CALDWELL, Idaho –
Darius-James Peterson made the most of his first College of Idaho start, recording one of the most prolific games in program history – including a 14-yard touchdown pass to
Marcus Lenhardt in overtime to lift the Yotes to a wild 44-41 victory over No. 17 ranked Southern Oregon at Simplot Stadium.
The true freshman rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns and added 215 yards and two scores through the air, as the Yotes (3-5, 2-5 Frontier) rallied from a 35-21 fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Raiders for the first time since 1969.
The Raiders (4-4, 4-3) rolled up 601 yards of total offense – but were stopped on a 3rd-and-10 in overtime, settling for a 42-yard Marcus Montano field goal to take a 41-38 lead.
Southern stopped the Yotes two yards short of a first down on a 3rd-and-10 on the ensuing possession and
Mike Moroski sent the field goal unit onto the field. However, after a Raiders time out to ice kicker
Kyle Mitchell, C of I changed course, sending their offense on the field, with Peterson running a keeper for four yards and a first down.
Later in the drive, C of I looked to have won the game on a Peterson 4-yard touchdown run, but a holding call pushed the ball back to the 14-yard-line. On the next play, Peterson used a play-fake and found Lenhardt wide open in the left corner of the end zone causing pandemonium for the over 3,500 fans in attendance.
Defense was at a premium on the day, as the teams combined for 1,175 total yards – including 574 yards of offense by the Yotes – the third highest total in program history.
SOU jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead, taking the opening kickoff and marching 88 yards in 11 plays, as Jack Singler found Matt Retzlaff on a 50-yard scoring strike. Retzlaff, the leading receiver in the Frontier Conference, led all players with 13 receptions for 188 yards in the losing cause.
The Raiders had a chance to break the game open early, as Devvon Gage picked off Peterson and returned the ball to the C of I 2-yard-line. However the Yotes defense stiffened, with
Malik Whitfield picking off Singler in the end zone to end the threat. Southern also was unable to take advantage of a muffed punt by the Yotes midway through the period.
Peterson got the Yotes on the board late in the quarter – following a 16-yard pass for a first down to
Turner Simmons – the signal caller broke loose on a 66-yard touchdown run down the left sideline to even the score.
C of I took the lead in the second quarter, as the Coyotes used a 12-play, 84-yard drive, with a 37-yard
Colby Brown run setting up a
Tyler Cox 6-yard touchdown pass on a fade route to Simmons.
SOU answered quickly – scoring touchdowns off of back-to-back C of I interceptions. Tyson Cooper picked off Peterson on a tipped pass, with Singler finding Jordan Suell in the corner of the end zone to tie the score, and then after Isiah Carter intercepted Cox at the C of I 44, the Raiders got a Louis Macklin 9-yard-run to take a 21-14 lead at the break.
After both teams missed field goals early in the third quarter, Southern extended the lead to 28-14 after a quick 50-yard drive, capped by a Sean Town 5-yard touchdown run, only to see the Yotes respond. Cox found Lenhardt on a one-handed 27-yard catch to prolong the drive before Peterson connecting with Simmons on a 35-yard fade route in the corner of the end zone to pull the hosts within a score.
The back-and-forth game continued, as SOU grinded out a 14-play, 85-yard drive, converting three third down chances, with Rey Vega scoring from two yards out, pushing the lead to 35-21.
Peterson took over from there, connecting with Simmons on a 29-yard pass on third down and a 15-yard pass to
Zach Garzoli – and finished the drive with a 26-yard scoring run to pull the Yotes within 35-28. After a SOU 3-and-out, Peterson took the first play from scrimmage 80-yards to the end zone to tie the game.
Southern regained the lead with five minutes to go, as a Retzlaff 31-yard reception set up a 32-yard Montano field goal, giving the Raiders a 38-35 lead. Peterson countered with a 47-yard pass to Simmons, with Mitchell answering with a 25-yard field goal with 2:39 left to tie the score at 38-38.
The visitors had a chance to win in regulation, driving to the Yotes 30-yard-line inside the final minute, but on a third down play,
Nate Moore intercepted Singler to force overtime.
Peterson finished 9-of-19 through the air with two touchdowns, while Cox added 55 yards on five completions. Simmons had a career game, catching five passes for 133 yards, while Lenhardt had four grabs for 91 yards.
Singler finished 34-of-59 for 377 yards for the Raiders, tossing two touchdowns but was picked off three times. Tow led SOU with 85 yards on the ground – as the visitors rushed for 224 yards.
C of I closes out the home schedule next Saturday, hosting No. 12 ranked Eastern Oregon at 1 p.m.
NOTES – Peterson rushed for the fourth most yards in program history and was the first 200-yard game by a Coyote since 1955 (Ed Bonaminio vs. Notre Dame College of Saskatchewan) and became the first player in school history to rush and pass for over 200 yards in a game; the 80-yard touchdown run by Peterson in the fourth quarter was tied for the fifth-longest run from scrimmage in school history; C of I had a season-low three penalties in the win; Lenhardt pushed his season reception total to 46, just two off R.C. Owens' school record from 1954; Whitfield's interception was his fourth of the season and extended C of I streak of games with at least one defensive interception to nine; the win was the first for C of I against SOU since a 21-14 win in Caldwell in 1969 and ended a five-game skid against the Raiders since football returned in 2014; it was the first overtime game in program history after 571 games, evening their all-time record at 272-272-28.
