FIRST LOOK: Vandals dish up revenge to Great Danes

MOSCOW — The Idaho Vandals avenged last year’s FCS quarterfinal loss to UAlbany with a dominant 41-13 win at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome on Saturday.

The Vandals (2-1) celebrated the ability to play in front of a home crowd for the first time in 2024 with two passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, a punt return for a touchdown and a pick-6.

Idaho redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Wagner was 10-of-20 for 156 yards and two touchdowns. He was pulled from the game in the third quarter with the Vandals up 35.

Nate Thomas had 75 carries on eight carries and two touchdowns for Idaho. Eli Cummings had 11 carries for 73 yards.

Wide receiver Jordan Dwyer had another solid showing with five receptions for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Mark Hamper had three catches for 74 yards.

A majority of the starters for the Vandals did not play in the fourth quarter with the large lead.

Idaho needed just three plays to score on its opening drive. Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar took a reverse for 28 yards. Eli Cummings broke through the line for a 40-yard gain. Jack Wagner found Jordan Dwyer in the corner of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown pass.

After a Great Dane field goal, the Vandals went on the march again. Idaho needed less than three minutes to go 79 yards on 10 plays. Nate Thomas capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.

The Vandals had 100 yards rushing after just one quarter.

On the following Idaho drive, Wagner rolled to his right to buy time and found Dwyer in the end zone for the second time. This time for a 4-yard touchdown to give the Vandals a 17-point lead.

Special teams played a major factor in the second quarter. Idaho punter LJ Harm pinned UAlbany back on its own 1-yard line with a perfect punt. After the Great Danes went three-and-out, Andrew Marshall returned the following punt 47 yards for another Vandal touchdown. Idaho took a 27-3 lead into halftime.

Thomas took over a third quarter drive when he found a gap and raced 47 yards before he was pushed out at the 3-yard line. Two plays later he was able to push through for his second touchdown of the run.

The very next play from scrimmage, senior Idaho safety Tommy McCormick intercepted UAlbany quarterback Myles Burkett and returned it 32 yards for the first pick-6 of his Vandal career.

UAlbany had five drives where it reached the red zone and scored two field goals and a late touchdown with less than two minutes to go. Idaho found key stop after key stop to shut down the Great Danes.

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Isbelle can be reached at 208-848-2268, risbelle@lmtribune.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyIsbelle.