Former Lakeland High star Forsman boots game-winner for Vandals

MOSCOW — Idaho got it close enough for Owen Forsman to bang a career-long field goal just over the crossbar, and the Vandals' improbable bid for an FCS playoff berth remains alive. 

Forsman, a redshirt sophomore from Lakeland High, drilled a 53-yard field goal as time expired, lifting Idaho past Southern Utah 31-28 in Big Sky Conference football play Saturday afternoon before 10,369 on homecoming at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome. 

"Coach (Thomas) Ford (Jr.) talked about all week, 'do your job, do your 1/11 and we'll win this game,'" Forsman said on the Vandals radio postgame show. "I'm going to go out there, do my job, make the kick, like I have hundreds of times in practice. I didn't have any doubt." 

Idaho (3-5, 3-2 Big Sky) has won two straight and three of its last four, with four games remaining in the regular season.

Southern Utah (3-5, 2-3) tied the game at 28 with 42 seconds remaining on a 57-yard pass and run from Will Burns to Mark Bails Jr. on fourth and 10. 

Turns out, that was just enough time for the Vandals. 

On third and 10, Joshua Wood connected with Zach Card for 10 yards, just enough for the first down at the 35. Wood hit Gus Donnerberg for 9 yards.  

Southern Utah was called for pass interference on a deep ball for Jezioro near the goal line, moving the ball to the Thunderbirds 41. Wood then hit Card on a quick out for 6 yards to the 35, stopping the clock with 5 seconds left. 

The lefty kicking Forsman drilled a line drive that just cleared the crossbar, and was mobbed by his teammates. 

"When you kick so much, you know as soon as you hit the ball if it's got enough distance," Forsman said. "I had to make sure it was between the uprights and I knew it was good. I think I turned around before it went in all the way. I wanted to go celebrate with the team." 

"Owen Forsman delivers; I knew he would," Ford said. "As soon as we knew we could get him into his range, we knew he was going to have a great chance to make the kick." 

Idaho ran for 227 yards, led by Damonte Bias' 89 yards on 11 carries. True freshman Kenny Golston and Hayden Kincheloe each gained 46 yards on the ground. 

"We felt like we had a major advantage, pushing around their defensive line," Ford said. "Our offensive line had its best game of the season. We had been pretty pass-heavy. We knew we had the ability to run the football, so it was nice to see that tonight." 

Idaho held Floyd Chalk, who entered the game second in the FCS with 1,035 rushing yards, to 58 yards on 17 carries. 

Ford praised with work of Vandal defensive coordinator Lee Stalker. 

"Coach Stalker did a phenomenal job getting a great plan together, allowing our guys to play fast, and stop the run," Ford said. "We knew that Floyd Chalk was a great player, but if we could take him away, and make someone else beat us, we were OK with that." 

Burns ran for 187 yards on 18 carries, including a 76-yard scoring run in the third quarter that tied the game at 18. 

Kincheloe's 1-yard run sent Idaho into the locker room with an 18-10 halftime lead. 

Forsman made a 25-yard field goal late in the third, and Wood hit a wide-open Gus Donnerberg from 14 yards out for a 28-18 lead early in the fourth. 

Southern Utah kicked a field goal, then stripped Kincheloe near midfield, leading to the tying touchdown. 

"That one was a crazy one; it had a lot going on at the end of the game," Ford said. 

Idaho plays Portland State next Saturday in Hillsboro, Ore. 

S. Utah     0    10    8    10    —    28 

Idaho    3    15    3    10    —    31 

First quarter 

Idaho — FG Forsman 35, 8:56 

Second quarter 

S.Utah — Chalk 19 run (Rogers kick), 9:20 

Idaho — Taylor 19 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), 7:27 

S.Utah — FG Rogers 42, 3:20 

Idaho — Kincheloe 1 run (Donnerberg pass from Wood), 1:23 

Third quarter 

S.Utah — Burns 76 run (Fairchild pass from Burns), 12:04 

Idaho — FG Forsman 25, 3:09 

Fourth quarter 

Idaho — Donnerberg 14 pass from Wood (Forsman kick), 10:19 

S.Utah — FG Rogers 32, 4:54 

S.Utah — Bails 57 pass from Burns (Rogers kick), :42 

Idaho — FG Forsman 53, :00 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

RUSHING — S. Utah, Burns 18-187, Chalk 17-58. Idaho, Bias 11-89, Wood 8-48, Golston 9-46, Kincheloe 8-46, Carter 1-1, McWilliams 1-(minus 2). 

PASSING — S. Utah, Burns 17-31-1-205. Idaho, Wood, 15-25-1-151. 

RECEIVING — S. Utah, Bails Jr. 2-69, Spjut 3-60, Acord 6-46, Fairchild 3-35, Chalk 3-(minus 5). Idaho, Card 4-57, McWilliams 3-29, Taylor 2-27, Donnerberg 2-23, Bias 2-10, Jezioro 1-7, Golston 1-(minus 2).