Weber State University’s football team fell 31–24 to the University of Idaho Vandals on Nov. 17, bringing the Wildcats’ loss streak to five games.
The game started with both teams having back-to-back punts to end their opening two drives until the Vandals broke the stalemate with a three-play, 62-yard drive culminating in a 36-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Layne to wide receiver Mark Hamper.
After the Wildcats went three-and-out on their next drive, they forced the Vandals to punt from their own 34-yard line, and freshman wide receiver Noah Kjar returned the punt 43 yards to Idaho’s 40-yard line. The Wildcat offense drove down to the Vandal 3-yard line. After the Vandals stopped junior running back Damon Bankston on the 1-yard line on third down, sophomore quarterback Richie Muñoz found sophomore tight end Keayen Nead for the touchdown pass to tie the game 7–7.
On their next drive, the Vandals drove down to the Wildcat 32-yard line but turned the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass on fourth down. Weber’s offense went three-and-out on their next drive, and Idaho kicker Cameron Pope hit a 50-yard field goal to make the game 10–7. On the ensuing kickoff, Kjar returned it 47 yards to the Wildcat 47-yard line. The Wildcats drove down the field, and a quarterback sneak by Muñoz made it a 14–10 game in favor of the Wildcats heading into the half.
On their first drive of the second half, the Wildcats went three-and-out. The Vandals got 3 more points following a 48-yard field goal from Pope. The Wildcats went three-and-out once again, and Pope scored another field goal, this time from 36 yards out.
The Wildcats had another three-and-out, but on the Vandals’ next drive, Layne’s pass was almost intercepted by Weber State cornerback Toddrick Dixon. Dixon dropped the ball and it tipped off his shoe as he fell to the ground, then bounced into the hands of Wildcat cornerback Ishaan Daniels.
Weber State got the ball with good field position at the beginning of the fourth quarter. However, following a controversial no-call of Idaho defenders holding Wildcat receiver Jacob Sharp’s jersey, the Vandals would force a turnover on downs from the Wildcats.
The Vandals drove down the field to make it a two-score game following another Layne-to-Hamper touchdown connection.
The Wildcats drove down to the Idaho 14, but after the drive stalled, they elected to kick a field goal. Senior kicker Kyle Thompson made the 31-yard attempt.
Weber needed a stop to keep it a one-score game. After two good plays from the defense, a miscommunication caused Layne to find Hamper again, who slipped through the defense for a 74-yard touchdown reception.
On the Wildcats’ next drive, Muñoz slipped the ball between two Vandals defenders to find Sharp, who scored a 57-yard touchdown to once again make it a one-score game at 31–24. However, Weber failed to recover the onside kick, leading to Idaho taking a knee to end the game.
Muñoz finished the game with 207 passing yards and two touchdown passes. Bankston led the team with 54 rushing yards and passed Weber State Hall of Fame Fine Unga for sixth all-time in school history in rushing yards in a career.
The Wildcats will be back at Stewart Stadium on Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. to take on the California Polytechnic State University Mustangs for the final game of the season.
