MOSCOW - One play did not make the game in Idaho's 34-27 loss to UTSA in the Kibbie Dome. But one play late in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game managed to sum up the afternoon for the Vandals.

Down by a touchdown, Justin Veltung decided to retrieve a low spiral of a punt, instead of letting UTSA down it, after Idaho's defense forced the Roadrunners into a three-and-out deep in their own territory with a little more than 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the game. Veltung got a hand on the ball after it bounced up from the field, but the senior could not corral it.

Instead, UTSA's Kam Jones came out of the pileup with the ball and the Roadrunners converted one more first down to run out the clock and collect the Western Athletic Conference win before an announced crowd of 9,030.

"It is not about one play," Idaho interim head coach Jason Gesser said. "It is not about one thing here, one thing there. It is a combination of things. That is the thing I have been preaching to these guys and trying to get these guys to understand."

Gesser cited a number of reasons for the Vandals' 10th loss of the season. Chief among them were 12 penalties for 100 yards, three turnovers and miscues on special teams.

Eight of the penalties and two of the turnovers occurred in a lethargic first half for the Vandals (1-10, 1-4 WAC). UTSA (7-4, 2-3) turned the Idaho mistakes into 276 yards of total offense and a 20-3 lead at halftime.

Gesser described the team’s attitude as “blah” before the game and into the first quarter. Wide receiver Mike Scott said the Senior Day activities prior to the game might have played a role in the team’s slow start.

“You get a little antsy,” said Scott, a senior who was flagged for a false start in the first half. “I was just so ready to go because I wanted to make something happen that I didn’t listen to the snap count and I jumped off, and that happened to a couple of guys on the team.”

Scott and junior backup quarterback Taylor Davis, however, managed to make something happen in the second half.

The two connected for 10-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter. The score sparked a rally that saw the Vandals tie the game at 20 after Davis hit Najee Lovett for a 12-yard TD and Trey Farquhar booted a 22-yard field goal.

Farquhar’s kick came after punter Bobby Cowan completed a 64-yard pass play to Camryn Harris, giving Idaho a first down at UTSA’s 2. But two penalties — delay of game and holding — helped keep the Vandals from taking the lead.

UTSA responded with a five-play drive that ended with quarterback Eric Soza scoring on a 1-yard run. Soza added another TD less than 3 minutes later after the Roadrunners blocked a Cowan punt at Idaho’s 21.

“It’s not rocket science … we beat ourselves,”Gesser said. “We gave them every opportunity and they took advantage of it.”

Idaho pulled to within 34-27 with 5:04 remaining in the game when Davis found a wide-open Scott for a 34-yard TD. Scott finished with a career-high 10 catches for 116 yards.

The Vandals finish their season next Saturday at Utah State. The Aggies (9-2, 5-0) secured at least a share of the WAC title and a possible trip to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Saturday with a 48-41 overtime win over No. 19 Louisiana Tech.

“I truly hope that the second-half team shows up the whole game next week,” Gesser said. “I do certainly hope that the first-half team is dead and gone and that we start fast and with a purpose next week.”

UTSA 10 10 0 14—34

Idaho 3 0 14 10—27

First Quarter

UTSA—Soza 9 run (Ianno kick), 12:05.

UTSA—FG Ianno 27, 4:27.

Id_FG Farquhar 51, 1:17.

Second Quarter

UTSA—Glasco 3 run (Ianno kick), 7:05.

UTSA—FG Ianno 24, 1:45.

Third Quarter

Id_M.Scott 10 pass from T.Davis (Farquhar kick), 7:24.

Id_Lovett 12 pass from T.Davis (Farquhar kick), 2:50.

Fourth Quarter

Id_FG Farquhar 22, 12:27.

UTSA—Soza 1 run (Ianno kick), 9:41.

UTSA—Soza 9 run (Ianno kick), 7:05.

Id_M.Scott 34 pass from T.Davis (Farquhar kick), 5:04.

A_9,030.

Id UTSA

First downs 21 22

Rushes-yards 37-192 27-127

Passing 232 342

Comp-Att-Int 23-36-0 25-40-1

Return Yards 25 (-3)

Punts-Avg. 3-42.0 3-33.3

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 3-2

Penalties-Yards 5-50 12-100

Time of Possession 34:19 25:41

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING_UTSA, Soza 11-89, Glasco 14-55, Jones 3-29, Okotcha 6-25, Team 3-(minus 6). Idaho, Baker 10-32, Handley 3-25, T.Davis 6-25, R.Bass 5-17, Parkins 1-16, Bushnell 1-8, Lovett 1-4.

PASSING_UTSA, Soza 23-36-0-232. Idaho, T.Davis 18-29-1-223, Bushnell 6-10-0-55, Cowan 1-1-0-64.

RECEIVING_UTSA, Harrison 4-25, Okotcha 3-55, Armstrong 3-9, Freeman 2-56, Holmes 2-25, Hubble 2-22, Moeller 2-11, Hicks 2-6, Simpson 1-12, Mack 1-10, Monroe 1-1. Idaho, M.Scott 10-116, Lovett 5-49, Runner 3-68, Handley 3-11, Level 2-19, Harris 1-64, Veltung 1-15.