CALDWELL, Idaho – Despite a career day through the air by Teejay Gordon, the College of Idaho could not hold off Pacific University, as the Boxers scored 20 unanswered fourth quarter points to stun the Yotes, 32-31, before 4,234 fans at Simplot Stadium.
Warner Shaw capped a 94-yard scoring drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to James Berry with just over five minutes remaining in the contest to give the Boxers (1-0) their first lead of the day – erasing what was a 31-12 C of I lead entering the quarter.
Pacific recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and had a chance to ice the game, but Nate Moore sacked Shaw on a third down play and kicker Alex Beekman missed a 34-yard field goal try.
The Yotes (1-1) got a 50-yard pass from Gordon to Shayne Robinson to get into field goal range, but Hartvig Bondo missed a potential game-winning 40-yard field goal wide right with 32 seconds remaining.
Gordon had the most prolific day passing by a Coyote in over 45 years, going 16-of-27 for 342 yards and three touchdowns – including five passes of 30 yards or more. Shaw matched him, going 17-of-23 for 213 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
The Boxers took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 10 plays, with Shaw going 5-for-5 on the drive, capped by a 16-yard Kamana Pimentel touchdown.
C of I started slowly, missing a field goal and having to punt on their first two drives, but found their stride midway through the second quarter. Gordon found Marcus Lenhardt for a 42-yard gain, setting up a Josh Finley five-yard touchdown run, with Bondo's point-after giving the Yotes a 7-6 lead.
After a Pacific punt, Finley piled up 31 yards on four runs, with Gordon using a play-fake on the next snap, lofting a 45-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Tyler Higby to put C of I up 14-6 late in the period.
Bronson Barretto, who returned a kickoff for a score last season vs. C of I, scampered 67 yards on the ensuing kickoff, setting Pacific up in the red zone. Three plays later, Shaw found Nathan Suyematsu in the corner of the end zone to pull the Boxers within 14-12 at the break.
The Coyotes dominated the third quarter, outgaining Pacific 199-26 in the period. A Gordon to Isaac Gonzalez 63-yard bomb gave C of I a 21-12 lead, while after a three-and-out, the Yotes used a 14-play drive to set up a Bondo 35-yard field goal.
After a Pacific punt, Gordon went 3-for-3 on the next drive, capping it with a 30-yard fade route to Wes Fitzpatrick for a score.
The tide turned early in the fourth quarter, as Suyematsu leaped over two C of I defenders for a 31-yard gain and Shaw found Jason Smith from eight-yards out to cut the gap to 31-19. A C of I fumble set the Boxers up in Coyote territory, with Barretto scoring on a seven yard touchdown run to get Pacific within a score – setting up the wild finish.
C of I had a 466-341 edge in total offense, with Finley leading the Yotes with 60 yards on the ground. Lenhardt had four receptions for 83 yards and Robinson had four catches for 82 yards in the loss.
Barretto had 66 yards rushing and Pimentel added 62 yards on the ground for Pacific, with Suyematsu catching seven passes for 134 yards in the victory.
The Yotes hit the road for the first time, traveling next Saturday to Montana Western for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
YOTE NOTES - The 342 yards passing by Gordon was the third 300-yard passing game in program history; joining Lon Troxel (367 yards vs. Whitman, Oct. 11, 1969) and Boyd Crawford (362 yards at Lewis & Clark, Oct. 31, 1953) in the club.
- Gordon connected with seven different receivers in the loss
- Time of Possession was nearly even, as the Yotes held the ball for three seconds more than Pacific
- The three field goal attempts by Bondo marked the first time in program history that the Yotes attempted three field goals in a game (three times C of I has made two field goal attempts)
- The 35-yard field goal by Bondo was the longest by a Yote since Phil Keene connected on a school record 42-yard try vs. Pacific Lutheran on Oct. 22, 1977
- Pacific avenged a 35-34 loss to the Yotes from last season when the Boxers missed a field goal and had two blocked kicks in the fourth quarter
- The Yotes had four sacks and 10 tackles for loss in the game, but did not force a turnover; Cory Brady had seven tackles, with Carlos Murana adding a sack and two tackles for loss
