Sept. 2, 2005
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Pocatello, ID --- Matt Hagler's first start since November 12, 1999 was an unqualified success as he threw for 210 yards and a touchdown to counter a strong rushing game for ISU as the Bengals rolled to a 38-13 win in their season opener over Southern Utah.
The win gives Idaho State (1-0) a win in their season opener in six of the past seven years, and it dropped Southern Utah (0-1) to 4-9-1 all-time vs. Idaho State.
Hagler, who was 18-for-33 passing, was aided by a ground game that rushed for 197 yards on 54 carries. Ken Cornist and Josh Barnett took the bulk of the carries, with Cornist going for 88 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries, and Barnett going for 79 yards on 20 carries. Turrill Engelman threw in 41 yards on 11 carries later in the game.
Idaho State bolted to a 14-0 lead, scoring on their first two possessions. Ken Cornist ended the first drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, the first of three rushing TDs for Cornist on the day. After an SUU punt, Hagler found Akilah Lacey at the two, and he stretched over for a touchdown.
ISU eventually went up 28-0 on another Cornist touchdown and a Hagler 1-yard sneak, but the Thunderbirds scored just before the half on a 26 yard pass from Zac Connors to Joey Hew Len, the first of their two hookups.
Cornist added a third touchdown with 7:21 left in the third on a 1-yard run, with that third touchdown equaling the season-high for a player from 2004, as defensive tackle Jermaine Horn led the team with three rushing touchdowns.
Hew Len scored from 59 yards out, and Jaret Johnson ended the scoring with a 37-yard field goal.
For Idaho State, the key numbers were the 54 carries for 197 yards, their most rushing yards since November 8, 2003 when ISU rushed for 213 yards in a 46-31 loss at Northern Arizona. Idaho State, which had the third-most turnovers in the nation last year with 36, had none against Southern Utah, one year after a nine-fumble game vs. the same T-Birds. The Bengals did pick up a pair of interceptions as Atelea Raass and D.J. Clark both grabbed their first career picks. ISU sacked SUU quarterbacks three times, including two for senior transfer Jeff Charleston.
ISU's defense was relentless, limiting Southern Utah to just six yards rushing on the day, and just 247 yards of total offense, their fewest yards allowed since November 9, 2002 when the Bengals allowed Northern Arizona just 170 yards in a 46-20 win in Holt Arena.
NOTES: Last year, Idaho State had just eight rushing touchdowns total, and they got four in this game ... Brian Zeches came in at quarterback in the fourth quarter, his first collegiate action ... freshman Eddie Thompson averaged 26.0 yards per punt return ... of the nine receivers to make a catch for ISU, five made their first career catches ... ISU dominated time of possession with a 38:32 mark, including a whopping 12:18 time of possession in the third quarter.
