Vandals lose on late TD

From news services

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — In a season-opening instant classic on national television, career days from Joshua Wood and Tony Harste were not enough to push Idaho over the edge against Cal Poly, as the Vandals fell 38-34 before 11,186 at Mustang Memorial Field.

Owen Forsman, from Lakeland High, was 4-for-4 on field goals, including a 40-yard kick with just 1:03 on the clock to give Idaho a 34-31 lead. 

However, the Mustangs marched down the field in five plays, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a circus catch with nine seconds remaining. 

Wood finished with 363 passing yards. Tony Harste was on the receiving end of 9 receptions, 180 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. Senior captain Cruz Hepburn from Lewiston High led the defense with a career high of 12 tackles.

Forsman cashed in a 23-yard field goal to get Idaho on the board after an 11-play drive to pull Idaho within 7-3.

Cal Poly maintained its offensive rhythm on their next series, piecing together 16 plays in nearly eight minutes to take a 14-3 lead. The Vandals answered with another 11-play drive, this time with Ferrari Miller punching it in from seven yards out, pulling UI back within four. Wood and Harste connected twice on the drive, kickstarting the possession with a 22-yard completion to get into Mustang territory. Cal Poly quickly stretched their lead back to 11, opening the drive with back-to-back explosive plays in the form of 17- and 23-yard throws, and scoring on a 16-yard touchdown pass just after the two-minute timeout. 

Early in the second half, Forsman made his second kick of the night, a 40-yarder, to make the score 21-13 Cal Poly.

Forsman’s third field goal, this time from a game-high 44 yards out, pulled Idaho within five. 

After a Mustangs field goal, Woods found Ryan Jezioro 65 yards downfield, setting Idaho up for Wood’s first passing score of the season on a Harste highlight-reel grab in the front corner of the end zone. The snag was the junior’s first of his career and, when combined with a Wood shovel pass to Noah West-Baranco on the two-point attempt, allowed UI to level the score at 24. 

Idaho took a 31-24 lead when Woods delivered a dot to Harste down the right sideline on third down, and the speedy 5-11 wideout took it to the house, giving Idaho a 31-24 advantage. The Cal Poly offense did not let UI hold the lead for long, answering with a nine-play, 65-yard drive in less than four minutes to knot the score once again. 

Idaho plays at No. 21 Utah next Thursday at 6 p.m.on ESPNU.