MOSCOW, Idaho – Shiloh Keo probably said it best in the aftermath of the University of Idaho's 52-49 loss to Utah State Saturday afternoon before a lively holiday weekend crowd at the Kibbie Dome.
"Too many big plays early cost us in the end," said Keo after the disappointing regular-season finish, which, nevertheless, leaves the Vandals with their best record (7-5, 4-4) since 1999.
It was a message repeated throughout the ranks.
"We seniors wanted to go out on top at home," said senior receiver Max Komar, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with his fifth 100-plus game of the season. "We fought until the end. We just made too many mistakes. We came out flat. You can't do that in college football."
Komar's five catches totaled 110 yards for a season total of 1,036 and were part of a passing game that tallied 395 - 262 by Nate Enderle, 113 by Brian Reader and 20 by receiver Preston Davis. Combined with 135 rushing yards, the Vandals covered 530 - but it wasn't enough to overcome Utah State's hot start.
"It looked like we were still in the bye week in the first quarter," said coach Robb Akey, whose team trailed 21-7 after the first 15 minutes and was down 31-7 before a four-touchdown burst pulled the Vandals ahead. "We didn't play well at all. We had a little window where we played well but we didn't finish that."
Akey was quick to credit Utah State but he couldn't suppress his disappointment in Saturday's outcome.
"We didn't perform well enough," he said. "I told our seniors how sick to my stomach I am that we couldn't win for them their last home game. None of us is happy with our performance today."
Yet, he wasn't about to let his team - or anyone else, forget about the accomplishments of the Vandals this season. Predicted to finish eighth in one preseason poll and ninth in the other, Idaho is fourth and likely headed to a bowl game for the first time since 1998.
"We all feel sick (about Saturday's game) but we have to understand we have done some good things," Akey said. "I have to believe we are going to get to do it one more time together."
The Vandals fell behind early after giving the Aggies the short field and giving up big plays. Two of Utah State's first three touchdowns were on big pass plays - 85 yards from Diondre Borel to Xavier Bowman and 48 from Borel to Robert Turbin.
The Vandals, in what has become a trademark never-say-die fashion, forged back with Komar scoring twice - 30 and 15 yards from Enderle, to close to within 31-21 at the half. In the third - with the Vandal defense pitching a shutout, Idaho went ahead with one score from Princeton McCarty and another from Maurice Shaw.
The lead, however, was temporary. Turbin opened the wild fourth quarter with a one-yard run to put the Aggies back up, 38-35, with 12:51 remaining. Shaw answered for the Vandals - now with Reader under center after Enderle left the game after re-injuring his throwing shoulder, on a 29-yard reception with 9:41 to go.
Utah State struck with another big play - a 75-yard pass from Borel to Stanley Morrison for a 45-42 lead with 9:05 remaining. The Aggies added the cushion they needed to hang on at the end when, after regaining possession on Deonte Jackson's fumble at the Idaho one, Turbin scored on the next play for a 52-42 USU lead 8:46 to play.
The fight wasn't out of the Vandals. The next Idaho drive ended on an interception by Bobby Wagner but the Aggies didn't convert and Idaho had the ball back with 4:54 to play. They marched the length of the field to score on a 10-yard pass from Reader to Daniel Hardy with 1:16 to go. They couldn't convert the onside kick and Utah State was able to run out the clock.
