POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State's offense erupted for 28 points in the third quarter to put away Virginia Military Institute, 38-10, in the season opener Saturday at the ICCU Dome. The win, Idaho State's first of the year, was also the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Quarterback
Jordan Cooke threw for 325 yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-29 passing, spreading the ball to four different receivers for scores. Eli Aragon led the Bengals with seven catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, while
Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio hauled in an 83-yard touchdown strike from Cooke, a career-high completion for the quarterback and the fifth-longest play from scrimmage in program history since 2000.
Chedon James also found the end zone, hauling in a 49-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, his first touchdown since returning to the Bengals in 2026.
Julian Mason added a nine-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, and
Noa Calaycay scored on a six-yard blocked-punt return, his first career touchdown.
Idaho State's defense held VMI to just 11 passing yards and forced two interceptions, with
Trehsyn Fesili recording the first sack of his Bengal career among his six tackles.
ISU built a 38-0 lead before VMI's Chandler Wilson scored on a 31-yard run and Jack Joyce added a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to account for the Keydets' scoring. Saturday marked just the second time in program history Idaho State has finished a game with a 38-10 score, and the first time that scoreline came in a win.
Idaho State (1-0) travels to Utah State next Saturday, September 5.
Bengal Bites
Game Stats
- Idaho State outgained VMI 454-240 in total offense, led by 366 passing yards
- VMI held a rushing edge, 229 yards on 52 carries (4.4 avg) to Idaho State's 88 yards on 25 carries (3.5 avg)
- Idaho State posted 7.1 yards per play to VMI's 3.9
- Idaho State converted 3 of 12 third downs; VMI converted 3 of 16
- Idaho State was 1-for-1 in the red zone; VMI was 1-for-2
- Idaho State's defense recorded two sacks for 10 yards; VMI's defense had none
- VMI held the time-of-possession edge, 34:59 to 25:01
- Nic Land led VMI with six tackles and an interception
Notables
- Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio's 83-yard touchdown catch is a career-high reception for Jordan Cooke and the fifth-longest play from scrimmage in Idaho State program history since 2000
- Chedon James's 49-yard touchdown catch was his first touchdown since returning to the Bengals in 2026 (he previously played for Idaho State in 2023)
- Trehsyn Fesili recorded the first sack of his Bengal career
- Noa Calaycay's blocked-punt return was his first career touchdown
- Saturday marked just the second time in program history Idaho State has finished a game with a 38-10 score, and the first time that scoreline came in a win
Head Coach Cody Hawkins
On the team's overall performance:
"Dominant effort by the defense. Super proud of the way that they came out and handled their keys," Hawkins said. "That defense has a shot to be legitimate, like we had talked about."
On the offense settling in after a slow start:
"Any time you play an opponent that you have never seen any tape on, it takes you a little bit of time to get going," Hawkins said. "I don't know if we've had more drops in a football game since I've been here, but credit to them. When you're dropping eight guys like that, you're gonna have a lot of people around, and throwing windows are gonna be a little bit tighter."
On the 83-yard touchdown to Anahu-Ambrosio:
"There's a play that's basic in our (offense), but we hadn't practiced it at all because they were lining up different on all the stuff we were guessing on film," Hawkins said. "I told Jordan on the sideline, 'If they play that, I'm gonna call this play and Zed's gonna go hit his head on the goalpost.'"
On Cooke's performance:
"The guy threw for four touchdowns and 300 yards, and the pick he had was not totally his fault," Hawkins said. "He's got four new receivers and five new offensive linemen and played the game with a bunch of running backs who didn't play last year. Hats off to him for hanging in there and handling his business."
On backup quarterback
Davis Harsin's role in relief:
"Hars is a super tough dude," Hawkins said. "We know
Davis Harsin's gonna win a championship, and he's gonna give everything he has to help win football games."
Defensive Coordinator Grant Duff
On the defense's overall effort:
"The guys flew around. They were excited to play," Duff said. "We gave up a couple plays late in the game, but the benefit of that is we got a bunch of young players in who hadn't necessarily experienced that before. The only way guys get better is by playing football."
On the opening four-and-out setting the tone:
"I personally consider a four-and-out a turnover," Duff said. "We had seven defensive drives in the first half, so being able to get out of that first one was one of our goals. The energy was palpable."
On facing a triple-option offense for the first time this season:
"I don't think anybody would've said, 'Oh, they out-disciplined us,'" Duff said. "I think they'd look at the Bengal defense and say, 'Those were the tougher guys. Those were the more disciplined guys. Those were the guys that were hungrier for the game.'"
Players
Collin Lewis, defensive line, on the unit's approach:
"We approached the game as, 'Don't do too much, do your job,'" Lewis said. "I think we shut them down on the dive early, and that allowed the linebackers to fly around and make plays."
Jackson Daniels, defensive back, on the secondary limiting VMI to 11 passing yards:
"Our goal the whole time was to have elite eyes," Daniels said. "I think the thing we could do better is just clean up the little stuff. Correcting those details are what will make us an even better team."
Jordan Cooke, quarterback, on the offense's second-half explosion:
"I think you could just see how fast we could score and explosive we are when we just put the ball in play and do the little things right," Cooke said. "I'm super excited to open up 1-0."
Chedon James, wide receiver, on his first touchdown since returning to the program:
"It felt really good. Just excited to be back," James said. "The crowd, it's a different vibe up here. I was just really excited to score."
