MOBILE, Ala. — Idaho scored on a 2-yard run by Saunders in the second overtime to beat South Alabama 29-23 Saturday in a Sun Belt Conference opener at Ladd-Peebles Stadium that was interrupted by more than three hours of lightning delays.
The game kicked off at 1 p.m. and did not end until nearly 8 p.m. Idaho tied the score with 13 seconds left in regulation, and South Alabama missed a field goal in the second overtime before the Vandals’ winning drive.
Reaves Sets the Tone
Senior defensive back Jeremy Reaves led the South Alabama defense with 12 tackles, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Reaves forced a fumble on Idaho’s second offensive snap of the game, and the Jaguars turned the short field into a touchdown. Idaho later drove to the South Alabama 11, where Linehan completed a pass to Onunwor, but Reaves forced another fumble and recovered it at the 2.
A few plays later, Dallas Davis was intercepted by a linebacker dropping into coverage. After offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, Idaho scored to tie the game with 9:02 left before halftime.
Two Defensive Touchdowns Erased
Penalties wiped out two South Alabama interception returns for touchdowns in the second half.
After the Jaguars went three-and-out to start the third quarter, a personal foul and a 9-yard completion moved Idaho to the South Alabama 36. Finesse Middleton pressured Linehan into a throw that Malcolm Buggs intercepted and returned for a touchdown, but the score was nullified by a roughing-the-passer penalty. The defense then stopped Idaho on fourth-and-1 at the Jaguar 2.
On the first play of Idaho’s final drive of the third quarter, a tipped Linehan pass was intercepted by Darrell Songy and returned for a touchdown, but a defensive holding penalty took the points away. South Alabama again held on fourth-and-1, forcing an incompletion at the Jaguar 30.
Idaho started its next drive with a 20-yard run by Linehan and a 36-yard completion to Onunwor, but the Jaguars held the Vandals to a field goal that tied the game at 13.
Late Lead Slips Away
Following a lightning delay of about two and a half hours, a holding penalty left Idaho facing second-and-30. South Alabama forced a punt that went out of bounds at the Idaho 40, and on the third play of the ensuing drive, Xavier Johnson ran 34 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
The South Alabama defense recorded a 6-yard sack on third-and-10 to force another punt. The Jaguars appeared to pick up a first down that would have helped run out the clock with a 13-yard run on third-and-2, but an illegal formation penalty negated it, and South Alabama punted.
Idaho took over at its own 39 with 1:30 remaining. Linehan completed 6 of 9 passes on the drive, finishing with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Onunwor with 13 seconds left to tie the game.
Overtime
Idaho opened overtime with a field goal. On South Alabama’s possession, a 14-yard Johnson run to the Idaho 11 was called back for a holding penalty on Jamarius Way. Johnson gained five yards on first-and-6, but Tra Minter and Denzel Foster were each stopped for losses, and the Jaguars kicked a field goal to force a second overtime.
In the second overtime, South Alabama faced third-and-6 when a substitution infraction pushed it back five yards. Gavin Patterson’s field goal attempt had enough distance but missed to the right.
After another lightning delay, Idaho kept the ball on the ground with Saunders, who lost two yards before gains of 3 and 22 and then the 2-yard winning touchdown.
Statistical Leaders
- Johnson rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.
- Minter added 59 yards on 15 carries, and Evan Orth had one run for 41 yards.
- Davis completed 11 of 25 passes for 106 yards with an interception.
For Idaho, Linehan completed 23 of 38 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown. Onunwor caught eight passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, and Jacob Sannon had 10 catches for 103 yards. Saunders ran 18 times for 63 yards and a touchdown, and Duckworth added 56 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
