MOSCOW, Idaho – Three defensive turnovers propelled Idaho (3-5, 1-3 BSC) past Idaho State (3-4, 2-2 BSC), 45-21, in the ICCU Battle of the Domes on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Vandals scored 28 points off of turnovers, including the three defensive touchdowns.  Lloyd Hightower had a game for the ages, scoring on an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.  His second score helped stop the Bengal momentum late in the third, and was the first fumble recovery for a touchdown since Russell Siavii in 2015.


 
Idaho jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter.  After a Bengal turnover, the Vandals got the ball at the ISU 33.  Colton Richards capped off the short drive with a 2-yard rush to take the 7-0 advantage.
 
Hightower got his first score the day on the next Bengal possession to double the advantage.  The Vandals would add a Cade Coffey field goal to close out the quarter and go up, 17-0.
 
Jeff Cotton's monster day included a 5-yard score top open the second quarter and put the Vandals up, 24-0.  Cotton would finish the day with 10 catches and 192 yards, his third 100-yard game of the season.
 
The Bengals got on the board late in the first half to make it a 24-7 game at the break.
 
Idaho State was able to cut into the deficit and make it a 10-point game with a pair of touchdowns, sandwiched around an Idaho touchdown to Connor Whitney.
 
The Vandal defense came to the rescue to close out the third quarter.  Hightower got his second of the day, after a strip-sack by Leonick Tamba, on a scoop-and-score.
 
It didn't take long for the defense to add another score. Sedrick Thomas picked off Matt Struck and returned it 36 yards to the house to end the quarter.
 
Although neither team scored in the fourth, head coach Paul Petrino singled out the second-to-last drive as one of the best of the game.  The Vandals killed more than six minutes and effectively sealed the win.
 
Colton Richardson had a strong day and finished 17-of-25 for 289 yards and two touchdowns.  Dylan Thigpen once again set new career-highs in carries (17) and yards (97).  He has set new career-highs in each game he has played in this season.
 
The Vandals will take the week off before hosting Cal Poly for Leadership Weekend on Nov. 2.
 
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