FINAL SCORE: Idaho 35, Northern Arizona 32
RECORDS: Idaho (4-5, 2-3), Northern Arizona (5-4, 2-3)
IDAHO LEADERS
NOTABLES:
MOSCOW, Idaho– On Halloween night, Idaho pieced together its second straight win, this time over No. 19 Northern Arizona, 35-32 in primetime on ESPN 2.
On the Lumberjacks' opening drive, defensive lineman and team captain
Zach Krotzer broke through NAU's offensive line, claiming a tackle for loss, and forcing the 'Jacks to attempt a 51-yard field goal that sailed wide, giving the Vandals the ball.
The UI defense continued to display their strength as Northern Arizona attempted a trick play on third and one that resulted in a 12-yard loss with
Donovan Parham and
Brayden Rice wrecking havoc in the backfield.
Idaho's offense stalled out on their second drive.
LJ Harm's punt from the 20-yard line was picked off his foot by a Lumberjack defender and taken back for a score, giving NAU an early 7-0 advantage.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Vandal offense began to respond, showcasing their receivers as true freshman
Nolan McWilliams kickstarted the drive with a 27-yard catch to tie his career-long. On the next play,
Chance Bogan continued to build momentum, setting a career-long reception of 18 yards to close the first.
Despite a noteworthy display of defense, Idaho found themselves behind at the end of the first 7-0.
The offense's unstoppable 75-yard march upfield, rolled on in the new quarter, as
Joshua Wood zipped a pass to a wide open
Ryan Jezioro, giving the Vandals their first points of the game, 6-7.
Following three straight defensive stops, this offensive momentum was continued by superstar running back Elisha "Turbo" Cummings posting his second game in a row with both a receiving and rushing touchdown.
In Cummings' first score, he grabbed reception on a screen pass from Wood, dodging through defenders to take in a 25-yard touchdown. In an attempt to make up for the previous failed PAT, the Vandals attempted a 2-point conversion, with the pass falling incomplete, resulting in a 12-7 UI lead.
"Turb" notched his second touchdown of the game on a 22-yard run after taking a handoff from Wood and scampering through the helpless NAU defense.
UI's offense responded by pitching a shutout in the second quarter, leaving the 'Jacks behind 19-7 at the end of the half.
Moving into the third, the Brave and Bold defense continued to pick apart Northern Arizona's offensive line as Idaho's
Frederick Lujan III forced a fumble resulting in a 63-yard scoop-and-score by Lewiston, Idaho native
Cruz Hepburn.
The fumble recovery and run by Hepburn was Idaho's first defensive touchdown of the season.
The Lumberjacks remained resilient, shortening the gap 26-14, as the game stepped into the final quarter.
The Idaho Vandals'
Hayden John tackled for a career high of 11 tackles
The Lumberjacks regained the lead after a 28-yard touchdown run.
Following a punt by both teams, Idaho received the ball at their own 25-yard line, setting up a game-tying drive. Wood and Cummings teamed up to power the Vandals down the field, taking 12 plays to move the ball to the NAU 25.
In a thriller that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Vandals trailed 26-29 with just five seconds left on the clock. Kicker
Owen Adams delivered under pressure, nailing a 42-yard field goal from the right hash to even the score and send this heart-stopping contest into overtime.
Northern Arizona took the first possession in the extra period, but Idaho's defense dug in. Parham and
Matyus McLain broke through the line for a key sack, forcing the Lumberjacks to settle for a field goal and a narrow 32-29 advantage.
Then came the Vandals' turn to respond. Wood, calm in the pocket, fired a 24-yard strike to "Turb", setting Idaho up just one yard shy of the goal line. On the very next play,
Hayden Kincheloe powered up the middle for the game-winning score, sealing a dramatic 35-32 overtime victory for the Vandals.
UP NEXT: The Vandals return home to the P1FCU Kibbie Dome to host the No. 6 UC Davis Aggies. The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m., and it will be broadcast on SWX and ESPN+.
TICKETS: Season tickets, mini plans, and single-game tickets are
available here or by calling the Idaho Ticket Office at (208) 885-6466.
