DALLAS (FWAA) – The Idaho Vandals scored a touchdown as time expired and converted a two-point attempt to defeat Montana State, the No. 1 team in the country in the Football Championship Subdivision, 35-34, on Friday night at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome. For their historic comeback that snapped the defending FCS champions’ 19-game winning streak, the Vandals earned the Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 3, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.
Idaho becomes the 109th different program to receive the honor and just the fourth to earn it while competing in the FCS, joining Appalachian State (2007), North Dakota State (2013) and Yale (2014 and 2025). The Vandals’ selection is the fifth for an FCS team and the 330th overall in the award’s 25 seasons.
Idaho (1-4, 1-1 Big Sky) overcame a 34-20 fourth-quarter deficit for its first-ever victory over a top-ranked opponent.
With 49 seconds remaining and no timeouts, quarterback Joshua Wood directed an 80-yard drive, capped by a 25-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Jezioro on the final play. Wood then powered into the end zone for the winning two-point conversion.
Wood completed 19 of 25 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown. Jezioro established career highs with 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns on six catches. Cruz Hepburn led the defense with 13 tackles as Idaho held Montana State scoreless over the final 13 minutes.
The Vandals visit Weber State on Saturday.
The FWAA has recognized a National Team of the Week since the 2002 season. Weekly candidates are evaluated by the FWAA All-America Committee with supporting data analysis from the Iron Football app. Today's announcement will also be featured on the Cover 3 Podcast, hosted by Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Danny Kanell and Bud Elliott of CBS Sports.
Each honored team will receive a delivery of assorted Pop-Tarts and a custom-crafted game ball from Big Game USA, the Dallas-based manufacturer of handcrafted American-made footballs.
Florida Citrus Sports is a not-for-profit event-management organization dedicated to positively impacting the Orlando region while enhancing the quality of life in Central Florida through world-class events. Its annual events include the Citrus Bowl, the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the Florida Blue Florida Classic, the Camping World Kickoff and the FC Series. For more information, visit FloridaCitrusSports.com.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of approximately 1,200 men and women who cover college football. Its membership includes journalists, broadcasters, publicists and key executives involved in the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.