The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have signed on to a federal salmon plan — effectively promising that they will not pursue breaching of the four lower Snake River dams.

Which makes the Nez Perce Tribe's steadfast pro-breaching position all the more gutsy, and all the more critical to the long-term health of Idaho's endangered salmon.

The Sho-Ban tribes' decision is a political coup for the feds. After all, the Sho-Bans first petitioned to add Snake River sockeye salmon to the federal endangered species list. The sockeye have been listed as endangered since 1991.

Headed to Eugene for easily the most anticipated Boise State football game of the season. The Boise airport is littered with fans in blue and orange. The Broncos had about 2,000 tickets to sell for the game.

• Listen to my audio prediction for Saturday's big game here.

Sawtooth Society needs a new leader • Lung Association squeezing Northwest chapter • INL reaches 'major milestone' with hydrogen production • Wildlife managers suggesting more caution in Wood River Valley • Price tag on Sandpoint bypass: $144 million

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Boise State offensive line coach Scott Huff expects to play three tackles against Oregon — freshman Nate Potter and sophomores Kevin Sapien and Matt Slater.

Potter started the Bowling Green game at left tackle after missing the opener with a knee injury. Sapien started the opener at right tackle but missed the Bowling Green game with an illness. Slater started the opener at left tackle and the Bowling Green game at right tackle.

Slater will continue to practice on both sides but will focus on right tackle, Huff said.

FINAL: Capital 48, Timberline 28

9:43 p.m. — Capital 48, Timberline 28: Timberline quarterback Tanner Mangum tossed his third touchdown to trim Capital's lead to 20 with 3:15 remaining in the game.

I've got to head down to the field for interviews. Thanks for reading.

9:28 p.m. — Capital 48, Timberline 21: Timberline QB Tanner Mangum connected with brother and wide receiver Madison Mangum for a 26-yard TD to put a little dent in Capital's lead.

9:20 p.m. — End of third quarter

—I gotta admit it: Animated film “Igor” looks pretty cool.

—Comedian Ricky Gervais of “The Office” fame — at least in England — targets American audiences with “Ghost Town.”

—We've all dealt with nutball neighbors. (Or, um, occasionally been one?) But Samuel L. Jackson takes it to a new level in the suspense-thriller “Lakeview Terrace.”

—Not screened for critics. That’s a bad sign for “My Best Friend’s Girl,” which co-stars the mysteriously popular Dane Cook.

—”Baghead” pokes fun at indie movies.

Wow, where did that come from?

Friday's matchup featuring Mountain View and Meridian was leading high school football Game of the Week voting most of the week, but Canyon County football fans mobilized late and provided the Nampa-Skyview matchup 62 percent of the votes in our online poll.

Like the rest of the Broncos, Boise State’s linebackers face a huge test this week at No. 17 Oregon.

The Ducks’ spread offense puts a lot of pressure on opposing linebackers, who have plenty of responsibility in stopping the run and dropping to stop the pass.

“They’ve got a lot of run-pass responsibilities. They’ve got some gap responsibilities with the spread. There’s some deception in there,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said.

“You really have to play assignment football. You can’t be peeking.”

Historian Stephen Pyne doesn’t pull any punches in this powerful essay about Wally Covington, the University of Northern Arizona forestry professor who has been one of the leading voices for restoring fire to the forest.

Pyne points out that Covington’s “Flagstaff model,” advocates thinning of forest first before allowing burning. He tells the story of the 17,000-acre Warm fire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in 2006.

I'm no chief meteorologist — nor do I play one on TV — but I predict some rainy days in January.

When the 2009 Legislature reconvenes, expect to hear a lot of talk about the "rainy day" fund. I predict that it isn't a question of if lawmakers tap this fund — known officially as the "budget stabilization fund" — but how much they take from the fund.