Brian Flowers ran for 91 yards and a pair of touchdowns, leading Idaho past New Mexico State 28-20 in a Western Athletic Conference game on Saturday.
The Aggies (2-3, 0-1 WAC) closed within eight points of the Vandals (3-3, 2-0) when quarterback Chase Holbrook connected with Derek DuBois on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 2:09 left. Marlon Haynes secured the ensuing onside kick to lock up the victory for Idaho.
The Vandals scored first when Wendell Octave caught the first of two touchdown receptions to cap his team's three-play opening drive. Octave ended up with three catches for 64 yards.
The Aggies entered the game as the nation's top-ranked passing offense and showed glimpses of that. Following the Vandals' first score, Aggies receiver Chris Williams got behind the Idaho defense for a 96-yard touchdown reception.
A.J. Harris added another long score late in the first half when Holbrook connected with him on a 47-yard touchdown.
Williams, who entered the game averaging 97.25 receiving yards per game, finished with five catches for 146 yards. Holbrook finished 25-for-41 for 342 yards, with a pair of interceptions.
The Aggies rushing game was stymied and held to just 31 yards. Chris Nwoko finished with 26 of those.
Idaho linebacker David Vobora, the nation's second leading tackler, finished the day with 15 tackles. Cornerback Stanley Franks also starred on defense for the Vandals with his fifth interception of the season. Franks' interception came midway through the third quarter at the Aggies' 2-yard line