POST GAME NOTES

GREELEY, Colo. – Penalties were the storyline on Saturday afternoon in Greeley for Idaho football (2-3, 0-1 BSC) in a 27-24 loss to Northern Colorado (1-4, 1-0 BSC).
 
The Vandals committed 13 penalties for 130 total yards on the day, the most in a single game this season.  Things seemed to get worse as the game wore on, with Idaho picking up five penalties for 66 yards in the fourth.


 
Idaho got on the board first on a field goal by Cade Coffey on the opening drive.  After a touchdown for the Bears made it 7-3, UNC, Idaho responded.  Nick Romano got his first score of his Vandal career, a 27-yard rush, to start the second quarter.  Mason Petrino then found Cutrell Haywood in the end zone to make it 17-7, Vandals, at the break.
 
The opening drive of the second half for the Vandals was something special.  Idaho took the ball down the field in four plays, covering 75 yards in just 1:11, to get back up by two scores at 24-10 on another touchdown to Haywood.  That would be the final score of the day for Idaho, as UNC took over from there.
 
The Bears got a touchdown of their own just two minutes later on a 36-yard score from Willie Fairman to Jacob Knipp.  The teams then traded possessions for the next 16 minutes, before a two-yard rush from Milo Hall tied things up at 24 midway through the fourth.
 
UNC got the game-winning field goal three minutes later, with Ben Raybon draining his second of the day.
 
Romano had a monster game on the ground, finishing with a career-best 132 yards on 15 carries.  Mason Petrino finished 19-of-33 for 227 yards and two scores, but also had three costly interceptions.  Tre Walker led the way on defense with a sack and 12 total tackles.
 
Idaho returns to the Kibbie Dome to take on No. 5 Weber State at 2 p.m. on Saturday.