CALDWELL, Idaho – Despite record-setting performances by
Teejay Gordon and
Tyler Higby, the College of Idaho could not overcome four turnovers, as Montana Western topped the Coyotes, 27-23 at Simplot Stadium.
Box Score Gordon broke the Yotes (3-6, 3-5 Frontier) school record for pass completions and passing yards in a game, while breaking his own single-season passing yard record in the loss, while Higby had the most prolific day receiving since 1969.
C of I took the opening kickoff and marched 95 yards in nine plays, with Gordon finding Higby on a 45-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead.
The No. 16 ranked Bulldogs (6-2, 6-2) responded with two scores in less than 90 seconds, as George Sherwood outraced the Yotes defense on a 78-yard touchdown reception from Bradley Smith, with Western capitalizing on a C of I inside the Coyotes' own 20 yard line, with Smith scoring from 9-yards out to make it 13-7.
The Yotes cut the margin to 13-10 just before halftime on a
Hartvig Bondo 41-yard field goal, but a Dylan Kramer 68-yard run set up a Sam Rutherford 9-yard touchdown scamper with just 36-seconds left in the half to give Western a 20-10 lead at the break.
C of I cut the gap to 20-17 late in the third quarter, as a 50-yard pass to Higby set up an
A.J. Martin 9-yard touchdown run. The Yotes got a defensive stop, but a second fumble near midfield turned the momentum, with Smith finding Matthew Fuhrman on a 21-yard pass play was followed by a 21-yard Hunter Thomsen touchdown run and a 27-17 lead.
Gordon led the Coyotes back, as a 45-yard pass to
Domenic Toliver led to a Martin 2-yard run to get the Yotes within 27-23. However, Western rode Rutherford, who had three first down carries in the final drive, as the Bulldogs ran out the final four minutes of the clock.
Gordon was 27-of-38 for 371 yards, the 27 completions and the 371 yards breaking Lon Troxel's school record – both in a win over Whitman on Oct. 11, 1969. Gordon also surpassed his own school record for season passing yards, now with 1,957 yards on the season.
Higby caught 10 passes for 168 yards, becoming just the third Coyote with at least 10 receptions and 160 receiving yards in a game.
Kyle Merritt led the Yotes with 55 yards rushing.
Smith was 8-of-23 for 172 yards through the air and added 43 yards rushing. Rutherford rushed for 72 yards – part of Western's 229 yards on the ground. Sherwood had three catches for 123 yards.
The Yotes return to action next Saturday, traveling to Eastern Oregon for a Noon (PST) kickoff.
NOTES:
- Higby had the most receptions by a Coyote since Limbago had 10 receptions for 169 yards against Whitman in 1969; Owens had games of 12 receptions for 270 yards and 15 receptions for 217 yards during his career from 1952-54.
- Bondo's field goal was his seventh of the season, establishing a new C of I record for field goals in a season – it was his third 41-yard kick of 2015
- The Yotes were penalized a season-high 12 times for 117 yards
- Nate Moore had his league-leading sixth interception of the season, while Cory Brady added his ninth career interception
