and two in 2020.
A 3-0 start would match the team’s best start since 2019 when they finished 5-4.
Madison takes on Skyline
Madison’s 3-0 start has been impressive, but the Bobcats hit the road for the first time this season when they take on Skyline at Ravsten Stadium.
The Grizzlies bounced back from a tough Rocky Mountain Rumble loss to Morgan (UT) to down Blackfoot 42-0 in last week’s conference opener.
The Bobcats have been bolstered by a solid senior class and averaged nearly 37 points through the first three games, most of those coming in the first half of games.
The game could get very interesting if it’s close at the half.
How many points can Sugar-Salem and Star Valley score?
That might not be the right question for this matchup. While the Digger offense continues to light up the scoreboard, the Digger defense has been equally impressive.
Through the first three games, Sugar-Salem has posted two shutouts and given up six points in a 41-6 win at Snake River.
Star Valley (2-0) downed Shelley 44-0 and beat Preston 49-13 last week. The offense has been prolific, but the Sugar-Salem defense has typically been up to the task.