MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho defense intercepted two passes and held Northern Arizona to just 118 yards rushing while Elisha Cummings rushed for 123 yards to lead the No. 10 Vandals to a 23-17 win over No. 25 Northern Arizona Saturday night at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome.
 
Idaho is the first team in the FCS with three ranked wins this season after playing its fourth ranked opponent in a row.
 
The Vandal offense got going first in the game, with Cumming hitting a career-long 43-yard run to set up a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jack Wagner to Mike Martinez with 4:27 left in the first quarter. The score was his first as a Vandal. The PAT missed, putting Idaho up 6-0
 
Northern Arizona responded with a touchdown on their next possession to take a 7-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
Idaho regained the lead on a 13-yard run by Nate Thomas with 11:20 to play in the second quarter and never trailed again.
 
NAU responded with a 50-yard field goal before Jordan Dwyer scored on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Nick Josifek to put Idaho up 20-10 at the end of the first half.
 
Cameron Pope hit a 40-yard field goal to cap the first drive of the second half for the Vandals and the rest was up to the Idaho defense.
 
Northern Arizona recovered a Vandal fumble on the six-yard line early in the fourth quarter, but the Vandal defense held firm and kept the Lumberjacks out of the end zone and took over on downs.
 
NAU added a touchdown with 4:11 left in the game, but the Idaho defense held on to finish off the six-point win.
 
Josifek was 6-7 for 109 yards and a touchdown while Wagner was 2-6 for 15 yards and a touchdown.
 
Cummings and Thomas combined for 186 yards and a touchdown to set the tone for the Vandal offense, but the defense was outstanding again.
 
Keyshawn James-Newby and Malakai Williams each had a sack while Mathias Bertram and Jaxton Eck tallied interceptions in the game. Eck also led the Vandals with 11 total tackles while Tommy McCormick and Dwayne McDougle added nine tackles each.
 
Idaho is now 4-2 on the year with all the game being played against ranked teams or FBS opponents. The Vandals are the first FCS team to pick up three ranked wins this season. NAU falls to 3-3 on the season.
 
The Vandals now prepare for the fifth game in a row against a ranked opponent, and the fifth game of the first seven on the road next Saturday night against Montana State on ESPN2.

Idaho has three home games remaining. Single-game tickets and a three-game mini pack is available at govandals.com/tickets.