CALDWELL, Idaho – Despite a record-setting day by quarterback
Darius-James Peterson, the College of Idaho could not overcome two late Rocky Mountain touchdowns, as the Battlin' Bears rallied for a wild 42-41 victory at Simplot Stadium.
Jacob Bakken threw for 431 yards and five touchdowns – including a 46-yard strike to Lucas Overton on a 3rd-and-11 midway through the fourth quarter to get No. 23 Rocky (3-2, 2-2 Frontier) within 41-35. On the ensuing kickoff, Dillon Johnson pooched a short kick near the Bears sideline, recovered by Isaiah Schlegel at the C of I 43-yard-line. Two plays later, Max Gray scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors their first lead.
The Yotes (0-5, 0-4) tried to answer inside the final three minutes – as Peterson converted a 4th-and-4 with a 23-yard run and drove C of I to the Rocky 35. However, on a fourth down try,
Keenan Pattwell was stopped two yards from the line to gain and RMC ran out the clock to seal the win.
Peterson had his best game of the season – becoming the first Coyote player in program history to combine for six touchdowns in a game. The junior, who surpassed the 2,000-yard rushing mark for his career on the day, rushed for four touchdowns and passed for two more – accumulating 412 yards of total offense.
C of I took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in eight plays, with Peterson finding
Connor Richardson in the corner of the end zone from 8-yards out for the early lead. Rocky answered with a Bakken scoring pass to Darneail Jenkins, before the Yotes regained the lead, as a Peterson 24-yard run set up a 1-yard scoring plunge by the junior for a 14-7 edge.
Rocky returned the favor, as Gray hauled in a 38-yard pass on a third down conversion and followed with a 45-yard touchdown on a play-action pass to tie the score. C of I took one play to regain the lead, as Peterson lobbed a 60-yard touchdown pass to Richardson – but the Yotes missed the extra point – taking a 20-14 lead to the break.
The two teams combined for 35 third quarter points – C of I taking advantage of a
Viliami Hansen interception to set up a 5-yard Peterson touchdown run to push the lead to 27-14. After RMC countered with a Sam Sparks 14-yard touchdown run, a long kickoff return and Peterson followed with a 35-yard jaunt to the end zone to give the hosts a two score lead.
Jenkins pulled the Battlin' Bears within 34-28 with a one-handed 42-yard grab on a fourth down pass, only to see Peterson find
Keegan Crafton for 30-yards on a key third down conversion, with the quarterback running in from one-yard out to extend the margin to 41-28.
C of I looked to be in control after a
Tristen Alesi interception to end a Rocky 15-play drive with nine minutes left, but the Bears responded with a Jimmy Henderson interception near midfield – setting up Overton's touchdown and the crazy finish.
Peterson finished the day with 179 yards rushing and four touchdowns, going 15-of-26 for 233 yards and two scores. Richardson recorded his first 100-yard receiving day of his career, catching five passes for 106 yards and the two touchdowns.
Bakken finished 21-of-39 for a career-high 431 yards – connecting with Gray seven times for 165 yards and Jenkins five times for 129 yards.
Both teams will have a bye next week, with C of I returning to action on Oct. 6, hosting Carroll College for Homecoming.
NOTES: Peterson joins Tom Winbigler (1946-49), Ted Martin (1950-53) and Steve Douglas (1973-76) in the 2,000-yard rushing club and now has 2,141 career rushing yards…it was Peterson's first four touchdown game on the ground, pushing his career total to 35…it marked Peterson's eighth career 100-yard rushing game and his first of 2018…
Antoine Paul was key for the Yotes in the return game, logging 151 yards on four kickoff returns, including a 51-yard sprint to set up C of I's final touchdown…the Yotes recorded four sacks on the afternoon and combined for 10 tackles for loss – including two each by
Graham Carnahan and
Landon Clark-Gammell…Nik Lyons led the Yotes with 11 total tackles…Rocky punter Matt Larson was huge in the field position game, punting four times, averaging 47 yards a kick – with three downed inside the 10-yard-line…the Yotes were a season-best 6-of-13 on third down conversions and finished with a season-high 451 yards in total offense...the 41 points scored by C of I were the most ever by a Coyote team in a losing effort.
