Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Idaho breaks skid, holds on to victory
IDAHO 29, NEW MEXICO STATE 17
MOSCOW, Idaho — Chad Chalich threw for 192 yards and a touchdown and Jerrel Brown ran for 151 yards and another score as Idaho (1-6, 1-4 Sun Belt) broke a six-game slide with its first victory, a 2917 victory over New Mexico State (2-6, 1-3) on Saturday.
Robert Montgomery put Idaho up 7-0 early on a 4-yard run. A 49-yard touchdown pass from Chalich to Joshua McCain and two field goals by Austin Rehkow gave the Vandals a 20-10 halftime lead.
Rehkow kicked his third field goal early in the fourth to extend the lead to 23-10.
The Aggies scored on a 33yard touchdown run by Larry Rose III and New Mexico State trailed by six with 12:05 left.
Their comeback hopes were dashed when the Vandals’ Jayshawn Jordan intercepted Tyler Rose and Brown took it in from 14 yards a play later for the final score.
The victory for Idaho also snaps a 13-game losing streak — the nation’s longest in the FBS — that included the final seven games of last season.
In other games involving Sun Belt teams, Marcus Cox ran 16 times for 123 yards and 3 touchdowns as Appa
lachian State beat Troy 53-14 in Troy, Ala., to earn its first-ever Sun Belt victory. After building a 26-14 halftime lead, Appalachian State ( 2- 5, 1- 2) scored 27 consecutive points, ending its four-game losing streak. The Mountaineers outrushed Troy (1-6, 1-2) 44179 with four different players gaining at least 80 yards on the ground. Ricky Fergerson ran 10 times for 107 yards and Terrence Upshaw added 82 yards rushing. … Brandon Bridge scored three touchdowns, throwing for two and rushing another, to lead South
Alabama ( 4- 2, 3- 1) past Georgia State (1-6, 0-4) 30-27 in Mobile, Ala. Bridge rushed 15 times for 137 yards and completed 11 of 32 passes for 126 yards. Aleem Sunanon converted field goals from 42, 28 and 43 yards out for South Alabama.