Idaho State Scores 28 in the Third Quarter, Beats VMI 38-10
VMI threw for 11 yards. Eleven. It also ran 51 times for 231 yards, which would normally be a recipe for staying in a game, and it still lost 38-10.
Idaho State led 10-0 at the half on a field goal and a 9-yard Jordan Cooke touchdown pass to Julian Mason with 0:27 left in the second quarter. Then the third quarter turned into a track meet. Cooke hit Chedon James for 49 yards with 13:22 left, Noa Calaycay took a punt back 6 yards for a score (11:06), Cooke found Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio for 83 (6:34), and Elijah Aragon for 38 (5:17). Four touchdowns in about eight minutes of clock turned 10-0 into 38-0.
VMI did not score until Chandler Wilson ran 31 yards for a touchdown with 7:11 left in the fourth, and Jack Joyce added a 23-yard field goal with 1:57 to go. That was the whole VMI scoreboard. The Bengals never trailed, and the shutout lasted until the fourth quarter.
The stat sheet explains it from both sides. Idaho State had 454 total yards, 366 of them passing, and 88 rushing on 25 carries. VMI had 242 yards, almost all on the ground, and lost a fumble. Idaho State threw two interceptions and still won by 28, which tells you how little they mattered.
The score in the second half was 28-10 for Idaho State, and the 28 all came in one quarter. It is hard to be a good rushing team and lose by four touchdowns, but here is VMI doing it. The Keydets were also the only team not to throw an interception, which does not matter much when you throw for 11 yards.
Idaho State is 1-0 and VMI is 0-1. The fantasy angle is Cooke: 37.2 points, and his two top receivers were not far behind.