FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Ben Deline had a chance to redeem himself. The Idaho Vandals did not.

In a  back-and-forth game that was marred by penalties and miscues, Colorado State came back to beat Idaho 36-34 as time expired when Deline hit the mark on a 35-yard field - just minutes after he missed the PAT that could have tied the game.

For the Vandals, it was an afternoon of defensive frustration from a unit that had showed great promise in its first three outings. Idaho yielded 494 yards to the previously winless Rams. In contrast, Idaho's offense rolled for 459 in a game during which quarterback Nate Enderle completed a career-best 83.3 percent (25 of 30) of his passes. Still, the Vandals' senior quarterback said, Idaho left too much on the field.

"We didn't capitalize on the opportunities we had," Enderle said. "We have to execute day in and day out. I felt like if we would have executed, we would have won the game."

Coach Robb Akey agreed but he, like Enderle, was quick to credit a hungry CSU team.

"Colorado State played a great football game," Akey said. "They made plays today."

The Vandals' first drive ended when they came up short on fourth-and-one, while the Rams' initial drive wound up a missed field goal attempt.

Idaho's second drive sputtered as well and the Vandals sent Trey Farquhar in for a 31-yard field goal with just over four minutes left in the first. His kick was good for the 3-0 Idaho lead.

Idaho went up 10-0 on Kama Bailey's one-yard run with 11:57 left in the first half. His run capped a 10-play drive that was set up by Aaron Grymes' interception.

Farquhar was called on again after workmanlike drive fizzled at the 15. He booted a 32-yard field goal for a 13-0 lead with 4:32 left in the first half.

CSU scored on Raymond Carter's one-yard run with :39 left in the second quarter to cut Idaho's lead to 13-7. The Rams followed immediately with another score after Enderle fumbled as he was sacked at the Idaho 33. The go-ahead score was a 23-yard pass from Pete Thomas to Raymond Carter with :08 left in the half.

The Vandals opened the second half with a defensive stand then the offense took hold on its first possession of the third with Enderle capping an eight-play, 61-yard drive with a seven-yard pass to Armauni Johnson. With Farquhar's kick, Idaho went up 20-14.

CSU came back with a 37-yard field goal by Ben Deline to close to 20-17 before Enderle found Maurice Shaw with 37-yard yard pass to push the Vandals out to a 10-point, 27-17, lead. The Rams were quick to respond with a 72-yard pass from Thomas to Carter. With 1:31 left in the third, Idaho was nursing a 27-24 lead.

Idaho's first punt was the first play of the fourth quarter and CSU ultimately turned it into a 30-yard field goal by Deline to tie the game at 27 with 11:36 remaining.

It was Idaho's turn next and the Vandals made the most of it with a 59-yard hook-up between Enderle and Justin Veltung for a 34-27 lead with 9:46 to go.

Not to be outdone, CSU came back to score with 6:24 remaining only to have the PAT sail wide, which set up Deline's game-winning heroics after an Idaho drive stalled at its own 46.