Oct. 25, 2003
Box Score
Ogden, UT---Idaho State's offense couldn't capitalize on a huge turnover early, and Weber State rushed out to a 16-0 second quarter lead as the Bengals lost a big conference road game 38-21 to the Wildcats in Ogden.
The loss dropped the #17 ranked Bengals to 5-3, 3-2 in the league and ended ISU's three-game winning streak. The Wildcats, reeling after three straight losses, are now 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the league. The Bengals remained just one game behind first place Northern Arizona as the Lumberjacks lost at Montana State 21-17.
The Bengal offense never got on track, amassing just 56 yards of total offense in the opening half, and Idaho State finally went over the 100-yard mark for the game with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.
Idaho State was forced to punt on the opening drive, but Weber State's Dewey Crayton muffed the punt, and Anthony Henderson recovered at the Wildcat 24. The Bengals could only move the ball seven yards, and Jeremy Hershey pushed a 34-yard field goal wide right.
Idaho State again held, and Hetherington threw the first of his four interceptions, as Crayton made up for his fumble with a diving grab. The Wildcats then turned to Nick Chournos, the league's leading rusher, and Weber State went 60 yards in 15 plays, 14 of them runs. Chournos capped the drive with a 15-yard scamper.
After a field goal, Hetherington threw a screen pass that was picked off by Brady Fosmark, who returned it 22 yards for a touchdown. Idaho State's only score of the first half came with 1:40 left, when Emery Beckles sliced down the field, stiff-arming punter Wyatt Kennah for an 83-yard punt return, tying for the fourth longest in school history.
Down 25-6 in the third, the Bengals took advantage of two Weber State personal fouls on the same play to move into Wildcat territory, and on third-and-15, Hetherington hit a wide open Akilah Lacey for a 37-yard touchdown to make it 25-13. ISU then forced Weber State to punt twice in row, but ISU punted, and then Hetherington was picked for a fourth time, and Dewey Crayton returned it 31 yards for a back-breaking touchdown.
The Bengals totaled just 176 yards of total offense for the game, and were just 9-for-30 passing. Idaho State gained just 28 yards on the ground. Weber State dominated time of possession 42:26 to 17:34, as the Wildcats rushed for 306 yards.
Notes: Brett Fowler and Mike Rose both missed the game with injuries, and Rose should be back next week ... Emery Beckles started the game both at running back and at cornerback, making him the first Bengal to start a game on both sides of the ball since the 1963 finale, when both Jon Miller and Ben Sanford started both ways ... Sale' Key ran his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 23 ... Idaho State dropped their first Homecoming matchup of the season.
