MOSCOW, Idaho – Lamar University junior running back
Jojo Uga carried the ball 15 times for 105 yards – the Cardinals' first 100-yard rusher of the season – and the Cardinals defense shutdown Idaho's potent offense as the Cardinals recorded 23-17 victory Saturday afternoon at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.
The Cardinals (2-1) finished the day with 303 yards of total offense, while the Vandals were held below 300. Junior quarterback
Aiden McCown completed 13-of-22 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown. He connected with six different receivers led by
Davin Driskell's three catches for 55 yards (18.3 ypr) and a touchdown.
Defensively, Lamar was led by
Bryce McDonald's six tackles. Senior
Alexandre Dedieu ended the day with five stops including three solos and two tackles for losses. Junior
Koda Canady recorded three tackles all three for sacks. The Cardinals ended the day with 7.0 tackles for losses and 5.0 sacks.
After Lamar stopped Idaho on a fake punt, the Cardinals attempted a 50-yard field goal but it was just off the mark. The Cardinals' defense came up with another big stop but on the ensuing punt the ball bounced off an LU player on the ground and the Vandals recovered the ball which led to a 38-yard field.
Big Red followed the field goal with a 10-play, 69-yard drive that ended with an
Andres Sandoval 36-yard field goal to tie the game. The drive took more than six minutes off the clock. Unfortunately, the Cardinals appeared to be headed in for a touchdown but an errant snap on a 2
nd-and-Goal play from the one-yard line eventually forced a field goal attempt.
After LU took a three-point lead (on a Sandoval 48-yarder), the Cardinals' defense answered the call on the ensuing Idaho drive. After the Vandals got the ball out near midfield,
Etelridge McKinney made a huge stop on a 3
rd-and-3 play to bring up fourth and less than a yard. The Vandals' quarterback was stopped in his tracks by
Koda Canady just before
IyiolaOluwa Solomi stepped up to finish him off and give the Cardinals the ball at the Idaho 44, but LU was unable to capitalize.
Big Red finally punched it across the goal line late in the opening half when McCown carried the ball across the line for the 13-3 lead. The touchdown plunge capped a six-play, 70-yard drive that took 2:33 off the clock. After another defensive stand by Lamar, the Cardinals got another crack at the scoreboard with seconds remaining in the half. Big Red took advantage moments later. McCown hit
Davin Driskell over the middle for 39 yards which would set up another McCown to Driskell connection for a 15-yard touchdown (Driskell's third TD catch of the season).
Lamar recorded 251 yards of offense in the first half – 118 on the ground – but the real story was the Cardinals' defense. Idaho ran 33 first-half plays and was held to a mere 86 yards (just 24 rushing).
The Vandals trimmed the LU lead to 10 on their first possession that ended Woods' one-yard rush for the score. Idaho had a chance to trim the lead even further but an Idaho 49-yard field goal attempt was off the mark. Big Red answered by getting the ball back and marching 41 yards down the field leading to a 45-yard Sandoval field goal.
The Cardinals will enter their open week as they get prepared to start Southland Conference play and wrap up the current three-game road trip Saturday, Sept. 26
th at Nicholls. The game against the Colonels will kick off at 3 p.m. from Guidry Stadium. It will be broadcast on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+
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