It’s not often that a team loses 71-24 then turns around and beats the same team 48-16 the next season, but the Vandals did just that, and they did it in front of 11,811 fans.
The now ranked #20 Idaho Vandals beat the 2-7 (1-5) Eastern Washington Eagles 48-16, allowing only six points in the second half. The highlight of the game was redshirt sophomore wide receiver Hayden Hatten tying the Idaho receiving touchdowns in a game record with four.
On the Eagles first drive of the game, redshirt senior quarterback Gunner Talkington didn’t call the team into a huddle at all. The four-and-a-half minute, 14 play drive ended with a 35-yard field goal, putting EWU up 3-0.
The next drive was a quick one for the Vandals as redshirt freshman QB Gevani McCoy threw an interception on the first placing the Eagles 35 yards away from the endzone. They went for it on fourth-and-one, but redshirt freshman linebacker Isiah King got into the backfield, tackling Talkington for a three-yard loss.
Starting right back where he threw the interception, McCoy was looking for redemption. He handed the ball off to sophomore running back Elisha Cummings four times to gain 38 yards. From there, McCoy aired a pass 33 yards down field to Hatten, giving him his first touchdown of his record tying afternoon.
The next drive was a quick Eagles punt as sophomore defensive lineman Kemari Bailey screamed into the backfield for his fourth sack of the season.
With just under two minutes left in the first quarter, McCoy decided he was going deep. He hit redshirt junior WR Jermaine Jackson for 45 yards, placing Idaho 18 yards from the endzone. After that deep pass, Idaho was almost stalled, but on third-and-one, Cummings was able to push through the EWU defensive line. He gained two yards, giving the Vandals a new set of downs to start the second quarter. After an Idaho holding call started the quarter, McCoy hit Hatten for 17 yards for his second touchdown, putting the Vandals up 14-3.
Two drives later, Idaho got the ball back, and freshman RB Anthony Woods put in the work. After a five-yard loss, he gained 18 yards over three plays. From there, McCoy hit none other than Hatten for his third touchdown, giving Idaho a 21-3 lead.
After two punts, one from each team, the Eagles were able to score. Talkington rushed for five yards then threw an 87-yard bomb to sophomore WR Nolan Ulm. On the point-after-attempt, Idaho was called for an illegal substitution. However, freshman kicker Soren McKee had already put the ball through the uprights to make the score 21-10.
The next drive was mainly taken on by passes from McCoy to Hatten. They started the drive with a 22-yard completion and ended it with a 19-yard touchdown. Hatten’s fourth receiving touchdown of the half tied the record and put Idaho up 28-10 with 3:35 remaining in the half.
After a 50-yard EWU punt was returned 19 yards by Jackson, Idaho decided to utilize the ground game. Cummings rushed for 29 yards over two plays before Woods rushed for nine yards, also over two plays. From there, running backs/special teams coordinator Thomas Ford put the tank that is senior RB Roshaun Johnson on the field to punch in the four-yard touchdown.
The Eagles received the ball to start the second half but would be forced to punt on a three-and-out. Idaho then received the ball on their own 39-yard line and chewed down the clock. About halfway through the drive, McCoy hit Hatten for a seven-yard gain. Hatten fumbled the ball on what looked to be a pitch, but luckily for the Vandals, he also recovered it. The Vandals luck ran out there and after eight plays (not counting the delay of game), junior kicker Ricardo Chavez came out to kick a 31-yard field goal to put Idaho up 38-10.
Chavez’s field goal was the last score of the third quarter, but he had another to start the fourth. After a five minute, eight-play drive, he kicked the ball straight through the uprights, scoring his conference leading fourteenth field goal of the season.
After that, EWU decided they were going to burn Idaho’s secondary again, this time scoring a 75-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. However, the PAT was no good, making the score 41-16.
Idaho then once again decided to utilize the run game. This time around, it was all Johnson. He broke through a tackle on the first play to gain two yards. The second play was a completely different story as he burst through everyone. An EWU defender was able to trip him up after a 33-yard gain. The next three plays consisted of a one-yard loss, an incomplete pass (that almost became Hatten’s fifth touchdown) and a four-yard McCoy rush. From there, Johnson just ran through the defense to get his second rushing touchdown of the game and eighth of the season.
Johnson’s touchdown not only gave the Vandals the 48-16 victory, but also a rebranded traveling trophy called the “Che-Scow Cup.” Assistant Athletic Director for Brand Engagement & Digital Strategy, Jerek Wolcott, found the cup last week, and it’s staying in Moscow due to the play from a few key players.
McCoy ended the game 16/28 for 218 yards and four touchdowns. On the receiving end of those four touchdowns was Hatten with 146 yards on 10 receptions. Although he didn’t get into the endzone, Cummings led the run game with 128 yards, which is over double the amount the Eagles had as a team.
“When you outrush a team by 200 yards, you’re gonna win most of the games,” head coach Jason Eck said.
On top of the 316 total rushing yards, the Vandals had a great receiving day, especially Hatten, who was named Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the first time.
“It’s an honor,” Hatten said about tying the record. “I love being a Vandal, I love being able to tie a record of that magnitude.”
The Vandals will take on the third best scoring team in the Big Sky, UC Davis, for their final home game of the season at 4 p.m.
James Taurman-Aldrich can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @jamesaldrich25