BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University will look to get back in the win column Saturday with their historic trip to Moscow, Idaho to take on the Vandals. Saturday's meeting will be just the second all-time between the two schools and the Cardinals first trip to Moscow.
 
The 14^th-ranked Cardinals will look to bounce back from a tough Week 1 where just about everything that could go wrong did – beginning with Mother Nature. The impact of Tropical Storm Edouard forced Big Red to constantly adjust its practice schedule for its contest at UL Lafayette. After an impressive season-opening win against No. 15 Abilene Christian, the Cardinals now find themselves looking to bounce back from their first setback of the season.
 
The Cardinals were in this exact situation last year, and if history is an accurate indicator, it bodes well for the Red and White. LU struggled at North Texas last season only to return home to face No. 4 South Dakota. Lamar answered the call knocking off the Coyotes, 20-13. It is a similar situation this season, but the next opponent will not be a home game but a trip to FCS powerhouse Idaho.
 
The Vandals (0-2) find themselves in a similar situation to Lamar – looking to bounce back after a tough loss against an FBS foe. Idaho opened the year at Cal Poly and rallied from a second-half double-digit deficit to take a late lead only to have the Mustangs score the game-winner in the closing seconds. Idaho was in Salt Lake City last week and dropped a tough decision to the Utes. In addition to playing in front of their home crowd for the first time this season, Idaho also has the advantage of extra time to prepare for Lamar with their last game taking place Thursday, Sept. 3.
 
Defensively, the Cardinals will bring one of the most opportunistic secondaries to Idaho currently tied for second nationally in interceptions (5). Each interception has come from a different player and each has been the first career interception for each.
 
Saturday's contest is set for a 1 p.m. (3 p.m. Central) kick from the P1FCU Kibbie Dome in Moscow. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Vandals
The opponent that LU head coach Pete Rossomando opened his Lamar career against - Idaho in 2023 - is the lone meeting between the two schools. That meeting came in Beaumont in 2023 and saw the then No. 8-ranked Vandals record a 42-17 decision.
 
The Lanar Cardinal
Senior Lanar Kelley was responsible for Lamar University's lone score Saturday against UL Lafayette. The New Mexico State transfer timed a Lunch Winfield pass perfectly stepping the passing lane to rip the ball away from a receiver and return it 40 yards for a touchdown. Kelley becomes the first Cardinal to return a pick for a score since Josh Ofili in 2023 (37 yards vs. then Texas A&M-Commerce). Kelly's pick was one of three for the Red and White Saturday.
 
Beaumont's Air Defense System
Lanar Kelley was one of three players to record an interception Saturday at UL Lafayette and all five picks have been the first as a Cardinal (Bryce McDonald, Mason Wuenschel, Kelly, Jarrett Mitchel and Zaylon Stoker). The Cardinals are currently tied for the Southland Conference lead, and second nationally with their five interceptions.
 
The Rossomando Effect
Since the arrival of head coach Pete Rossomando, the Lamar University football program has made historic strides. In his first season, Rossomando took over a team that had won just one game the year before (and five in the previous three seasons combined) to produce the first winning season since 2018 which was NCAA FCS' fourth-largest single season turnaround. LU is coming off an NCAA FCS Playoff appearance in 2025 and is currently in the midst of its best run of success (in terms of consecutive winning seasons) since the mid 1960s. Entering his fourth season with the Cardinals, Rossomando had already won more games in three seasons than every other LU coach had in their first four except for Cardinal Hall of Honor inductee Vernon Glass. Rossomando is just one win shy of tying Glass' wins (after four seasons) just two games into his fourth year with the Lamar.