Dillon, Mont. – For the second time in program history, the College of Idaho football team is headed to the quarterfinals of the NAIA football championship series after a 49-42 win over host Montana Western on Saturday.
College of Idaho (9-2) lit up the scoreboard with a record-setting day against the Bulldogs, who also secured a first round bye after winning the Frontier Conference outright. The record-setting day was led by quarterback
Andy Peters, who became the first quarterback in program history to throw for over 400 yards with 420 yards and two passing touchdowns on the day. He completed 22 of 37 passes in the win.
Montana Western (9-2) quarterback Michael Palandri completed 19 of 34 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs. His favorite target was Dylan Shipley, who caught seven passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
College of Idaho built a 28-7 halftime lead on the host Bulldogs, scoring touchdowns on four of its first five drives of the game.
The Yotes took the opening kickoff down the field on a nine play, 75-yard drive that was sparked by three receptions from
John Kreps. Each of the catches was a big play with the first being a third down conversion, the second by a 20-yard gain and the third by a 40-yard gain that took the ball into the red zone. Facing third and goal, the Yotes called on
Jon Schofield for the first of four rushing touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation for the early lead.
Montana Western tied the game at seven on the first play of the second quarter when Palandri and Shipley connected on an 18-yard pass play.
The Yotes came right back and regained the lead when Peters connected with
Jase Applebee on a 51-yard pass play that put the visitors ahead 14-7. The next drive for Montana Western was disrupted when
Keegan Croteau intercepted a Palandri pass with 8:27 left in the half. Next, twice on the drive, College of Idaho converted on third down, including a 40-yard pass from Peters to
Brock Richardson. Next, Schofield ran it in from a yard out to stretch the lead to 21-7 with 2:58 left in the opening half.
A sack by
Chase Brown and a timeout by the Yotes gave them one more possession before the halftime break. Peters led the Yotes down the field and found Schofield for a 38-yard touchdown pass with :13 left in the half to put College of Idaho ahead 28-7 at the halftime break.
After a defensive stop by the Yotes to start the second half, Montana Western cut into the lead when Eli Nourse returned a punt 85 yards to make it a 28-14 game with 10:39 left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs capitalized after a turnover by the Yotes with a four play, 33-yard drive that saw Jake Humphrey score from nine yards out to make it a 28-21 contest with 8:24 left in the third quarter.
The two teams traded punts, then Peters helped extend the lead when he ran it in from 10 yards out after a 42-yard completion to
Jase Applebee for a 35-21 lead in favor of the Yotes. Another touchdown by Humphrey on the second play of the fourth quarter made it a 35-28 game with 14:32 left in the contest.
Palandri and the Bulldogs tied the contest at 35 after forcing a Yotes punt. The Frontier Conference Player of the Year connected with a Shipley for a 45-yard touchdown pass.
With the game tied, the Yotes moved down the field on the strength of a big pass play by Peters to Kreps, who connected on a 47-yard pass completion. Then, on first and goal, Schofield picked up his fourth touchdown when he ran it in from one yard out.
With a 42-35 lead, the Yotes defense forced a Montana Western punt to give the ball back to the offense. Twice on second down,
Caden Cobb picked up big chunks of yards with 13 and 15 yards to give C of I a pair of first downs. His 15-yard gain took the ball down to the Bulldogs four-yard line. The recipe continued to be Schofield, who ran it in from two yards out for a 49-35 advantage of College of Idaho.
A seven play, 76-yard drive by the Bulldogs saw Montana Western make it a 49-42 game with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Palandri to Eli Nourse with 1:14 left in the contest. Montana Western attempted an on-side kickoff that was recovered by the Yotes. Needing just one first down to seal the victory, Schofield ran seven yards out of Wildcat formation to clinch the win.
Schofield became the first Yote since Darius-James Peterson in 2018 against Rocky Mountain to have four rushing touchdowns in a game. He is the fourth Yote in program history and first since Nick Calzaretta on November 4, 2017 against Montana Tech to account for five touchdowns in a game. Not to overshadow the aerial assault, the ground game picked up 201 yards for the fourth game over 200 yards on the season. The 621 yards of total offense are the fourth most in a game in program history and most since a 638-yard effort against Montana Western on October 14, 2017.
Next, College of Idaho will face Grand View on Saturday, December 2 at noon (CST)/11 a.m. (MT) in the NAIA Football Championship Series quarterfinals.
