CALDWELL, Idaho – Teejay Gordon ran for 167 yards and two of College of Idaho's six rushing touchdowns, as the Coyotes improved to 3-1 on the season with a 41-25 victory over Montana Tech before 4,360 fans at Simplot Stadium.
Tied 7-7 at the half, Trevor Henderson forced a fumble by the Orediggers (1-4, 1-4) Pat Hansen at the Tech 28 yard line. C of I used the short field, as Zach Garzoli scampered in from four yards out to give the Coyotes the lead for good.
A 41-yard reception by Alec Bray set up a 33-yard field goal by Matt Berg to get the Diggers within 14-10, but Gordon answered, weaving his way to a 54-yard touchdown run to give C of I a 21-10 lead.
After a three-and-out, the Yotes chewed up nearly eight minutes of the clock, going 67 yards in 15 plays, capped by a Gordon four-yard scoring run into the left corner of the end zone to break the game open.
C of I rushed for 348 yards on the afternoon, Kyle Merritt rushing for 77 yards and Garzoli adding 70 yards and three touchdowns. Gordon was 15-of-21 for 159 yards through the air, connecting three times with Garzoli for 74 yards.
Dawson Reardon, making his first start at quarterback for Tech, was 15-of-30 for 229 yards, with Bray catching five passes for 127 yards. Hansen ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns, including a 61-yard score on a draw play inside the final two minutes.
The Yotes got on the board midway through the first quarter, as Kevin McLemore scrambled 11 yards for a first down on a fake punt, setting up a Garzoli 10-yard run for a 7-0 lead. Tech had their best drive of the day in the second quarter, going 83 yards in 16 plays – aided by a roughing the kicker call after a missed Berg field goal – with Hansen tying the game on a one-yard plunge.
C of I returns to action next Saturday night, traveling to No. 21 ranked Eastern Oregon for a 6 p.m. (PT) kick.
NOTES: Elijah Carter led the Yotes with five receptions in the win, but left the game with an apparent injury in the fourth quarter and did not return…Hayden Paul got the start at center, as regular starter Greg Dohmen was a late scratch…C of I had a 507-307 edge in total offense – with 104 of the Orediggers yards coming in the final two minutes…the Yotes had a season-high 30 first downs, while holding the ball for over 42 minutes in the victory, running 85 offensive plays…12 different Coyotes had a piece of at least three tackles in the victory, with Henderson recording six tackles and both Josh Price and Jordan Vielma each recording five.
