Treasured victory — Idaho outlasts Griz, captures Little Brown Stein

From wire and news services and local reports 

MISSOULA, Mont. — Against the rest of the FCS teams on their schedule this season, the Idaho Vandals have played well enough to just come up short. 

Against two of the top FCS teams in the country? 

The Vandals are Montana beaters. 

Backup quarterback Israel Carter scored his first collegiate touchdown to put Idaho ahead to stay early in the fourth quarter, and the Vandals stopped Montana's final drive to beat the seventh-ranked Griz, 42-35 for the Little Brown Stein in Big Sky Conference play Saturday afternoon before 26,567 at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.  

"That was one of those instant classics for sure," Idaho coach Thomas Ford Jr. said on the Vandals' post-game radio show. "Obviously the guys played their butts off. The coaches had a great plan in general, did a decent job slowing down No. 10 (Eli Gillman), got the stops when we needed to, and Joshua Wood is the best player in the conference." 

Two weeks ago, Idaho (2-5, 2-2 Big Sky) upset defending FCS champion and then-No. 1 Montana State. It was the first time since 1989 the Vandals have beaten both teams from the Treasure State. 

Montana is 5-3, 3-2. 

It was Idaho's second win in its last three trips to Missoula. The Vandals won at Montana in 2022, and fell there last year. 

"It just shows the feeling of this team. We have not reached our potential quite yet in those first six games, specifically those first four," Ford said. "What you're seeing is this group's potential really starting to show in all three phases. I've always known we had a really good football team, we're just a little bit inexperienced. And now that you're seeing these guys get that experience that's necessary to win in this league, you're seeing a team that can play with anybody." 

Idaho quarterback Joshua Wood threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 85 yards and a score. 

"He's the best player in this conference, and I don't think anybody can argue that," Ford said. "The way that he controls the football game, not only throwing the football but with his legs, he's incredible. There's not a lot of people in the country that I believe are better than him at playing quarterback. This season, he's really become a true passer. He's just an incredible talent, an incredible leader, and an even better young man." 

Idaho jumped out to a 14-0 lead after its first two possessions. Zach Card made a diving catch of a 10-yard TD throw from Wood, then Wood hit Ryan Jezioro on a 14-yard score. 

On Idaho's opening possession, Wood was intercepted by Montana's Chris Johnson II, but Idaho tight end Gus Donnerberg stripped the ball from him and Vandal running back Damonte Bias recovered to regain possession. 

Keali'i Ah Yat threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns for Montana. Eli Gillman ran for 139 yards on 19 carries. Brooks Davis caught three TD passes, the final one early in the third quarter to tie the game at 21. 

Jezioro's second TD catch put Idaho on top 28-21 midway through the third. 

Hayden Kincheloe's 6-yard run late in the third put Idaho ahead 35-28. 

Gillman took a checkdown pass and ran it in from 3 yards out to tie it at 35 early in the fourth. 

Idaho answered in four plays. Wood scrambled for 35 yards, then hit Nolan McWilliams on a catch-and-run to the Montana 3. Carter checked in and, two plays later, scored from 2 yards out for the eventual game-winning score. 

Montana missed a 46-yard field goal try, then got the ball back with 2:05 left. 

The Griz drove to the Idaho 19, where on fourth and 10 Ah Yat threw incomplete in the end zone with 33 seconds left, and Idaho kneeled out the clock. 

"This has been a resilient group all year," Ford said. "We talked about running to the battle. And we knew we were going to get punched in the face; they're a top-10 team. We knew if we got punched, we had to keep swinging back. 

"This is one of those victories we'll remember for a really long time." 

Idaho plays host to Southern Utah on Saturday.

Idaho    14    7    14    7    —    42 

Montana    0    14    14    7    —    35 

First quarter 

Idaho — Card 10 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), 10:05 

Idaho — Jezioro 14 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), 1:35 

Second quarter  

Mont — Davis 18 pass from Ah Yat (Silver kick), 13:39 

Idaho — Wood 2 run (Forsman kick) 6:21 

Mont — Davis 5 pass from Ah Yat (Silver kick), 1:05 

Third quarter 

Mont — Davis 33 pass from Ah Yat (Silver kick), 12:23 

Idaho — Jezioro 13 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), 7:37 

Mont — Ramsom-Goelz 22 pass from Ah Yat (Silver kick), 5:57 

Idaho — Kincheloe 6 run (Forsman kick), :10 

Fourth quarter 

Mont — Gillman 3 pass from Ah Yat (Silver kick), 11:53 

Idaho — Carter 2 run (Forsman kick), 10:07 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING — Idaho, Wood 11-85, Kincheloe 11-44, Bias 11-32, Carter 1-2, Golston 1-(minus 2). Mont, E. Gillman 19-139, Ah Yat 5-9, Davis 1-0, M. Gillman 1-0, Schweikert 0-(minus 1), Paine 1-(minus 2). 

PASSING — Idaho, Wood 30-38-1-335. Mont, Ah Yat 25-31-0-338. 

RECEIVING — Idaho, Harste 5-61, McWilliams 5-60, Superales 5-12, Jezioro 4-6, Bias 3-15, Donnerberg 3-18, Card 3-6, Alexander 1-3, Bogan 1-7. Mont, Davis 8-104, Bridges 5-18, E. Gillman 4-31, Ransom-Goelz 3-67, Rohrer 2-43, Finch 1-28, Brooks 1-20, Birdno 1-7.