The Idaho Vandals dropped their season opener to Cal Poly 38-34 in San Luis Obispo, California, on a dramatic fourth-down play with 9 seconds remaining. Cal Poly quarterback Anthony Grigsby Jr. connected with Tayvion McCoy on a 34-yard touchdown pass to seal the Mustangs’ first victory against Idaho in program history.
Grigsby Jr. dominated the contest, throwing for 319 yards and four touchdowns while also scoring on a 15-yard rushing touchdown with 2:16 left that tied the game at 34-34.
Vandals Rally Too Late
Idaho trailed 21-10 at halftime but mounted a second-half comeback. Quarterback Joshua Wood led a scoring drive in the fourth quarter, connecting with Tony Harste on a 75-yard touchdown pass. The Vandals kicked a field goal with 1:03 remaining to take a 37-34 lead, but it proved insufficient against Cal Poly’s final drive.
The loss marks Idaho’s first game of the season and leaves the program at 0-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Cal Poly improved to 1-0 overall and 1-0 in conference, snapping an 0-5 all-time series deficit against the Vandals.
What Comes Next
Idaho will look to bounce back immediately, as the Vandals face No. 21 ranked Utah on Thursday, September 3 at 6:00 p.m. The matchup offers an early test against a nationally ranked opponent as the program aims to rebound from the heartbreaking loss in California.