MOSCOW, Idaho (Oct. 5, 2024) – The No. 25 Northern Arizona football team traveled to take on No. 10 Idaho in Kibbie Dome in Moscow Idaho today, falling by a final score of 23-17. The loss drops NAU to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in Big Sky Conference play, while the Vandals win their second-straight over the Lumberjacks to improve to 4-2 and 1-1 in conference action.
After a slow start, it was a shootout with the teams exchanging the lead three times in the first half. At the end of the first, NAU held a 7-6 lead but were outscored 14-3 in the second quarter to allow Idaho to lead 20-10 at the half. Northern Arizona did not allow a second half touchdown and outscored the Vandals 7-3 in the second half but couldn't make the comeback.
NAU quarterback
Ty Pennington left in the first half with an injury, completing 12 of his 17 pass attempts for 114 yards and a touchdown before exiting.
PJ London took over completed 11 of his 16 passing attempts with two interceptions for 82 yards. He also added 16 rushing yards and scored his first career rushing touchdown.
"I was really proud of our team's fight in the second half. I wasn't proud of a few things in the first half. When you're playing a really good football team like this in their place, you have to put four quarters together and I don't know that we did that totally," said head coach
Brian Wright. "We made some mistakes and turned the ball over, you can't do those things. But I'm really proud of our team's fight at the end."
Both squads punted their first time out, but it was Idaho who struck first. A 43-yard rush set up the Vandals on the NAU-15 where they were able to score on a nine-yard reception but missed the extra point attempt for a 6-0 lead. The drive lasted seven plays and 69 yards and ticked 4:26 off the clock.
Northern Arizona responded on its next drive. Facing 3
rd and 14, Pennington found
Tay Lanier for a 16-yard completion. Pennington would rush for seven yards before finding
Bryzai White deep on the next play, completing a 50-yard pass that resulted in a touchdown – the seventh passing touchdown of the season for Pennington and the third for White.
Marcus Lye came out for the extra point attempt that was placed through the uprights and NAU took a 7-6 lead into the second quarter.
White once again led NAU in receiving yards, hauling in 72 on four catches.
Idaho struck back to start the second quarter, using an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended on a 13-yard rushing score for the Vandals, retaking a 13-7 lead after the PAT.
On NAU's next drive, Lye kicked a 49-yard field goal – the second longest of his career after connecting on a 52-yard score last week against Sacramento State – to cut the lead down to 13-10. The drive lasted 12-plays and went for 43 yards and took 6:37 off the clock.
Before the half was done, Idaho would score again on a 23-yard reception, taking just 2:42 on a 6-play, 75-yard drive to find the endzone. The Vandals would wind up outscoring NAU 14-3 in the third to take a 20-10 lead into the half.
Despite the Lumberjacks throwing two interceptions during the third quarter, the Vandal offense only came up a 40-yard field goal during the frame to take a 23-10 lead into the fourth – outgaining NAU 75-to-53 in total offense.
The Lumberjacks found some life in them to start the fourth quarter.
Cory Hall sacked the Vandals for five yards and forced a fumble that was recovered by
Tausagafou Ho Ching and was returned to Idaho's five-yard line. However, the Lumberjacks were stopped just short of the goal line on fourth down and could not find any points.
NAU continued to fight, as London found Lanier for consecutive 16-yard and 12-yard completions to set up 1
st and 10 on the Idaho-18. From there, London rushed in for his career touchdown, a two-yard scurry, to give Northern Arizona's first score since the second quarter. After Lye made his 20
th (20-20) extra point of the season, Northern Arizona cut the lead down 23-17 with 4:11 remaining.
Northern Arizona got one more chance to take the lead on offense. On third down,
Seth Cromwell rushed for 11 yards to give NAU a fresh set of downs with 1:37 left in the game. On 4
th and seven, the Lumberjacks decided to go for it and couldn't capitalize, turning the ball over on downs.
Idaho took over near midfield and ran the clock out, winning 23-17.
Tommy Ellis led the team in tackles with nine, including one for a loss.
Zach Lewis added seven tackles.
J'Wan Evans was the team's leading rusher with 35 yards on six carries.
As a team, NAU had a slight edge in total offense with 314 yards compared to 313 for the Vandals. On the ground, the Lumberjacks were outgained 189 rushing yards to 118.
Northern Arizona heads back out onto the road to face Montana on Oct. 12 in Missoula.
