Vandal statement: Idaho goes into Missoula, stuns No. 2 Griz

From local reports, wire and news services

MISSOULA, Mont. — First-year Idaho football coach Jason Eck didn’t take long to deliver a signature win to the long-suffering Vandal faithful.

Six games, in fact.

The Idaho Vandals, with a terrific ball-control performance and two big fourth-quarter interceptions, stunned the Big Sky Conference favorite and second-ranked Montana Grizzlies 30-23 on Saturday before a sold-out crowd of 26,314 at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

“Well, I think we had great belief,” Eck said on the Idaho postgame radio show. “I think this is a confident team; I think it’s a mentally tough team. Our coach did a great job exuding confidence to our players all week. And we came in and executed, our defense was outstanding, Gevani (McCoy) was outstanding again.”

Idaho (4-2, 3-0 Big Sky) beat Montana (5-1, 2-1) for the first time since 1999, ending a streak of seven straight losses to the Griz. The Vandals recaptured the Little Brown Stein, the oldest traveling trophy in the conference.

More importantly, the Vandals sent a message, in their fifth year back in FCS, that they are ready to finally contend for a conference title and an FCS playoff berth.

“I think it shows we’re one of the top 20 teams in the country,” Eck said. “I would think we’d get ranked following this game. I thought we were one of the top 20 teams before this weekend, but … it means that we have a really big game next week against Portland State at home.”

Idaho outgained Montana 344-220 and controlled the clock, with 42:08 in time of possession to 17:52 for Montana. It was the highest mark of the season for the team that leads the FCS in time of possession.

Idaho couldn’t run on Montana — just 52 yards on 44 rushes — but quarterback Gevani McCoy was 21 of 27 for 286 yards and two TDs, with one interception.

Hayden Hatten had nine catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns and he snagged a high-bouncing onside kick at midfield with 31 seconds left.

In front of a hostile crowd, the Vandals limited their mistakes, forced two turnovers late, and didn’t allow the Griz to bury them as they have many others that have come into Missoula.

It could have happened late in the second quarter, when McCoy threw an interception right to Montana linebacker Patrick O’Connell, who returned it 42 yards to the Idaho 15. Montana QB Lucas Johnson snuck it in from a yard out for a 13-5 Griz lead with 1:48 left in the half.

But Idaho, fairly conservative most of the game, answered by pushing the ball down the field. A roughing-the-passer penalty kept the drive alive, and McCoy, with O’Connell bearing down on him, hit Hatten for a 24-yard score to cut the Griz lead to 13-12 at the half.

Idaho then stole a possession to begin the second half, recovering a surprise onside kick. That led to a 40-yard field goal by Ricardo Chavez for a 15-13 lead.

“We saw a little something on tape, that sometimes their guys left a little early on their front line,” Eck said. “And then our kicker is really good with that kick; it was just a perfect kick by Logan Prescott. In practice, we call that play ‘surprise.’”

After forcing a punt and drawing a late-hit penalty on the return, Idaho scored on the first play when McCoy and Hatten connected from 43 yards out to make it 22-13.

Idaho gave up a 49-yard kickoff return, but held the Griz to a short field goal and still led 22-16 after 3.

Montana forced a Vandal punt, and Junior Bergen returned it 40 yards to the Idaho 45. But Johnson threw into traffic, and Paul Moala intercepted with 6:27 left.

Idaho punted into the end zone and Tommy McCormick, who blocked a PAT in the first quarter, stepped in front of a Griz receiver for an interception, and returned it 29 yards to the Montana 2.

Roshaun Johnson ran it in from 1 on third down with 2:14 left to make it 30-16 and sent thousands of Griz fans for the exits.

“We wanted to stop the run, and keep their quarterback in the pocket, because he’s a really good scrambler, and force him to beat us from the pocket,” Eck said. “And he threw it to us a couple of times, so it was excellent execution by the defense.”

Montana scored with 32 seconds left, but Hatten recovered the onside kick to clinch the victory.

“This is a great win; this is a great win for Vandal history,” Hatten said. “I’d say it’s surreal, but we believed we could do it, so it’s good to see things work out like we expected them to.”

Idaho took the opening kickoff and drove to a 47-yard field goal by Chavez.

Montana answered when Bergen made a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone for a 6-3 Griz lead.

Montana’s punter misplayed a snap, chased it down in the end zone and was tackled by Idaho’s Hogan Hatten for a safety, creating the unlikely 6-5 score.

“To come in to beat a top-ranked team like Montana, at their house, is a fantastic feeling, and it just shows how much we’ve improved as a team, and how much our culture has gotten better here at the University of Idaho," Hatten said.

Idaho plays host to Portland State on Saturday.