STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Idaho football suffered a 79-7 loss at No. 15/14 Penn State Saturday, in the season opener for both teams.
 
Despite being backed up on short fields, the Vandal defense held the Nittany Lions to field goals on each of the first two drives – surrendering just 23 yards on 10 plays from scrimmage. Eventually the Penn State offense got the upper hand, taking a 20-0 lead after the first quarter. By halftime, Penn State held a 44-0 advantage.
 
Idaho's lone scoring drive was set up by freshman David Eppinger's recovery of a muffed punt in the fourth quarter. On the first play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Mason Petrino connected with Nick Romano out of the backfield for a 24-yard catch along the sideline and down to the 1-yard line. The next play saw Petrino roll out and find tight end Logan Kendall for the score.
 
Senior wide receiver Jeff Cotton paced the offense with six catches for 83 yards.
 
Sophomore linebacker Tre Walker led the Idaho defense with eight tackles, including two for loss.
 
Penn State racked up 653 yards of total offense, led by KJ Hamler's 115 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The home team added seven scores on the ground. Defensively, the Nittany Lions recorded seven sacks and held the Vandals to four net rushing yards.
 
Idaho hosts Central Washington Sept. 7, in the Vandals' home opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT at the Kibbie Dome. Tickets are available by visiting GoVandals.com/tickets, calling 208-885-6466 or visiting the Idaho Athletic Ticket Office.