POCATELLO, Idaho - Idaho State fell to No. 20 Northern Arizona 31-18 on Homecoming Saturday at ICCU Dome, despite a 100 yard rushing night from Dason Brooks and a late fourth-quarter push.
"We're a good football team, we're just not playing well, and that comes from the coaching staff, myself first and foremost," remarked Head Coach Cody Hawkins. "We've played three playoff teams in a row and that is going to be the standard here, but you still have to put it together. We are capable of good football in stretches, but we are not playing winning football and that is on me to fix."
The Bengals trimmed an 11-point halftime deficit after a second-quarter Trajan Sinatra field goal and a fourth quarter touchdown strike from Jordan Cooke to Michael Shulikov, but the Lumberjacks controlled the final minutes to close out the win.
Brooks totaled 108 rushing yards on 11 carries, including a 6-yard first-quarter touchdown. Shulikov posted 60 receiving yards and a 23 yard touchdown. Cooke finished 26 of 39 for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Tsion Nunnally added eight receptions for 71 yards, and Damien Morgan had seven catches for 63. Ian Duarte contributed 117 all purpose yards on punt and kick returns.
The Idaho State defense kept the Bengals within reach, holding NAU to 171 passing yards and recording a fourth quarter sack by Teilor Tuioti. Linebacker Rylan Leathers led all tacklers with 14 stops.
Sinatra connected from 40 yards in the second quarter and narrowly missed from 52 as time expired in the half and from 47 in the third. Punter Gabe Russo averaged 51.7 yards on three punts with a long of 59 and placed all three inside the 20, two of which were downed inside the five-yard line.
Idaho State outgained Northern Arizona 393 to 371 and averaged 6.3 yards per play. The Bengals were 2 for 2 on fourth down and 3 for 11 on third down. Red zone trips finished 1 for 3 for ISU and 5 for 5 for NAU. Time of possession favored the Lumberjacks 34:37 to 25:23.
Bengal Bites
- Idaho State outgained NAU 393 to 371 and averaged 6.3 yards per play.
- Dason Brooks recorded his second 100-yard rushing game of the season, finishing with 108 on 11 carries and a first-quarter touchdown.
- Jordan Cooke threw for 256 yards on 26 of 39 passing with one touchdown.
- Michael Shulikov caught a 23-yard touchdown and totaled 60 receiving yards.
- Tsion Nunnally led ISU with eight receptions for 71 yards, and Damien Morgan added seven catches for 63.
- Rylan Leathers posted a career-high 14 tackles, the most by a Bengal in a single-game this season.
- Teilor Tuioti registered a fourth quarter sack for 11 yards.
