Manly in defeat

MOSCOW — More than 400 yards of offense against one of the top defenses in FCS.

The most points scored against that stingy defense all season.

Both good things, but in the end, a few too many miscues cost the Idaho Vandals in a 41-35 loss to the Weber State Wildcats in Big Sky Conference football Saturday afternoon before 5,947 at the Kibbie Dome.

Idaho coach Paul Petrino prepared his team for a slugfest against defensive-minded Weber (3-2), playing its conference opener. The Wildcats came in ranked No. 4 in FCS by the media and No. 5 by the coaches.

“I said ‘Be a man, play with toughness,’” Petrino said. “Let’s show toughness and be men, and I think they did that. You don’t need to be happy (with the narrow loss); you don’t need to go hug the other team, and smile, but you also don’t need to hang your head. Because you played with toughness, you played with courage, you played as hard as you can.”

The Vandals (2-4, 0-2 Big Sky) lost for the third time in four weeks, by a total of 14 points.

“Wyoming, Northern Colorado, today ... we’re two plays away from winning any one of them,” Petrino said. “But we’ve got to start making those two plays.”

It was all Wildcats to start the game, with Weber State jumping out to a 13-0 lead early in the second quarter, turning two Idaho turnovers into field goals. The Vandals responded with back-to-back touchdowns from Aundre Carter and Cutrell Haywood to take a brief 14-13 lead, but the Wildcats added another score just before the break to head into halftime up 20-14.

The squads traded touchdowns in the second half, with Idaho unable to get the stop it needed after a score. The Vandals were able to make it 34-28, late, on a 1-yard run from Mason Petrino. Idaho went for the onside kick, but ultimately left Weber State with a short field to work. After an 18-yard run from Kris Jackson made it 41-28, Wildcats, Nick Romano returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards to the house to bring it back to a one-score game. The Vandals were again unable to get the ball back on the onside kick, and Weber State kneeled out the clock.

Doug Lloyd, the holder on field goal attempts, took a snap and went 30 yards untouched on a fake for a 34-21 Wildcats lead late in the third quarter. Lloyd also ran for a first down on a fake punt to keep a drive alive that resulted in a score earlier in the quarter.

Carter, who along with wide receiver Jeff Cotton left the game with injuries, led the Vandal offense on the ground with 88 yards on 10 carries. Haywood grabbed a career-high 10 catches for 92 yards, also a career-best.

Defensively, the Vandals were led by Tre Walker for the sixth time in six games this season. He finished with 13 tackles. Charles Akanno recorded a career-high four tackles for loss, and forced a fumble. Linebacker Kyle Perry (Sandpoint High) had six tackles.

Idaho outgained Weber 405-386, but lost three fumbles, and was penalized 12 times for 114 yards. Mason Petrino passed for 212 yards and a touchdown, and also ran for one score.

“I think we were ready, we were just hurting ourselves,” Paul Petrino said. “If that’s the No. 4 team in the country, we’re not that far off from being a darn good football team. “We’ve just got to keep fighting.”

Weber St. 41, Idaho 35

Weber St. 10 10 14 7 — 41

Idaho 0 14 7 14 — 35

First Quarter

WEB—Davis 54 run (Tuttle kick), 10:06.

WEB—FG Tuttle 45, 5:53.

Second Quarter

WEB—FG Tuttle 52, 10:33.

IDHO—Carter 11 run (Coffey kick), 6:59.

IDHO—Haywood 2 pass from Petrino (Coffey kick), 3:15.

WEB—Cooley 9 pass from Constantine (Tuttle kick), 0:49.

Third Quarter

WEB—Smith 24 run (Tuttle kick), 10:25.

IDHO—Thigpen 20 run (Coffey kick), 3:41.

WEB—Lloyd 30 run (Tuttle kick), 1:30.

Fourth Quarter

IDHO—Petrino 1 run (Coffey kick), 3:19.

WEB—Jackson 18 run (Tuttle kick), 1:24.

IDHO—Romano 97 kickoff return (Coffey kick), 1:09.

WEB IDHO

First downs 22 24

Rushes-yards 38-223 33-193

Passing 163 212

Comp-Att-Int 20-36-1 24-35-0

Return Yards 55 152

Punts-Avg. 4-45.3 5-35.6

Fumbles-Lost 2-1 3-3

Penalty-Yards 11-99 12-114

Time of Possession 32:13 27:47

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Weber St., K. Jackson 9-84, K. Smith 15-64, J. Davis 6-63, D. Lloyd 2-41, J. Constantine 4-(minus 25). Idaho, A. Carter 10-88, N. Romano 14-60, D. Thigpen 3-28, M. Petrino 6-17.

PASSING—Weber St., J. Constantine 20-36-1-163. Idaho, M. Petrino 24-35-0-212.

RECEIVING—Weber St., D. Cooley 9-89, D. Ames 3-36, D. James 3-36, R. Shaheed 2-28, H. Meacham 1-11, K. Smith 1-4, J. Malone 1-(minus 1), J. Davis 3-(minus 4). Idaho, C. Haywood 10-92, J. Cotton 5-37, C. Whitney 3-30, J. Boston 3-24, H. Hatten 1-18, M. Noil 1-8, N. Romano 1-3.