Freshman rallies Idaho State to 42-41 win over E. Washington, Hunter scores with 52 seconds left

Sat, Oct 14, 2023
NCAAF News (AP)

POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) - Hunter Hays scored untouched on a 1-yard quarterback draw with 52 seconds left and Idaho State, led by a career day from freshman quarterback Jordan Cooke, ended a 12-game losing streak to Eastern Washington with a 42-41 win on Saturday night.

Cooke threw his second TD pass, a 25-yarder to Aaron Blanca, with 3:28 to play, making it 41-35 after trailing 41-14 with 1:48 left in the third quarter.

Eastern Washington was penalized while returning an onside kick to Idaho State's 30. Re-kicking from the 50, the Bengals recovered the ball on the EWU 36. On a 4th-and-9 on from the 17, Cooke threaded a pass to Christian Fredrickson at the 1.

After Hunter's touchdown on the next play, Kekoa Visperas drove the Eagles to the Idaho State 21 before Soren McKee missed a 38-yard field goal wide right. He had made the kick moments earlier, but the Bengals had called a timeout.

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Cook and Hays combined to throw for 523 yards, both accounting for two touchdowns. Cooke was 25 of 39 for a career-high 389 yards. Sophomore Chedon James also had a career day with 15 receptions for 206 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals (2-4, 2-1 Big Sky Conference). Fredrickson had seven catches for 119 yards, also a career high.

Kekoa Visperas threw for a career-high 403 yards and three touchdowns, two to Efton Chism III, who had a career day with 13 catches for 161 yards for the Eagles (2-4, 1-2).

James' touchdown four seconds before the half pulled the Bengals within 35-14. McKee kicked field goals of 32 and 30 yards in the third quarter for the 27-point lead, but he also missed a 50-yard attempt with 5:51 to play, in the midst of ISU's four-straight touchdowns. The Eagles led 41-28 at the time.

Idaho State had 572 total yards, 342 in the second half. Eastern Washington had 553 yards, 359 in the first half. The teams combined for 61 first downs.

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