CALDWELL, Idaho — Caden Young threw for two touchdowns and Rylie Byington rushed for two others and No. 3-ranked College of Idaho took down No. 2 Montana Tech 35-19 on Saturday at Simplot Stadium in a clash of top Frontier Conference and NAIA powers.
Cole Tanner returned a kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown late in the first half to propel C of I, which improved its overall record to 4-0. The Orediggers suffered their first loss of the season and are now 4-1 overall.
Young threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Travis Marieiro to open the scoring, then found Trey Gibson with a 40-yard scoring throw later in the first quarter as the Yotes took a 14-3 lead.
Montana Tech closed the gap in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Jamal Cariglia, but C of I answered with a 15-yard scoring run by Byington just two minutes later.
Casey Kautzman hit the second of his two field goals for the Orediggers late in the second quarter. Then Tech QB Jarrett Wilson connected with Colby Martinez on a 58-yard touchdown pass, but a two-point conversion attempt in an effort to tie the game failed.
Tanner then returned the ensuing kickoff to the end zone, and the Yotes went into halftime with a 28-19 advantage.
In the third quarter, Byington added his second touchdown rush, this time from 1 yard. The Yotes defense shut out the Orediggers for the entirety of the second half.
Wilson threw for 236 yards and Levi Torgerson had 107 yards receiving for Montana Tech. The Orediggers' offense, though, was held to just 86 rushing yards on 29 attempts.
Montana Tech next week travels to Dakota State (S.D.) to open the East division portion of its schedule. DSU came into this week ranked No. 21 in the NAIA coaches poll.
C of I, meanwhile, will welcome Simpson (Calif.) for its West division opener.
