Sept. 6, 2008
Final Stats
Moscow, ID --- After getting shutout by the Arizona Wildcats last week, Idaho wasted no time getting on the board against Idaho State as they scored on a 77-yard pass on their opening play, and the Vandals raced to a 28-7 halftime lead and then held on for dear life, surviving a furious ISU comeback attempt, winning 42-27 over the Bengals at the Kibbie Dome.
Idaho got the win despite a record day by ISU receiver Eddie Thompson, who shook off a dislocated finger to grab a school record 17 receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown. However, three easy scoring drives for the Vandals did in ISU, who dropped to 0-2 on the season, both losses coming against FBS teams.
Nathan Enderle hit a streaking Maurice Shaw on the opening play for a 77-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. It very quickly became 14-0 on a bizarre play that highlight one of several special teams miscues for the Bengals. After a delay of game on a punt, Ryan Henry snapped the ball high and before punter Jon Vanderweilen and upback Jayson Bird were set, and the kick was blocked and recovered in the end zone by Eric Hunter.
ISU did answer back with an 80-yard drive, which was culminated by the first of three Russel Hill touchdown passes, this a 5-yarder to tight end Trevor Messersmith, the first of his career. However, Idaho scored two more times before the half ended to make it 28-7, and then they took advantage of a quick interception to start the second half as Corey White ran one in from four yards out. That started a trade off of second half touchdowns, as ISU answered when Thompson dove over after a 9-yard reception.
The Bengals then had a chance to cut the lead further, but Hill laws picked off on a long pass at the 7-yard line, and the Vandals drove 93 yards for a score. Hill rebounded with his third TD pass of the game, a 23-yarder to Isaiah Burel. ISU closed the gap further in the fourth when Hill connected for a fourth time, this with 4:45 left as Hill connected from 16 yards out with his fourth different receiver for a score as Jaron Taylor hauled one in between two defenders.
The Bengals had two chances in the final four minutes, one after an Idaho fumble and one after a missed field goal, but Hill threw two more picks, including one in the end zone at the final gun. Still, head coach John Zamberlin liked how his team performed.
"Two plays in the first five minutes did us in, otherwise it's basically a tie game and we were right there with them. We played with heart, and we played hard, but we need to do that for 60 minutes right from the start," said Zamberlin. "Now we get to play on our own level a bit, and these first two games will be a benefit to us."
For Thompson, he broke one of ISU's oldest records, as Ed "The Flea" Bell had 15 catches on October 18, 1969, a record so old Holt Arena was not built yet. The record was so old that Holt Arena wasn't built yet, and the 1969 Miracle Mets had been World Series champions for less than 48 hours. Thompson, who entered the game needing 29 catches to surpass Bell's career record of 187, now needs just 12, more than halving what he needed.
The Bengals now get a week off before they host North Dakota in their home opener on Thursday, September 18 at 6:35 pm at Holt Arena.
NOTES: The Enderle to Shaw 77-yard pass was the third 50+ yard touchdown pass of the season allowed by ISU ... Hill's previous career-best for touchdowns was three, set against Northern Colorado last year, and it was his third career 300-yard game, finishing with 308 ... Thompson now has five career 100-yard games ... Jon Vanderwielen averaged 48.8 yards per punt ... JD Ponciano was back in the lineup, and he had a 60-yard kickoff return.
