Idaho Vandals back on winning track, keep FCS college football playoff hopes alive
Looking to rebound from its first Big Sky Conference loss of the season, the Idaho football team wasted no time getting rolling Saturday when it hosted Eastern Washington.
Gevani McCoy threw four touchdown passes to Hayden Hatten in the first half and Idaho raced past the Eagles 48-16 to improve to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in the Big Sky. The Vandals entered this weekend ranked No. 24 in the latest FCS Top 25 poll; 24 teams make the playoffs.
McCoy and Hatten connected for 33-, 17- and 18-yard touchdowns on consecutive possessions for a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter over Eastern Washington (2-7, 1-5). Hatten, who finished with 10 catches for 146 yards, set a single-game record for receiving TDs with a 19-yarder after Eastern had pulled within 21-10.
Roshaun Johnson, who rushed for 67 yards, then scored on a 4-yard run to give the Vandals a 35-10 lead at the half, and they were never threatened.
McCoy finished 16-of-28 for 218 yards and the scores, but also threw two interceptions. Elisha Cummings had 16 carries for 128 yards, and Idaho’s defense held the Eagles to only nine first downs as the Vandals avenged last season’s 71-21 loss to Eastern Washington.
The Vandals racked up 531 yards of total offense, including 308 on the ground. They host UC Davis (5-4, 4-2) in a big game next Saturday at 4 p.m. before closing the season at Idaho State.
