At times this year, it has seemed that Robb Akey is snakebitten. His Idaho football team hasn't been able to close out at least four winnable games, and this afternoon's WAC contest with Utah State was perhaps the most winnable of them all.

We've got more on the Vandals' wild and demoralizing 49-42 loss in double OT below.

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You can read my game story filed from the Kibbie Dome. The Vandals, like I've written in this space before, came away thinking they should have won. Utah State had four turnovers in the second half, and the way the replays were coming back from the WAC officiating crew, it was if everything was going Idaho's way for a while.

But then came a crucial third down in the final 20 seconds of the fourth quarter. Brian Reader threw across the field to Mike Scott, who stretched out at the sideline to make what looked like an acrobatic catch. But it was called imcomplete -- Scott looked sure it was a catch, but the official said he bobbled it coming down - and the review was upheld.

So ended an awful possession that started with 1:40 left after a Utah State fumble.

"That was just unfortunate, I guess you could call it. We got in our kicker’s range and kind of shot ourselves in the foot two times in a row," said Reader, referring to two penalties before the third down. "I thought we had a catch on the sideline."

The Vandals had another killer penalty in the second overtime, just before the final play of the game. UI was called for a delay of game -- moving the ball from the 3 to the 8 -- after the offense lined up in the wrong formation. Akey said it wasn't a matter of the call coming in late from the sideline. However, I was standing right in front of the line of scrimmage on the field and the Vandals who were in on the play were visibly angry at what had happened. Several of them yelled at the sideline.

Here's how Akey described it: "When they called the play in the huddle, they weren’t lined up the way it was called in the huddle. And trying to get guys where they needed to be, they ran out of time. We had to change personnel and get it called. From what I understand, Brian did call it the way it was supposed to be called in there. Whatever happened, that time is not when you want that to happen. ... But the formation wasn’t lined up to be able to do what needed to be done, and they didn’t get it fixed in time."

Reader also called it a "lineup issue."

Nevertheless, Reader played his best game of the season against an FBS opponent. And several other seniors made huge impacts. Korey Toomer had one of the more remarkable all-around days for a Vandal in recent years (three rushing TDs, five tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery), Kama Bailey rushed for 110 yards and Quin Ashley ran back an interception for a 78-yard TD.

Then there was Tre'Shawn Robinson, who had 20 tackles, a career high, and a forced fumble. Earlier in the day he ran to midfield during senior day festivities with Robb Akey. The other 19 seniors had family and friends there, but not Robinson.

When I asked Akey about escorting Robinson, he got teary-eyed.

"I really am proud of him," the fifth-year coach said. "That guy plays with passion, and he’s done so much for this place. He wasn’t able to have some family with him today, so I was very proud to go out with him. It meant a hell of a lot to me. He’s a special guy."

And speaking of all the seniors, Akey said this: "This senior class I’ve got a great deal of respect for. Some of the guys who have been around here came on some blind faith. … I’m not excited obviously about what the won-loss record is this season. It’s enough to make you want to puke. But in regards to our program and what the expectations are for this program, we didn’t finish games the way needed to this season. We could have very easily been fighting for our seventh win here today ...

"When we got here and before we got here, games weren’t even competitive in a lot of ways. You’re scrambling to be competitive. I think they’ve changed things a great deal in that fashion.

"I’m going to miss the hell out of these guys."

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