The Vandals (0-3) struggled to generate offense early, fell into a significant halftime deficit and spent the second half trying to climb back into a game they had made unnecessarily difficult.
Idaho scored twice after halftime and pulled within six points of No. 14 Lamar (2-1) with 1:24 remaining, but the Vandals could not recover the ensuing onside kick and eventually ran out of opportunities in a 23-17 loss Saturday at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome.
Following the trend of the first two games, Idaho’s offense failed to establish itself early. The Vandals managed just 24 rushing yards in the first half and converted only two of their first 12 late-down conversion attempts. and fourth-down opportunities.
Lamar took advantage, building a 20-3 lead by halftime despite Idaho dominating time of possession.
“We have to do a better job, especially on first down, setting us up for success,” head coach Thomas Ford Jr. said. “We have to have more efficient first-down play, especially in the run game, for us to have the type of success that we want.”
The running game has been an issue throughout the first three games. Idaho finished with 91 rushing yards on 37 attempts Saturday, an average of 2.5 yards per carry. Senior quarterback Joshua Wood led the Vandals with 50 rushing yards on 19 carries, while junior Ferrari Miller added 35 yards and a touchdown.
The absence of redshirt senior running back Hayden Kincheloe was also felt in short-yardage situations. Kincheloe, Idaho’s primary short-yardage back, missed the game with a concussion.
Idaho had to rely on running option plays out of the shotgun in short yardage situations, which did not work well against Lamar’s defensive front.
Idaho’s struggles extended beyond the run game.
Lamar’s defense consistently forced Wood to hold the football, disrupting the Vandals’ timing and creating pressure. Wood completed only half of his pass attempts and was sacked five times.
Ford said Lamar’s coverage made it difficult for Wood to find open receivers quickly.
“They did a really good job moving our quarterback off the spot,” Ford said. “I thought they were pretty sticky in their man coverage stuff, and they really did a great job of changing their coverages.”
The first half included several missed opportunities for Idaho.
The Vandals opened the game by attempting a fake punt near midfield, but the play failed and gave Lamar favorable field position. Idaho’s defense immediately responded by forcing a three-and-out, and Lamar’s freshman kicker Andres Sandoval missed a 50-yard field goal.
After another defensive stop and a punt that bounced off a Lamar player, Idaho recovered the loose ball and turned the opportunity into its first points. Junior Owen Forsman made a 38-yard field goal to give the Vandals a 3-0 lead.
From there, however, Lamar’s offense began to find its rhythm.
Junior running back JoJo Uga broke loose for several significant gains, including a 48-yard run that set up Lamar’s first touchdown. Junior quarterback Aiden McCown, son of longtime NFL journeyman Josh McCown, also repeatedly used his legs to escape pressure and extend drives.
Lamar eventually took a 6-3 lead on a 48-yard field goal before Uga’s long run helped set up McCown’s rushing touchdown late in the second quarter.
The Cardinals then delivered the biggest blow of the half.
With Idaho trying to run its two-minute offense before halftime, they failed to convert on fourth-and-short, giving Lamar another opportunity.
Two plays into the Cardinals’ ensuing possession, McCown hit senior Davin Driskell for a 40-yard gain up the seam. Driskell scored on a corner route two plays later with one second remaining in the half, turning what had been a 6-3 game into a 20-3 deficit.
The Vandals forced a three-and-out on Lamar’s opening possession of the third quarter, then finally found some offensive rhythm. Wood used his legs to convert a first down and the Vandals moved the ball with quick throws and screens.
One of the more unconventional plays of the night came when Idaho threw to senior offensive lineman Charlie Vliem, who gained 10 yards and carried the Vandals to the 1-yard line. Wood scored on the next play, cutting the deficit to 20-10.
The defense continued to give Idaho a chance, recording two sacks and two takeaways; They held Lamar to only three points after halftime.
Ford said the improvement was one of the most encouraging aspects of the loss.
“I think what you did see today is that we do have the ability to get stops,” Ford said. “We do have the ability to get off the field, and we do have the ability to get after the passer.”
The Vandals’ offense continued to create opportunities but could not consistently finish them.
Wood scrambled for another first down before throwing what appeared to be Idaho’s biggest offensive play of the night, only for a chop-block penalty to negate the gain. Later in the drive, Forsman missed a 49-yard field-goal attempt, the first miss of his collegiate career.
Idaho eventually got another chance in the fourth quarter after a 38-yard kickoff return by redshirt senior, Trais Higgins. Senior backup quarterback Israel Carter entered briefly for a pair of designed runs, helping move the chains before Wood returned.
Idaho then converted on 3rd-and-15 with a screen to junior Noah West-Baranco, keeping the drive alive. Idaho continued using Wood’s legs to move the ball, but a potential touchdown pass to junior Tony Harste fell incomplete.
The Vandals turned the ball over on downs. They would get one more chance.
After Lamar extended its lead to 23-10 on a field goal, Idaho mounted its final scoring drive. Wood helped keep the possession alive with his legs before Miller powered into the end zone from 1 yard out, cutting Lamar’s lead to 23-17 with 1:24 remaining.
Idaho attempted an onside kick, but Lamar recovered, sealing the victory for the Cardinals. Idaho turned the ball over twice and converted just five of 19 third- and fourth-down opportunities.
For Ford, the challenge now is making sure the team does not allow the 0-3 start to become a reason to lose its focus.
“They got two options, right?” Ford said. “You can pack it up and think we can’t win. Or you can pony up, get back to work, get back on the horse, and really get after it.”
“We’ve got to get some things cleaned up in our run game so we can get off to a faster start offensively next week,” Ford said.
For three weeks, Idaho has found itself chasing games instead of controlling them. Saturday showed the Vandals still have the fight to come back, but at 0-3, there is little time to dwell on what might have been. Now, the focus turns to fixing the mistakes and finding a way forward.
The Vandals will stay home next week to take on Abilene Christian on Saturday, September 19, at 1 p.m.