**Idaho Vandals Fall to UC Davis, Playoff Hopes Diminish**
*MOSCOW, Idaho* – With a 4-5 record and just three games remaining in the season, the Idaho Vandals were facing a do-or-die scenario to qualify for the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. Facing the 11th-ranked University of California Davis Aggies, the Vandals understood the magnitude of the stakes and played aggressively throughout the game.
Despite their determination and several bold plays, Idaho essentially fell behind early in the third quarter. The Aggies put together a 44-yard, five-play drive capped by Stacy Dobbins’ three-yard touchdown run, extending UC Davis’s lead to 28-7.
Idaho responded quickly in the fourth quarter. Michael Graves scored his second touchdown on a 35-yard pass from quarterback Joshua Wood. Vandals safety Hayden John then interrupted a potential Aggies scoring drive with an interception close to the end zone.
The Vandals continued to push, reaching fourth-and-goal at the UC Davis four-yard line with 2:46 left after Wood dodged a tackle near the 10-yard line. However, Wood’s pass into the end zone was intercepted by Jayden Stanley, who returned it length of the field for what appeared to be a touchdown. The score was nullified due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on nose tackle Derrell Porter, who removed his helmet during the play. This penalty brought the ball back to the UCD eight-yard line with 2:29 remaining.
UC Davis managed to run out the clock in five plays and secured a 28-14 victory. The win improved the Aggies’ record to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big Sky Conference, while Idaho slipped to 4-6 and 2-4.
“I am very proud of the resolve of our kids,” said Idaho head coach Thomas Ford Jr. “Down 28-7, they could have easily packed it in, but they didn’t. Our guys understood the magnitude of the game and came out ready to play. It was a great effort. They fought until there was no time left. There was never a time our group thought we were going to lose the ballgame.”
Joshua Wood had a standout performance, passing for 297 yards and throwing two touchdowns while rushing for 48 yards. UC Davis quarterback Caden Pinnick completed 248 passing yards with three touchdowns and added 40 rushing yards with another score. Running back Jordan Fisher powered the Aggies on the ground with his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season, totaling 103 yards against Idaho’s defense.
Ford praised his defense, acknowledging the challenge posed by one of the top-ranked offenses in the FCS. “We didn’t stop them, but we certainly slowed them down,” he remarked.
The game started poorly for the Vandals as the Aggies scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. Tight end Ian Simpson leapt over Vandal defensive back Caleb Ricks to score on a 66-yard, six-play drive. A roughing the passer penalty against Idaho kept the Aggies’ drive alive, leading to a second score—a pass from Pinnick to Samuel Gbatu Jr. for an eight-yard touchdown. A facemask penalty against Idaho extended that drive as well.
Despite the early deficit, Idaho showed grit. Wood repeatedly targeted deep receivers, and the Vandals attempted to convert six fourth downs during the game, successfully converting two. Their fighting spirit embodied their fight song moniker as “a tribe from the north brave and bold.”
In the second quarter, Wood connected on a spectacular 54-yard pass to Michael Graves, who fought off UC Davis’s Drew Cofield to score on a 68-yard touchdown. Graves, a senior who had been limited due to a preseason injury, is getting healthier. Coach Ford praised Graves’ perseverance and speed, calling him “that joker who can run.” Ford said Graves’ determination exemplifies the culture the program is building.
Idaho’s remaining two games are at Sacramento State on November 15 and at home against Idaho State on November 22.
The Vandals’ aggressive approach was clear early on. Midway through the first quarter, they declined a short field goal attempt on fourth-and-goal at the six-yard line, opting instead to try for the touchdown. Wood’s pass to Nolan McWilliams in the end zone was initially ruled a touchdown but was overturned due to McWilliams stepping out of bounds prior to catching the ball. Ford noted, “Nolan is a true freshman. He probably didn’t have enough awareness of where he was on the field.”
The Aggies answered with a nine-play drive that began at their six-yard line and ended with a 22-yard touchdown run by Pinnick. Tucker Ridley’s extra point made the score 21-7 with just over two minutes left in the first half.
Later, UC Davis threatened again, but Idaho’s Sam Brown blocked Ridley’s 50-yard field goal attempt, closing the half on a high note for the Vandals.
Despite the loss effectively ending Idaho’s playoff hopes, Coach Ford remains optimistic about the program’s future. “The lessons we’ve learned this season, including from the game against the Aggies, can propel us into the future. I don’t plan on going anywhere. I want to build this program the way I know it can be.”
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*Game Recap: Idaho Vandals vs. UC Davis Aggies*
**Final Score:** UC Davis 28, Idaho 14
**Records:** UC Davis 7-2 (4-1 Big Sky), Idaho 4-6 (2-4 Big Sky)
**Key Players:**
– Joshua Wood (Idaho): 297 passing yards, 2 TDs, 48 rushing yards
– Michael Graves (Idaho): 2 TD receptions
– Caden Pinnick (UC Davis): 248 passing yards, 3 TDs, 40 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD
– Jordan Fisher (UC Davis): 103 rushing yards
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*Stay tuned for coverage of Idaho’s upcoming games as they aim to finish the season strong.*
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/nov/08/idahos-playoff-hopes-take-blow-with-loss-to-no-11-/