Box Score CALDWELL, Idaho – Hunter Gilbert scored from 23-yards out on a draw play to cap off the 77-yard game winning drive for the Yotes as No. 9 College of Idaho came from behind and prevent the upset by the No. 19 Orediggers. The final score was Yotes over the Orediggers 27-24.
Tech had just 13 seconds left to try to get into field goal position, but it just wasn't enough time.
The Orediggers opened the game with a touchdown on their first drive for their third straight game.
Blake Counts ran into the endzone from three yards out finishing a 13 play 65 yard drive.
The Yotes fumbled a punt at the end of the second quarter giving the ball back to Tech at the 42 yard line in Yotes territory with 2:14 to play in the half. The Orediggers drove into the endzone with
Blake Thelen completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to
Trevor Hoffman leaving just 20 seconds left on the clock taking a 14-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Thelen finished the game completing 15 of 32 for 205 yards and the lone touchdown pass to Hoffman. Hoffman had five catches for 75 yards in the game.
The Orediggers dominated the time of possession in the first half holding on to the ball for 18:46 to just 11:14 by the Yotes. College of Idaho had just 77 yards of total offense in the first half to 194 by Tech.
The Yotes stormed back in the third quarter starting with their opening possession on a 12 play 75 yard drive with John Schofield running into the endzone from one yard out.
After a Tech punt, the Yotes drove right back down on an 11 play 52 yard drive capped off by Schofield's second touchdown of the game with a 1 yard score to tie the game at 14 each.
The Yotes offense had the ball for 12:43 seconds in the third quarter.
After stopping the Yotes at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Tech ate up nearly eight minutes of the clock finishing a 12 play 73 yard drive to pull ahead 21-14 with Counts scoring his second touchdown of the game from a yard out.
The Yotes would not give up scoring on their first play of their next possession on a 75-yard pass from Andy Peters to Brock Richardson tying the game up again at 21-21.
The Orediggers took over with 4:12 left in the game and drove the length of the field on the next drive. The Yotes held the Orediggers out of the endzone but
Ryan Lowry hit a 23-yard field goal to pull the Orediggers ahead 24-21 with 1:33 to go in the game.
The Yotes finished with 371 yards of offense after their slow start with 184 yards rushing. Tech finished with 350 yards of total offense.
Counts rushed a season-high 25 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
Wyatt Alexander had four catches for 36 yards and
Kyle Torgerson three catches for 43 yards.
Naioki Harmer led the Orediggers with eight tackles.
Blake Allred had seven and knocked down a pass.
Sophomore
Cole Wyant and six tackles and half a sack.
Keyshawn James-Newby had three tackles and a sack.
Dylan Martinez led the Yotes with nine tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and half a sack. Martinez also knocked down a pass.
Peters finished with 187 yards pass and just the one touchdown to tie the game.
Richardson had six catches for 123 yards and the one touchdown.
Gilbert ran the ball 16 times for 101 yards and one touchdown. Schofield finished with 33 yards and two scores.
The Orediggers (4-2) are off next week before hosting Southern Oregon for Hall of Fame Weekend on October 22nd.
