Can't stop these Vandals — Idaho rolls up 650 yards of offense, scores on first nine drives in blowout of Eastern Washington

By MARK NELKE 

Sports writer

MOSCOW — Like most other opponents this season, Eastern Washington could do little to contain Joshua Wood, Idaho's dual-threat quarterback. 

Turns out, the Eagles couldn't stop his backup either. 

Come to think of it, Eastern had a hard time stopping the Vandals at all. 

Idaho rolled up 650 yards of total offense and scored on its first nine drives — eight of them touchdowns — and steamrolled Eastern Washington 62-31 in Big Sky Conference football Saturday afternoon before 10,919 at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome. 

Idaho (5-5, 5-2 Big Sky) won its fourth straight game, and fifth out of its last six following an 0-4 start, to remain in contention for an FCS playoff berth — something that wouldn't have been thought possible in mid-September.

"I stood up here six weeks ago and told you I believed in this team," second-year Idaho coach Thomas Ford said. "I know that we have something special, and I know we could get some things rolling. And I was glad I was able to deliver. But I was only able to deliver because of these players." 

Eastern is 2-8, 1-6. 

Wood, who missed last year's "Che-Scow Cup" game won by Eastern 21-14 in Cheney, passed for 315 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 107 yards and two scores. 

"It feels very rewarding, and a little bit personal as well," Wood said of this year's matchup with Eastern. "Last year there was a lot of talk after the game — those words were not forgotten." 

"I've said it once or twice before — this is the best quarterback in FCS football," Ford said, looking at Wood seated next to him at the press conference, "and we have the pleasure of watching him in Moscow." 

It was the most points Idaho has ever scored on Eastern Washington in their 31 meetings. The Vandals' previous high was in a 51-28 win over EWU in Spokane in 1990. 

Idaho scored touchdowns on all five of its drives in the first half and led 35-10 at intermission.  

The Vandals won the toss and took the ball, and Wood scrambled for 28 yards and a touchdown, kissing the pylon with the ball as he dived the final few yards. 

Nolan McWilliams got behind the Eastern defense down the right sideline and hauled in a 33-yard pass to make it 14-3 at the quarter. 

Lonyatta Alexander Jr., in his second year with Idaho after transferring from Montana State, caught his first touchdown pass as a Vandal, a 25-yarder from Wood early in the second quarter to make it 21-3.  

Israel Carter, Wood's backup, came in late in the third quarter with the ball on the EWU 2. On his first snap, he hurdled a defender at the goal line to boost the Idaho lead to 45-17 after three. 

Carter wasn't done, breaking off touchdown runs of 39 and 69 yards in the fourth quarter. He finished with 169 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries. 

"Seeing Izzy Carter go out there and ball out is not a surprise to us," Wood said. "We see it in practice." 

Idaho settled for a field goal on its first possession of the second half, then scored touchdowns on its next three drives, before the backups took over. 

"We just felt like we had a great advantage (offensively) with what they were doing," Ford said. "We felt like we could throw the ball a lot of different ways. Coach (Ian) Shoemaker (offensive coordinator) did a great job anticipating what they were going to be in, and giving Joshua a lot of options." 

Wood praised his offensive line. 

"Any time I am able to sit back there for seven seconds, it's a quarterback's dream," he said. 

"3 (Wood) is their engine, and that engine worked loud today," 10th year Eastern coach Aaron Best said. "They've been playing good football of late, and 3 has had a lot to do with it." 

Idaho lost a fumble on its 10th possession, midway through the fourth quarter, to end its scoring streak. 

Ford praised his defense for holding Eastern to under 300 total yards (298), including just 50 on the ground.  

"Our defense set the tone, as far as stopping the run," he said, "and made them a one-dimensional team." 

Nate Bell threw a touchdown pass to his freshman brother, Jaxon, and also ran for a score for Eastern, which trailed 59-17 before a couple of late touchdowns. 

"Pretty disappointing; understatement," Best said of not being able to stop the Vandal offense. "We didn't come here to spoil their season, we came here to win a rivalry game, and we didn't do that. Far from it. Not a lot of things went right." 

Owen Forsman, the Lakeland High product who entered the game 12 of 16 on field goals this season, booted field goals of 39 and 53 yards on Saturday. Two weeks ago, his 53-yarder at the gun beat Southern Utah. 

"That guy's automatic, man," Ford said. "What you're seeing with Owen is you're seeing his confidence grow, but you're seeing his confidence grow because he is very consistent in his work ethic. That guy works extremely hard; he might be one of the strongest kickers in America. He has been good for us all season." 

Outside of the Weber State game, where Forsman missed three kicks on a windy day, "he's been lights-out," Ford said. "You take that game away, and he's missed one field goal all season. The confidence that we all have in him is critical, and you're seeing his confidence continue to rise." 

Idaho plays host to Cal Poly next Saturday. 

EWU     3    7    7    14    —    31 

Idaho     14    21    10    17    —    62 

First quarter 

Idaho — Wood 28 run (Forsman kick), 9:51 

EWU — FG McKee 37, 4:52 

Idaho — McWilliams 33 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), 2:21 

Second quarter 

Idaho — Alexander 25 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), 11:11 

EWU — J. Bell 25 pass from N. Bell (McKee kick), 7:44 

Idaho — Wood 5 run (Forsman kick), 2:23 

Idaho — Card 2 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), :10 

Third quarter 

Idaho — FG Forsman 39, 8:34 

EWU — N. Bell 6 run (McKee kick), 3:37 

Idaho — Carter 2 run (Forsman kick), :00 

Fourth quarter 

Idaho — Carter 39 run (Forsman kick), 13:08 

Idaho — Carter 69 run (Forsman kick), 10:33 

EWU — J. Bell 6 pass from Schakel (McKee kick), 7:51 

Idaho — FG Forsman 53, 4:54 

EWU — Cabrera 25 pass from Schakel (McKee kick), :29 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING — EWU, J. Bell 6-22, N. Bell 9-13, Robles 4-13, Allen 7-4, Carlson 1-(minus 1). Idaho, Carter 7-164, Wood 12-107, Bias 8-42, Miller 4-15, Kincheloe 3-11, McWilliams 1-3, Teeney 1-1, Reese 2-(minus 1), Golston 3-(minus 5).  

PASSING — EWU, N. Bell 17-24-0-174, Schakel 6-10-1-74. Idaho, Wood 20-29-0-315, Carter 0-3-0-0, Teeney 0-1-0-0.  

RECEIVING — EWU, J. Bell 3-42, Branch 4-37, Lang 3-31, Carlson 2-30, Cabrera 1-25, Garrett 4-23, Robles 1-22, Stuit 1-18, Allen 2-8, East 1-6, Luebkert 1-6. Idaho, McWilliams 4-86, Alexander 3-65, Donnerberg 2-41, Jezioro 3-40, Harste 3-39, Superales 2-23, Card 3-21. 

    MARK NELKE/Press Idaho's Lonyatta Alexander (2) hauls in a 25-yard touchdown pass in the first half against Eastern Washington on Saturday at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome in Moscow.