HELENA, Mont. - No. 15 College of Idaho stormed into Nelson Stadium and left no doubt, dismantling No. 8 Carroll College 36-13 on Saturday in a Frontier Conference showdown with major postseason implications.
After spotting the Saints an early lead on a 62-yard punt return touchdown, the Yotes (8-1, 5-0 Frontier) unleashed a second-quarter avalanche. Caden Young's 2-yard keeper tied the game, and Rylie Byington followed with two bruising touchdown runs before Young struck again, this time through the air, hitting Jackson Ames for a 40-yard score. In a span of eight minutes, the Yotes turned a 7-0 deficit into a commanding 26-7 halftime lead.
Byington was unstoppable, pounding out 198 yards on 33 carries with two touchdowns, while Young added two rushing scores and threw for 140 yards. College of Idaho dominated the trenches, outgaining Carroll 414-125 and holding the ball for nearly 43 minutes.
The defense was relentless, limiting Carroll to just 8 first downs and 125 total yards while forcing three interceptions. Two of those picks were pure hustle plays, right-place, right-time grabs after bobbled passes by the Saints, and they flipped momentum squarely in the Yotes' favor. Mason Priddy, Jacob Sisson, and Dee'Shon Swafford each came up with a takeaway as the front seven swarmed, racking up three sacks and five tackles for loss.
Carroll's lone offensive touchdown came late in the third quarter on a short plunge by Peter Minnaert, but by then the Yotes had slammed the door.
With the win, College of Idaho clinches an automatic bid to the NAIA playoffs and at least a share of the Frontier crown. Fans should circle Saturday, Nov. 22 for a potential home playoff game at Simplot Stadium. Official tournament pairings and host sites will be announced Sunday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. CT.
