Despite holding a 17-0 lead in the second quarter, the University of Idaho football team fell 31-17 to Cal in its final non-conference game.
The Golden Bears were led by redshirt senior running back Isaiah Ifanse, who rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown. Cal was also solid through the air as sophomore quarterback Samuel Jackson V threw for 108 yards and two deep touchdowns.
For Idaho, the stats were switched. The Vandals ran for 108 yards as a team, with sophomore RB Anthony Woods putting up 56 yards. Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore QB Gevani McCoy passed for 279 yards, completing 28 passes. Redshirt junior wide receiver Hayden Hatten was his main target, grabbing eight receptions for 80 yards.
Alongside an electric offense, Cal’s defense showed up, especially in the second half. Junior defensive back Lu-Magia Hearns III had the first forced fumble of the fourth quarter on what would have been an 11-yard reception. Redshirt defensive lineman Darius Long Jr. had the second, hitting the ball out after a five-yard reception.
“We put the ball on the ground a couple times, I myself put the ball on the ground on a punt return,” redshirt senior WR Jermaine Jackson said. “It’s just a lot of stuff we’ve got to clean up.”
Leading the Vandals defense was Tre Thomas, a transfer from South Dakota University. The graduate student linebacker racked up 10 total tackles and one tackle for loss. Just a few spots behind him was another transfer, redshirt sophomore DL Keyshawn James-Newby. He tallied five tackles, half a sack and one TFL.
Although Idaho looked decent on both sides of the ball, there are still areas it needs to clean up. Penalties have been a huge issue for the Vandals early on this season.
“The Vandals (can’t) beat the Vandals with our execution and our penalties,” Head Coach Jason Eck said.
This is the second time since coach Eck’s arrival that the Vandals have really beaten the Vandals. Idaho had nine penalties for 82 yards against Cal. They had eight penalties for 90 yards against UC Davis last season. Both of those games were also lost by giving up big yards on the ground.
“We’ve got to be better at the line of scrimmage, more physical” Eck said. “That’s running the ball and stopping the run.”
Idaho’s next opponent is Sacramento State, who also beat Idaho with the run last season. The Hornets are also coming off a win against their former head coach, Troy Taylor, who now works for Stanford. However, unlike last year, Sac State has leaned more heavily on the pass so far this season.
The Hornets and Vandals will kick off their conference schedule in the Kibbie Dome at 1 p.m. on Sept. 23. Idaho is looking to prove that the hype is real while Sac State tries to continue to prove that this won’t be a down year.
James Taurman-Aldrich can be reached at [email protected] or on X @jamesaldrich25