MOSCOW, Idaho – The University of Idaho Vandals scored early and often, handing Simon Fraser University a 68-0 loss and spoiling the head coaching debut of
Mike Rigell Saturday afternoon.
Idaho is a NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision school and a member of the Big Sky Conference, and they looked like they belonged in a different league, scoring 21 points in the first quarter, leading 40-0 at the half and adding another 21 third quarter points.
The 68-point scoring margin was the third most in a loss by SFU. The 68-point margin of victory is the second largest ever by the Vandals, trailing only Idaho's 83-0 win over the College of Idaho, in 1923.
Brandon Niksich went the whole way at quarterback for SFU completing 9 of 16 passes for 77 yards and 1 interception. His favorites targets were
Dallas Dixon, with 4 catches for 37 yards, and
Riley Morrison, with 3 receptions for 31 yards. The longest completion of the night was 17 yards to Morrison.
The SFU offence managed 9 first downs and 13 yards rushing.
The Vandal used three quarterbacks who combined for 277 yards in the air, while the trio finished with 159 yards on the ground.
Leading tacklers for SFU were
Griffin Barrett (11),
Brendan Lowry (8),
Joshua Philips Verdugo (8), and
Jerrell Cummings (8).
Next Saturday SFU is in McMinnville, Oregon to play Linfield College for the Wildcats home opener. Linfield, 8-2 in 2019, plays in NCAA Division III and is defending Northwest Conference champion. Linfield is picked to repeat as champion in the 2021 NWC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Simon Fraser plays its first home game in the new SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field on Sept. 18 at 6PM against Central Washington in its GNAC opener.
