If any positives are derived from Idaho’s ninth loss of the season, it’s that the Vandals don’t have BYU on their schedule in the near future.
The Cougars have roughed up the Vandals in consecutive seasons and after Saturday’s 52-13 loss, BYU has outscored Idaho 94-20 in two LaVell Edwards Stadium match-ups.
The Cougars gained bowl eligibility with the blowout victory, while keeping Idaho winless on the road this season. It was the fourth time this season the Vandals have given up at least 50 points in a road game.
In a game that saw the Cougars lead by three touchdowns in the first quarter and five at halftime, a number of coaches may have claimed their opponent beat them in every facet of the game.
Idaho interim head coach Jason Gesser credited the loss to the Vandals’ lack of fundamentals.
“At the end of the day if we’re in position to make a play, make the play. If we’re in position to make the tackle, make the tackle,” Gesser said. “We have to clean up some stuff. It’s pure fundamentals.”
Idaho had a chance to go three up on its opponent early in the first quarter when what was a promising 29-yard drive following the initial kickoff, culminated in a missed 53-yard field goal from Trey Farquhar, who had converted twice from that distance this season.
In less than two minutes the Cougars would be the ones in front, after quarterback Riley Nelson fired to leading receiver Cody Hoffman from six yards out.
The Nelson-Hoffman connection remained persistent and the two hooked up for three touchdowns and 108 yards off of just nine passes.
Idaho’s only touchdown made it a two-score game when senior quarterback Logan Bushnell strung together four consecutive passes, the fourth being a 33-yard touchdown strike to Mike Scott.
Still, the early deficit played a part in Idaho’s defeated mentality, Nelson said.
“I was pleased with our performance in the first half, there are still some things to work on, but overall it was really good. It kind of takes the other team’s wind away when you can score on them right off the bat, so that was our plan going in,” he said.
Idaho may have had something going after forcing the Cougars to punt when they led 21-7, but on Idaho’s first offensive play at the 9-yard line, the Vandals fumbled and BYU’s Spencer Hadley scooped up the loose ball on the two-yard line before carrying it into the end zone uncontested.
“That was a little bit of a back-breaker,” Gesser said. “That one hurt.”
BYU scored 14 unanswered points in the second quarter and took a 42-7 lead into halftime.
Idaho held its opponent to just 10 points in the second half of play, when BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall was able to utilize a number of his reserve players.
Still, second-string players held Idaho to six points, coming from two Farquhar field goals.
“When it’s clearly going to be one-sided and the execution demonstrates that we’re playing at a high enough level,” Mendenhall said. “I almost took Riley out before the end of the second quarter. The same with Jamaal (Williams). So I try to gauge it based on how I think we’re performing.”
The Vandals move to 1-9 on the season and will host Texas-San Antonio (6-4, 1-3 WAC) on Senior Day Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Kibbie Dome.
Theo Lawson can be reached at [email protected]