GREELEY, Colo. – Playing their first-ever game against an NCAA Division I opponent, the College of Idaho spotted Northern Colorado the first 35 points of the day, but won the second half battle in a 41-14 loss before 3,547 fans at Nottingham Field.
UNC (1-0) scored touchdowns on their first four drives – all in the first quarter – turning a pair of C of I interceptions into scores. The Bears used a 41-yard end-around run by Frank Stephens on the first play from scrimmage to set up a 1-yard Trae Riek scoring plunge for an early lead. Following a Coyote 3-and-out, Northern went 43 yards on 10 plays, with Riek scoring on a 4th-and-goal chance from the two yard line.
The Bears added a quarterback keeper for a touchdown by Jacob Knipp and Riek's third TD run of the day to extend the margin to 28-0.
Trailing 35-0 late in the second quarter, C of I marched 75 yards in 11 plays to get on the scoreboard.
Mike Kirby used a 12-yard run to put the Yotes in UBC territory, with
Darius-James Peterson scrambling for gains of 15 and 10-yards, before finding
Wes Fitzpatrick in the end zone from 8-yards out to cut the deficit to 35-7 at the half.
C of I opened the second half by driving to the UNC 20 – as Kirby had runs of 12 and 17-yards, before the Bears defense stiffened and stopped the Yotes on downs.
The Coyote defense was outstanding in the second half, limiting Northern to just 99 yards of total offense, as UNC managed a pair of field goals in the final 30 minutes – a 43-yard boot from Marques Combes and a school-record 56-yard field goal from Collin Root.
Driving 75 yards on 13 plays, the Yotes capped the scoring inside the final minute of the game. Freshman
Nick Calzaretta had a 35-yard run on the drive, setting up a
Tyler Cox 2-yard scoring run on a fourth down play.
Peterson finished 14-of-28 for 107 yards on the day, adding 61 yards on the ground, with Kirby adding 74 yards on 11 carries and Calzaretta adding 58 yards.
Keegan Crafton led all Coyote receivers with five catches for 55 yards.
Knipp was 17-of-27 for 238 yards on the day for UNC, with Riek carrying 18 times for 71 yards and the three scores. Alex Wesley had seven receptions for 95 yards and Hakeem Deggs added four grabs for 65 yards in the win.
The Yotes open the home schedule on Saturday, hosting No. 25 Southern Oregon at 1 p.m.
NOTES:
Nate Moore had a game-high 13 tackles for the Yotes, his sixth-straight game with 10-or-more tackles, adding one of C of I's three sacks; C of I finished the day just 3-of-14 on third down attempts, but converted 3-of-5 fourth down chances; for the second-straight game, the Yotes did not lose a fumble; true freshman lineman
Ronald Phelps played on both sides of the ball – seeing action at defensive tackle, while playing the final series at right guard.
