DILLON, Mont. – Sam Rutherford rushed for 134 yards and two scores, including the go-ahead six-yard touchdown run with 2:22 remaining, lifting Montana Western to a 30-27 victory over the College of Idaho at Vigilante Field.
The Bulldogs (5-5, 5-4 Frontier) went 50 yards in five plays inside the final five minutes, erasing a late 27-23 C of I lead. Quarterback Tyler Hulse scrambled 31 yards to the Yote nine yard line, with Rutherford scoring on a draw play to give Western their first lead of the second half.
C of I (4-5, 3-5) had a final chance, but a Teejay Gordon pass went through the hands of a receiver and was picked off by Jesse McCloud inside the final two minutes to seal the victory.
Gordon, who broke the Yotes single-season passing mark on the afternoon, marched C of I down the field on their opening possession, finding Isaac Gonzalez on a 37-yard touchdown strike for a 7-0 lead. Western answered late in the quarter, going 96 yards – aided by a first down on a fake punt – setting up a Hulse-to-Beau Brekke 17-yard touchdown pass to tie the score.
After holding C of I to a three-and-out, Hulse and Brekke connected on a 44-yard touchdown pass, giving the Bulldogs a 13-7 lead. Western was driving on their next possession, but Troy Carr stripped fullback Tony Wilson, with Nate Moore returning the fumble 67-yards for the score to even the game at 13-13.
The Yotes stunned the Bulldogs in the final 65 seconds, driving 97 yards in 10 plays, with Gordon lobbing a 27-yard touchdown pass to Cole Maupin as time expired to give C of I a 20-13 halftime lead.
The lead didn't last, as Western quickly tied the game in the third quarter on a 50-yard touchdown run by Rutherford, but C of I countered, driving 75 yards in 12 plays, as Gordon found Marcus Lenhardt on a four-yard touchdown pass to put the Yotes ahead 27-20.
A Connor Greth 24-yard field goal got UMW within 27-23 at the end of the third quarter, and following a fourth quarter defensive stop, Hulse found Brekke down the sideline for 34 yards down to the C of I 11. However, on a 4th-and- 1 play at the two-yard line, the interior line of the Yotes stacked Rutherford at the line to turn the ball over on downs. The Coyotes recorded two first downs, but had to punt, setting up Rutherford's winning run.
Hulse was 13-of-22 for 164 yards, adding 69 yards on the ground for the Bulldogs – part of a 306-yard rushing afternoon. Brekke caught six passes for 107 yards in the win.
Gordon was 18-of-32 for 233 yards, breaking Charlie Alvaro's 1958 school record for most passing yards in a season. Zach Garzoli and Gordon each rushed for 39 yards, while Lenhardt caught seven passes for 90 yards.
C of I returns to action next Saturday, hosting Eastern Oregon at Noon.
NOTES: The fumble return for a score by Moore was C of I's first defensive touchdown of the season by the Yotes…Gordon's big day also helped the Yotes surpass the single-season team record for passing yards…for the first time this season, C of I lost the time of possession battle, as the Coyotes held the ball for just over 25 minutes…Lenhardt now has 36 receptions on the season, tied for the third-most in school history (R.C. Owens holds the record with 44 set in 1954)…Troy Carr and Josh Price led the team with 10 tackles.
