In an otherwise impressive season, Colorado State’s 2016 campaign was bookended by two hugely disappointing losses. The Idaho Vandals, who came into the Potato Bowl as 16-point underdogs, stunned the Rams with a 61-50 victory at Albertsons Stadium.
Both offenses started out slow in a scoreless first quarter. Idaho went three and out on their first three possessions, while CSU quarterback Nick Stevens threw a rare interception on the Rams’ second drive.
Action picked up in the second quarter when Stevens connected with Olabisi Johnson on a post route for a 52-yard touchdown. Idaho would get on the board just minutes later as Isaiah Saunders plunged into the endzone from two yards out. The Vandals missed the extra point, keeping the score at 7-6.
But Paul Petrino’s offense was just getting started. Following a CSU punt, they finished up a three-play Idaho drive, getting to pay dirt on a 26-yard run up the middle by Saunders. Idaho held a 13-6 lead and would never look back.
Yet another punt by Hayden Hunt led to arguably the most demoralizing point of the game for Mike Bobo and the Rams. The Vandals marched 85 yards on 18 plays while taking 6:44 off the clock on a drive that ended in a Jacob Sannon touchdown reception. Idaho notched two fourth down conversions as well.
Idaho took a 20-7 lead into the locker room at the half. The Vandals led the Rams in yards (246-174) and first downs (14-6). Saunders totaled 14 first half carries for 77 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
It only got worse in the third quarter for the green and gold. Linehan used his feet to get into the endzone for Idaho’s fourth consecutive touchdown, upping the score to 27-7.
CSU’s offense was forced to punt on their opening possession of the second half. Desperately needing a stop, the Rams’ defense crumbled, allowing a 74-yard touchdown from Linehan to Deon Watson. Idaho increased their lead to 34-7.
The nightmare continued though for the Rams. With a little more than four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Robert Ruiz muffed a punt, giving Idaho prime field position. It took the Vandals just three plays to go 14 yards as Linehan hooked up with Sannon, making the score 41-7.
All 41 Idaho points were unanswered.
Finally, with 1:43 to go in the third quarter, the Rams got back on the board with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Stevens to Michael Gallup.
The scoring picked up even more in the fourth quarter. After a 42-yard scamper by the Vandals’ Aaron Duckworth, the running back finished off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown, pushing the score to 48-14.
Johnson continued his impressive evening with another long touchdown reception, this time from 73 yards out. Idaho would answer in a big way less than three minutes later when Jordan Frysinger made a circus catch down the field for a 54-yard touchdown.
On the very next play from scrimmage, Gallup hauled in a 60-yard touchdown reception. The score was 55-28 in favor of the Vandals with 9:06 to play.
Saunders found the endzone for a third time with 7:40 to go. It was the final time that Idaho would put points on the board in a record-setting Potato Bowl.
CSU made things somewhat interesting in the game’s last five and a half minutes with 21 unanswered points on touchdowns from Gallup, Dalyn Dawkins and Izzy Matthews.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Olabisi Johnson – He had a ridiculous line of seven catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson also had a late-game reception for a two-point conversion.
Michael Gallup – He didn’t quite get rolling until the second half, but he finished with six catches for 108 yards and a trio of touchdowns.
Nick Stevens – The junior quarterback had a disappointing first half. But by game’s end, he went 21-of-36 for 445 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Dalyn Dawkins – The speedster running back carried the ball 16 times for 118 yards and got into the endzone once.
BY THE NUMBERS
1,206 – The combined total yards between the teams, a new Potato Bowl record
100 – The red zone scoring percentage for both teams. CSU and Idaho went a combined 9-for-9 inside the 20-yard line.
111 – The number of combined points, also a Potato Bowl record
11 – Different players responsible for at least one touchdown
36 – Points by the Rams in the fourth quarter
LASTING IMPACT
This loss definitely brings the Rams (7-6) back to earth. They were out-coached, outplayed and took a step back from where they were just a month ago.
