The magic of Jason Eck’s first season ran out in the waning seconds in Hammond, Louisiana on Saturday night.
The Idaho Vandals had a remarkable run in Eck’s first year at the helm, winning six games in Big Sky Conference play and earning the program’s first playoff berth since exiting Division I-AA following the 1995 season.
On Saturday night, you could’ve left Idaho for dead multiple times against Southeastern Louisiana. And when freshman stud quarterback Gevani McCoy threw an interception that Zy Alexander returned half the length of the field for a touchdown with four minutes to play.
That pick-six gave SELA of the Southland Conference a 45-35 lead against an upstart Vandals team that many thought deserved a first round home game in these FCS Playoffs.
But McCoy responded, just like he has all year during his stellar freshman season. He threw a 70-yard touchdown to Jermaine Jackson to pull the Vandals within three points, 45-42.
Idaho got a stop and McCoy got the UI offense into field goal range. Ricardo Chavez drilled a 39-yarder that would’ve tied the game but SELA head coach Frank Sceflo called a timeout.
On the re-try, Chavez slipped and the kick missed barely to the left of the upright. The Lions emerged with a 45-42 win in front of 3,124 on Saturday night in Hammond, LA.
McCoy, the Big Sky Freshman of the Year and a third-team all-conference selection, finished 19-of-26 for 343 yards and two touchdowns. But his two interceptions proved to be detrimental as Idaho finished its season with two losses in its final three games to close the year 7-5 overall.
Hayden Hatten completed his outstanding sophomore season with nine catches for 209 yards, giving him seven games over 100 yards in the last eight. The Big Sky’s receiving triple crown winner finished the campaign with 83 catches for 1,209 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Southeastern Louisiana moved to 9-3 and will play at sixth-seeded Samford, the champions of the Southern Conference.
