Oct. 17—The Idaho Vandals gathered on the sideline at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, hoisting the historic Little Brown Stein trophy while joining their joyous fans in belting out the school's fight song.
It was one of the more uplifting scenes in recent memory for Idaho, and perhaps signified a turning point for a Vandals team that has come through with incredible wins in its two most highly anticipated Big Sky Conference games of the season — both thrillers against top-10 programs from Montana — but stumbled otherwise.
However the rest of the season turns out — and no matter how frustrating the first half of this campaign was — the Vandals and their supporters won't soon forget the elation they earned Saturday in Missoula.
The Vandals offense was nearly unstoppable for most of the afternoon. Their defense came up with clutch stops late. Idaho captured a signature win and a traveling trophy, stunning seventh-ranked Montana 42-35 in a classic matchup between longtime Big Sky rivals.
"That was one of those instant classics, for sure," second-year Vandals coach Thomas Ford Jr. said on UI's postgame radio show. "When you go down the line in history of the battle for the Little Brown Stein, this has gotta be one that's going to be remembered.
"This is one of those victories we'll remember for a long time."
The Vandals (2-5, 2-2 Big Sky) sure made things entertaining. Their offense, headlined by a brilliant game from senior quarterback Joshua Wood, scored touchdowns on six of its eight full drives. Offense defined the game, but UI's defense sealed it.
Idaho's Mason Krahn came up with a third-down sack midway through the fourth quarter with his team ahead by seven points, forcing a 34-yard Montana field-goal attempt, which was missed. On the ensuing possession, the Vandals were forced to punt for just the second time of the game, setting up a final two-minute series for Montana. The Grizzlies drove inside the Idaho 30, but a tackle for loss on a QB keeper by UI's Nicholas Speer and a sack by Mitchel Jaskowiak brought up fourth-and-long, and Montana QB Keali'i Ah Yat's pass sailed high out of the back of the end zone.
"We were able to get the job done when we needed it most," Ford said.
Defense was optional for most of the game. The teams combined for 974 yards and 56 first downs. The Vandals outgained UM slightly overall and 158-143 on the ground. UI's third-down efficiency (11 of 14) was key, and Wood had arguably his best collegiate game, shaking off an early mistake to finish 30 of 38 for 335 yards and three touchdowns, along with 85 rushing yards and a TD on the ground.
"He's the best player in this conference," Ford said of Wood, who entered the game third in the Big Sky and eighth nationally in passing yards. "I don't think anyone can argue that. The way he controls the game, not only throwing the football but with his legs ... he's just an incredible talent."
Wood threw a third-down interception on the first possession, but tight end Gus Donnerberg forced a fumble on the return and the Vandals got the ball right back 30 yards downfield. From there, Idaho's offense was superb.
Wood capped long, efficient drives with touchdown passes to Zack Card and Ryan Jezioro to open a 14-0 first-quarter lead, and the QB scored on a 2-yard keeper midway through the second to put UI up 21-7. But the Vandals couldn't separate from Montana (5-3, 3-2), which boasts a top-10 offense in the FCS.
Keali'i Ah Yat was just as impressive as Wood, completing 25 of 31 passes for 338 yards and five TDs. He tossed TD passes to Brooks Davis, who entered the week leading the FCS in receiving yards, on three consecutive possessions. Ah Yat's 33-yard strike to Davis early in the third quarter tied the score at 21-21.
The Vandals answered each of the Griz's second-half scores with a TD of their own. Wood finished another sharp drive with a 13-yard TD toss to Jezioro, who hauled it in with one hand to put Idaho ahead 28-21. UM responded with a TD, as did UI, which got a bruising, 6-yard TD run from Hayden Kincheloe to go up 35-28 entering the fourth quarter.
"This has been a resilient group all year," Ford said. "You really saw it today. ... We knew we were going to get punched. They're a top-10 team for a reason. We knew we had to keep swinging back, and our guys did a great job of swinging back."
After record-breaking Montana running back Eli Gillman (19 carries, 139 yards) tied the game again early in the fourth on a short TD run, Wood kickstarted a drive with a 35-yard scramble, then connected with Nolan McWilliams on a 34-yarder. UI's backup QB, Israel Carter, took a designed run 2 yards for the final score with about 10 minutes remaining.
It appeared the Grizzlies would prolong the shootout, but UI's defense stepped up to preserve the Vandals' first win over Montana since 2022.
"It was just the belief," Wood said postgame on SWX. "Coach Ford was preaching all week about just believing. That's what our team did. Defense got a helluva stop at the end to take home the victory, take home the stein."
The Vandals kept their postseason hopes narrowly alive with their second top-10 win in three weeks — they beat then-No. 1 Montana State earlier this month in Moscow, then completed a season sweep of the Montana schools for the first time since 1989. The Vandals host Southern Utah for homecoming next weekend.
"It just shows the feeling of this team — we had not reached our full potential quite yet," Ford said. "I've always known we had a really good football team. We just didn't have the experience. ... You're seeing we can play with anybody."
