Ryan ChartrandMOSCOW, Idaho – Cal Poly lost four of its seven fumbles and Idaho turned three of them into scores – a touchdown and two field goals – en route to a 20-13 victory over the Mustangs in a non-conferfence football game Sept. 8 in the Kibbie Dome.
Cal Poly, playing its first two games on the road for the first time since the 2000 season, fell to 0-2 on the year.
The Mustangs were ranked No. 17 in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll and No. 22 in The Sports Network Poll coming into the game.
Idaho, a Football Bowl Subdivision team from the Western Athletic Conference, improved to 1-1.
Cal Poly closed a 14-point deficit to seven at 20-13 with 4:51 to play when Jonathan Dally hooked up with Tredale Tolver on a 69-yard touchdown pass and Andrew Gardner kicked the extra point. The drive was kept alive on an Idaho five-yard face mask penalty on fourth down.
The Vandals were able to drive 63 yards in nine plays and run out the clock to clinch the victory, their second in two tries against Cal Poly. The two teams also met in 1996 – a 38-33 Idaho victory in Moscow.
Idaho jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first 11 minutes of the game.
Nathan Enderle hooked up with Max Komar on a 36-yard touchdown pass and Tino Amancio kicked a 51-yard field goal for the Vandals.
Gardner kicked a 20-yard field goal for Cal Poly early in the second quarter and the 10-3 score stood up to halftime.
Amancio kicked a 25-yard field goal for Idaho in the third quarter and Gardner answered with a 30-yard three-pointer six seconds into the fourth quarter.
Deonte’ Jackson ran 11 yards for what proved to be the clinching score with 8:31 to play following a Cal Poly fumble.
Jackson finished with 214 yards on 30 carries while Enderle completed seven of 22 passes for 101 yards. He was sacked once by Carlton Gillespie, for Cal Poly’s first sack of the season.
Lee Smith caught four passes for 41 yards for Idaho.
Cal Poly’s offensive leaders were fullback Jon Hall with 114 yards on 20 carries, Tolver with five catches for 120 yards and Ramses Barden, had 207 yards receiving the week before, had four receptions for 46 yards.
Hall entered the game with nine carries for 25 yards in his Mustang career.
Dally completed 10 of 24 passes for 175 yards and the one score to Tolver.
Neither quarterback threw an interception.
Defensive leaders for the Mustangs were linebacker Mark Restelli with 11 tackles (eight solo) and linebacker Marty Mohamed with 10 (seven solo).
Gillespie recovered an Idaho fumble.
Despite the loss, Cal Poly had the edge in first downs, 20-19, and in total offensive yards, 346-336.
The Mustangs, seeking their fourth win over an FBS school since moving from Division II in 1994, are now 3-17 against FBS schools since 1980. Cal Poly beat New Mexico State in 1997, UTEP in 2003 and San Diego State last year.