Carter runs for 179 yards, 2 TDs; Idaho beats Cal Poly 21-9

MOSCOW, Idaho -- Freshman Aundre Carter had 23 carries for 179 yards -- both season highs -- and a career-high tying two touchdowns to help Idaho beat Cal Poly 21-9 on Saturday.

Mason Petrino was 13-of-22 passing for 138 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Cotton that gave Idaho (4-5, 2/3 Big Sky Conference) a 21-3 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Vandals have won back-to-back games for the first time since closing the 2016 season five consecutive wins culminating with a 61-50 win over Colorado State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Cal Poly's Colton Theaker opened the scoring with a 44-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. Idaho got into Mustangs territory on two of its next three possessions but failed to convert on fourth-and-2 from the 35 and missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt. Later, a six-play, 82-yard drive capped by Carter's 37-yard touchdown run made it 7-3 with 2:08 left in the first half.

Cal Poly (2-7, 1-5) marched into Vandals territory on the opening drive of the third quarter but, on fourth-and-5 at the 30, Idaho's Tre Walker stopped Xavier Moore for a 4-yard loss. On the ensuing Vandals possession, Carter had seven carries for 55 yards including a 1-yard TD run. After the Mustangs went three-and-out, Petrino led an eight-play, 55-yard drive, scrambling for a 7-yard gain on fourth-and-6 before hitting Cotton for the touchdown two plays later.

The Mustangs finished with 242 total yards and completed just four passes -- all to J.J. Koski who finished with 97 yards receiving. Jalen Hamler, who was 4-of-12 passing for 97 yards with an interception, scored on a 7-yard run to cap the scoring with 2:47 left.