Kick in the Palouse ... Idaho battles back to pull even with WSU, then loses on last-second field goal

By MARK NELKE 

Sports writer 

PULLMAN – For 59 minutes, the FCS Idaho Vandals kept the FBS Washington State Cougars pretty much in check. 

After trailing most of the game, the Vandals scored 10 fourth-quarter points to tie the game late. 

But in the final minute, WSU redshirt sophomore Jaxon Potter marched the Cougars down the field. Then Jack Stevens, one of many transfers who followed coach Jimmy Rogers from South Dakota State, kicked a 32-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to lift WSU to a 13-10 victory over Idaho in the season opener on Saturday night before 28,243 at Gesa Field. 

“Obviously not the result we were looking for,” said first-year Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr., whose team lost two fumbles. “We didn’t feel like the Cougars beat us – the Vandals beat the Vandals. We played with a real effort, but too many mistakes.” 

WSU took a 10-0 lead late in the third quarter on a 30-yard field goal by Jack Stevens. The score was set up when WSU safety Matthew Durrance forced a fumble by Idaho’s Elisha Cummings, and Cougar safety Kyle Peterson recovered. 

Idaho closed it to 10-7 with 7:25 left on a 3-yard touchdown run by Art Williams, a redshirt sophomore from Rocky Mountain High in Meridian. 

Then Idaho defensive end Matyus McLain, a redshirt sophomore from Priest River High, forced a fumble by WSU’s Angel Williams, and the Vandals’ Donovan Parham recovered at the WSU 11. 

 But the Vandals had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Cameron Pope with 1:42 left, on fourth and 2 from the 3. 

That gave WSU time to drive from its 26, with Potter completing six straight passes to set up the winning score. 

“Just a little bit of lack of details,” Idaho defensive end Donovan Parham said. “They went at a fast pace, and we got a little bit tired.” 

McLain, seeing extensive playing time, finished with four tackles, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hurries. 

“He’s a $%^$$ dude,” Ford said. “It’s not shocking to me; I see it every single day. He’s a machine; he’s going to be a household name very soon.” 

With 75 new players, WSU came in with plenty of questions. The  first question answered was when Potter, a redshirt sophomore, trotted out for Washington State’s first series at quarterback.  

The Cougs had not publicly announced which of four quarterbacks would start, though they had made that decision last week. 

After Idaho’s Cameron Pope missed a 44-yard field goal try wide left late in the first quarter, Potter drove WSU to the game’s first touchdown. 

On fourth down and 3 from the Idaho 6, Potter rolled left and hit Josh Meredith just inside the pylon for a touchdown with 11:30 left in the half. 

Idaho appeared to threaten late in the first half, when quarterback Joshua Wood threw a deep ball to Michael Graves inside the Cougar 10. Initially, Cortez-Menjivar was ruled to have fumbled, with WSU recovering. 

But replay determined he lost control of the ball before completing the catch, making the pass incomplete. 

Wood, the quarterback, was flagged for a late hit after a long Vandal gain in the first half. In the third quarter, he was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct. 

“He’s got to do a better job of controlling his emotions,” Ford said of Wood, who rushed for 101 yards, and completed 12 of 20 passes for 33 yards. 

Neither team rolled up a lot of offense. Idaho had 221 yards, WSU 211. The Cougars rushed for 3 yards. Idaho ran for 188. 

“At the end of the day, the defense played their asses off,” Idaho left guard Nate Azzopardi said. “When you only give up 13 points, we should be able to win. The offense has to get better.” 

Trevor Miller, a redshirt sophomore from Post Falls High, also saw action as part of the defensive line rotation. 

Owen Forsman, a redshirt freshman from Lakeland High, kicked off after both Vandal scores. 

Next Saturday, Idaho plays host to St. Thomas, and Washington State is home vs. San Diego State.

    MARK NELKE/Press Washington State wide receiver Tony Freeman races upfield after a catch as Idaho's Cruz Hepburn (44) and Matt Irwin (28) pursue on Saturday night at Gesa Field in Pullman.
  

    MARK NELKE/Press Idaho's Matyus McLain (89) rushes Washington State quarterback Jaxon Potter in the first half Saturday night in Pullman.
  

    MARK NELKE/Press Elisha Cummings (20) of Idaho rushes upfield against Washington State on Saturday night at Gesa Field in Pullman.