Broncos trip Vandals

MOSCOW, Idaho – In a pulsating football game jammed with momentum-changing plays, a pooch kick normally wouldn’t rate high for potential risk.

Try telling that to the Idaho Vandals, who saw their chances of upsetting rival Boise State dissolve when a fourth-quarter pooch kick went awry. The 18th-ranked Broncos cashed in with the clinching touchdown to cement a 42-26 victory Saturday in front of a boisterous crowd estimated at 17,000 – the second-largest gathering ever at the Kibbie Dome.

Idaho had pulled within 28-26 with 7:05 left and missed an opportunity to tie it on a failed two-point conversion. For the third time, the Vandals’ pooch-kicked. For the first time, BSU didn’t settle for a fair catch.

Instead, Rashaun Scott fielded the ball near the 20 and returned it 42 yards. Just after Scott stepped out of bounds, he was leveled by UI kicker Tino Amancio, who drew a 15-yard personal-foul penalty.

Broncos running back Ian Johnson, who repeatedly found gaps large and small in Idaho’s defense, covered the 25 yards on four runs to hike BSU’s lead to 35-26.

“It was just disappointing,” Vandals coach Dennis Erickson said. “We fought back. We had all the momentum going in the world. We were playing good on defense, we were moving the ball some. We kick it, the guy returns it and we get a penalty.

“We lose everything on one play. On one play, that’s how this game is.”

This game lived up to the hype – and then some. Idaho, a three-touchdown underdog, threw a couple of early uppercuts, scoring on two of its first three possessions to energize a crowd in which numerous sections stayed on their feet throughout the game.

The experienced Broncos weathered Idaho’s early flurry, built a 21-14 halftime edge and staved off another Vandals charge in the fourth quarter to keep their hopes of an unbeaten season and BCS bowl alive. BSU (8-0, 4-0 WAC) is alone at the top of the conference standings.

“Our guys played great,” Broncos coach Chris Petersen said. “When you’re playing in someone else’s house and he’s your rival … to get a win like we did I’m proud of those guys.”

Idaho (4-4, 3-1), one of three one-loss WAC teams, settled for two field goals in the second half after being set up with ideal field position on Stanley Franks’ interception and Ryan Davis’ blocked punt.

“It is discouraging because we did have opportunities to win in the fourth quarter,” said tight end Luke Smith-Anderson, who had five receptions, including his first touchdown of the season. “Some things didn’t go our way and we didn’t capitalize on those moments.”

The Vandals also missed opportunities in the first half. Amancio was wide left on a 41-yard field-goal attempt and quarterback Steve Wichman threw an interception after Idaho had moved into field-goal range late in the second quarter.

Just when it appeared the game was slipping out of Idaho’s reach in the third quarter, Davis barged through the middle to block Kyle Stringer’s punt. After Amancio’s field goal, Idaho’s defense forced a three-and-out. The Vandals immediately drove 66 yards with Wichman hitting Marlon Haynes in stride for a 41-yard TD pass on a play Erickson inserted into the game plan earlier in the week.

On the two-point conversion, Wichman zeroed in on Haynes again, but cornerback Orlando Scandrick, burned on the prior play, batted the ball away at the last second, preserving BSU’s 28-26 lead.

“I knew they would go to 26 (Haynes’ number), that’s their guy,” Scandrick said. “I didn’t play it well, but I didn’t give up on it.”

Scott followed with his kickoff return that sapped Idaho’s momentum.

“There was a lot of room and I just ran,” said Scott.

“We’ve got four games left and we have a chance at a decent season,” Erickson said. “We had a chance in the fourth quarter, that’s what we wanted going in. What we asked for we got, and then that one play they took advantage of it.

“Good teams take advantage.”