FCS football

Idaho stuns No. 1 Montana State on final play

A late touchdown pass and successful two-point conversion gave the Vandals a 35-34 win in Moscow on October 3, 2026.

Rookie and Draft scouting

American football NFL, NCAA and ONEFA news Rookie and Draft scouting

Idaho defeated FCS No. 1 Montana State 35-34 in Moscow on October 3, 2026, scoring a touchdown and converting a two-point attempt on the game’s final play.

The Vandals overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, handing the defending FCS national champions their first loss in 19 games. The NCAA FCS reported that it was Idaho’s first win over an FCS No. 1 team.

Wood leads the last-minute drive

With 49 seconds left, Idaho quarterback Joshua Wood led an 80-yard drive. A 23-yard completion to Noah West-Baranco brought the Vandals to the Montana State 25-yard line.

After West-Baranco was tackled, officials added one second to the clock. Montana State called a timeout before Idaho’s next play, giving the Vandals time to prepare their final attempt.

Wood then threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Jezioro. Idaho head coach Thomas Ford Jr. sent Wood up the middle on the two-point try, which secured the 35-34 victory.

Idaho’s offense rallies

Wood completed 19 of 25 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns. The NCAA FCS account noted that it was his third game with more than 300 passing yards.

Jezioro recorded career highs of 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He had also caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Wood on Idaho’s opening drive.

Montana State’s streak ends

The defeat ended Montana State’s 19-game winning streak. The Bobcats’ previous Big Sky loss had come against in-state rival Montana in 2023.

Montana State played without quarterback Justin Lamson, wide receiver Taco Dowler, safety Caden Dowler and running back Adam Jones. The NCAA FCS reported that backups Patrick Duchien, Carter Dahlke and Colson Coon stepped up: Duchien passed for 249 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 92 yards and a score, while Dahlke gained 126 receiving yards and scored a touchdown.

Idaho remained undefeated against Montana State at home since 1990, according to the NCAA FCS report. The Vandals had also beaten the Bobcats 24-21 in 2023, when Montana State was ranked No. 2.

Newsroom

Idaho’s final-play touchdown and two-point conversion turned a late deficit into a 35-34 upset of the top-ranked Bobcats.

Byline

Steven El Rayo

Rookie and Draft scouting

Editorial transparency · How this story was created

This article was prepared by the automated Ranko newsroom using tournament data recorded on Ranko Universe at the time of generation. Subsequent updates or corrections may not yet appear here.

This report summarises the results and standings available when it was prepared.

AI-generated editorial illustration. Not a photograph or an official game screenshot.