Farquhar is golden
<p>Idaho's Jahrie Level make a leaping catch over New Mexico State's Camerin Fuller for the touchdown, giving the Vandals a 17-3 lead over the Aggies.</p>
<p>Idaho kicker Trey Farquhar celebrates with holder Bobby Cowan after drilling a 53 yard field goal in the third quarter. Farquhar made 4 field goals on the day with a long of 55 yards.</p>
<p>Idaho's Justin Parkins (center) splits New Mexico State's Austin Franklin (left) and Dylan Davis (right) to secure the muffed punt by Franklin late in the first quarter. The Vandals turned the turnover into a touchdown on their wat to a 26-16 victory Saturday.</p>
MOSCOW — Trey Farquhar’s gold-trimmed shoes were as good as gold for Idaho during Saturday’s homecoming game against New Mexico State.
The senior connected on four field goals — including a career-tying best of 55 yards — to help the Vandals to a 26-18 victory over New Mexico State in front of a crowd of 14,755 at the Kibbie Dome. The victory is Idaho’s first this season and snaps an eight-game losing streak that dates back to last November.
“It feels great to finally get a win,” Farquhar said. “We had a rough start at the beginning (of the season). Nobody liked it. We were all down on ourselves, and finally it was like it’s WAC … play. It just started today, so we are 1-0. (We) forgot about the last five games. Let’s move forward.”
Those sentiments were shared by Farquhar’s teammates in the postgame interviews.
“It’s our first win, so now that we’ve won a game — now we just (have) to learn to win,” junior quarterback Dominique Blackman said. “Winning teams would put that team away.”
The Aggies (1-5, 0-2 Western Athletic Conference) finished with 407 yards of total offense — 21 yards more than the Vandals — but Idaho (1-5, 1-0) won the battle in other key categories, including turnovers. The Vandals had four takeaways, which they converted into 17 points.
“When we got the free possession, the takeaway, the offense (was) able to get points out of that,” Idaho coach Robb Akey said.
With the game tied 3-3 late in the first quarter, Idaho backup Justin Parkins recovered a fumbled punt at New Mexico State’s 35-yard line. It took just one play for Blackman to find junior Najee Lovett for an easy touchdown strike when Aggies’ linebacker Trashaun Nixon slipped in coverage.
Another turnover that led to a score bailed the Vandals out in the second quarter. Idaho was stopped on a fourth-and-1 at New Mexico State’s 12-yard line, but Idaho senior linebacker Homer Mauga grabbed a ball he tipped at the Aggies’ 24. Three plays later, sophomore Jahrie Level hauled in a 17-yard TD pass before stepping out of bounds to give Idaho a 17-3 lead.
New Mexico State cut the lead to 17-10 with 5 minutes remaining in the first half, but Idaho responded with an 11-play drive that ended with Farquhar making the first of two field goals from outside of 50 yards.
Farquhar added field goals of 32 and 53 yards in the second half. New Mexico State’s only score after halftime came with 1:55 remaining in the game, but Idaho junior receiver Roman Runner corralled the onside kick to secure the win.
Farquhar’s performance could garner the same national recognition he received last month after making all three of his field goal attempts in a 40-37 loss to Wyoming. His longest kick against the Cowboys was a 53-yarder, and he is now 10 of 11 on field goals this season.
“(Trey’s) a guy you can count on,” Akey said. “He is a tremendous kicker.”
Saturday’s performance might have been enhanced by an unusual foot rub Farquhar received on Friday from Olympic cyclist Kristin Armstrong. The Idaho graduate used her gold medal from the London Games.
“She rubbed my right foot,” Farquhar said. “So, yeah, it was pretty cool.”
New Mexico St. 3 7 0 8—18
Idaho 10 10 6 0—26
First Quarter
NMSU_FG Stampler 42, 8:51.
Id_FG Farquhar 39, 6:48.
Id_Lovett 35 pass from Blackman (Farquhar kick), 2:37.
Second Quarter
Id_Level 17 pass from Blackman (Farquhar kick), 11:24.
NMSU_Bateman 30 pass from Manley (Stampler kick), 5:03.
Id_FG Farquhar 55, :00.
Third Quarter
Id_FG Farquhar 32, 8:35.
Id_FG Farquhar 53, 1:55.
Fourth Quarter
NMSU_Manley 1 run (Franklin pass from Manley), 1:55.
A_14,755.
NMSU Id
First downs 23 20
Rushes-yards 28-98 28-82
Passing 309 304
Comp-Att-Int 28-46-2 26-48-1
Return Yards (-2) 9
Punts-Avg. 5-39.0 5-41.2
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 2-1
Penalties-Yards 8-60 9-97
Time of Possession 29:04 30:56
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING_New Mexico St., Morrison 16-66, Colwell 4-22, Mustafa 2-12, Franklin 2-4, Manley 4-(minus 6). Idaho, R.Bass 14-45, Baker 9-37, Blackman 1-8, Handley 2-(minus 3), Team 2-(minus 5).
PASSING_New Mexico St., Manley 28-45-2-309, Walls 0-1-0-0. Idaho, Blackman 26-48-1-304.
RECEIVING_New Mexico St., Franklin 9-115, Bateman 5-76, J.Brown 5-38, Clay 4-20, Morrison 2-7, Matthews 1-27, Quiroga 1-13, Scoggins 1-13. Idaho, Level 8-92, Runner 4-41, M.Scott 3-78, Lovett 3-46, Handley 3-2, R.Bass 2-21, Homme 1-9, Veltung 1-8, Baker 1-7.