Thumbs down
PETE CASTER/Lewiston Tribune After catching a pass from quarterback Mason Petrino, Idaho receiver David Ungerer is tackled by Coastal Carolina defensive back Dontay Hears during the fourth quarter of a Sun Belt Conference game on Saturday at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.
PETE CASTER/Lewiston Tribune After catching a screen pass from quarterback Mason Petrino, Idaho receiver Alfonso Onunwor (1) jogs into the end zone for a touchdown during the first quarter of a Sun Belt Conference game against Coastal Carolina on Saturday afternoon at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.
MOSCOW — With their four-year starting quarterback on the sideline with a thumb injury, the Idaho Vandals saw their hopes of a second straight bowl game appearance all but vanish Saturday afternoon.
Idaho found the end zone on the game’s opening drive, but Coastal Carolina (2-9, 1-6 Sun Belt) accounted for the rest of the scoring to beat the Vandals (3-7, 2-4) 13-7 on senior day before an announced crowd of 7,444 at the Kibbie Dome.
“It’s a shame,” Idaho coach Paul Petrino said. “I think a lot of people played their hearts out and did a lot of good things, but in football you need 11 guys to do it on every play and we just didn’t. You look at the stat sheet, I mean, eight penalties and they were a lot more successful than we were on third down. Those are the first two things that jump at you.”
Sophomore Mason Petrino, making his first career start at quarterback, hit Alfonso Onunwor for an 18-yard touchdown to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the game. Petrino was 4 for 5 for 54 yards and the score on the possession. He finished the game 18 for 26 for 177 yards playing in place of Matt Linehan, who was one of 17 seniors honored.
The Vandal defense allowed just 275 yards of total offense to the Chanticleers, in their second and final season of transitioning to FBS from FCS. It was Idaho’s final home game as an FBS school — the Vandals are headed back to FCS and the Big Sky Conference next year, after leaving the Big Sky for Division I in 1996.
“It’s a tough one,” Idaho junior wide receiver David Ungerer said. “I mean we just didn’t do the things that we needed to do to win. We did some good things. I thought Mason (Petrino) battled really hard for having his first start. Defense played great. We just have to come up with some more third-down stops and third-down conversions and put some more points on the board ... Just shooting ourselves in the foot all day long. That’s how you lose games.”
Only one Coastal Carolina play went for more than 20 yards, a 42-yard touchdown run by Alex James to tie the game with 6:57 left in the second quarter. The Chanticleers, who snapped a nine-game losing streak, took a 10-7 lead into halftime as Evan Rabon connected on a 52-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the half.
Idaho moved the ball on its first drive of the second half, marching 64 yards in 12 plays. The drive stalled in the red zone where Cade Coffey’s 29-yard field goal attempt was deflected, keeping the Chanticleers in front.
Fortunes appeared to turn on the ensuing possession when Kaden Elliss forced a fumble, scooped it up and was headed for the end zone but a whistle stopped play. Officials initially ruled Coastal Carolina quarterback Kilton Anderson down before the fumble. The call was overturned after a video review and the Vandals were given possession where Elliss recovered the fumble.
A holding penalty curtailed any momentum and Idaho was forced to punt.
Rabon added a 34-yard field goal with 11:46 to play, but his miss from 48 yards with 5:12 left in regulation gave the Vandals new life. Instead, the Chanticleers stopped Idaho on fourth down near midfield.
The 13 points allowed were the fewest surrendered by the Vandals this season. Idaho is now 8-1 under Paul Petrino when allowing fewer than 20 points.
“Those seniors have been really good for this program,” Petrino said. “They have done some great things. We’ll always have a special spot in our hearts for all of them. They have done a lot of really great things. And they’re all going to graduate. That’s the best thing.”
Elliss led the way on defense with 10 tackles, including nine solo stops. He had three tackles for loss, including one sack, to go along with his forced and recovered fumble.
Aaron Duckworth ran for 70 yards on 18 carries for Idaho, which wraps up the regular season Saturday at New Mexico State and Dec. 2 at Georgia State.
“It’s no secret this, along with the last two, was our last shot at six wins,” Vandals junior linebacker Kaden Elliss said. “It hurts because it’s senior night. We wanted to finish the year off strong in the Dome. We wanted to finish off strong for the seniors.”
Co.Carolina 0 10 0 3 — 13
Idaho 7 0 0 0 — 7
First Quarter
IDA—Onunwor 18 pass from Petrino (Coffey kick), 11:29
Second Quarter
CC—Alex James 42 run (Rabon kick), 6:57
CC—FG Rabon 52, :31
Fourth Quarter
CC—FG Rabon 34, 11:46
A—7,444.
CC IDA
First downs 20 14
Rushes-yards 40-175 33-100
Passing 100 177
Comp-Att-Int 11-24-0 18-26-1
Return Yards 64 43
Punts-Avg. 4-40.0 6-40.0
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 3-15 8-84
Time of Possession 32:02 27:58
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Coastal Carolina, Alex James 10-81, Abercrombie 9-26, Outlow 6-21, Chris Jones 2-16, Hairston 3-15, K.Anderson 8-14, Williams 2-2. Idaho, Duckworth 18-70, Mwehla 3-18, Saunders 6-18, Petrino 6-(minus 6).
PASSING—Coastal Carolina, Wilson 0-1-0-0, K.Anderson 11-23-0-100. Idaho, Petrino 18-26-1-177.
RECEIVING—Coastal Carolina, Williams 4-36, Chris Jones 3-36, Collins 2-18, Outlow 1-10, Hairston 1-0. Idaho, Onunwor 7-58, Ungerer 5-62, Sannon 2-22, Wills 2-19, Saunders 2-16.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Coastal Carolina, Rabon 48. Idaho, Coffey 29.