After nearly shocking Oregon in Week 1, Idaho pushes around Mountain West foe in Week 2

In its quest to make the FCS playoffs for the third straight season, Idaho is going to have to overcome quarterback injuries and figure itself out offensively in Big Sky play.

On the other side of the ball, the Vandals have absolutely no worries.

Led by a defense that got four sacks and six tackles for loss, and held Wyoming to 126 yards passing, Idaho went into Laramie on Saturday and bullied the Cowboys for a 17-13 victory — one week after the Vandals put a scare into Oregon in Eugene, getting within 17-14 in the fourth quarter before losing 24-14.

The win over an FBS and Mountain West opponent — the second straight year the Vandals have done that, having routed Nevada 33-6 last season — should give Idaho a lot of momentum as it prepares to dive into FCS play.

“I’m happy we got the win, but we gotta keep building, gotta keep getting better,” Idaho coach Jason Eck said in an on-field television interview after the game. “These first two games have been a great starting point. ... I’m so proud for our players, so proud for the University of Idaho.”

The victory was spurred by a defense that frustrated Wyoming at every turn and had a key goal-line stand late in the third quarter. The Cowboys (0-2) had six plays inside the 10-yard line but could not get the tying TD and had to settle for a field goal, making it 17-13. The Vandals protected that lead the rest of the way.

Senior defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby was a star again, getting three sacks on Wyoming QB Evan Svoboda and forcing a fumble — a week after he sacked Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel twice and forced a fumble. Idaho forced Svoboda into 10-of-24 passing for 126 yards.

“It feels great,” James-Newby said in a TV interview. “One of the best feelings of my life. It’s my senior year of college football and I’m trying to make the best of it with me and also my teammates.”

Idaho held Wyoming to 270 total yards, made the Cowboys punt five times and allowed only two first downs in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Jaxton Eck led the team with nine tackles, but it was James-Newby who had everyone’s attention.

“He’s a big-time player,” Jason Eck said. “He’s an FBS player. He’s going to have a chance to play pro football.”

Offensively, Idaho has work to do, and has been hit with bad luck at quarterback. Starter Jack Layne went down with a collarbone injury against Oregon, and new starter Jack Wagner was hurt in the second half and didn’t return vs. Wyoming. That left redshirt freshman Nick Josifek taking snaps on the final three drives of the game.

“Hopefully we’ll get (Layne) back, I don’t know how bad it is,” coach Eck said. “But that’s football, man. That happens.”

The Vandals’ offense totaled just 225 yards Saturday and punted six times. But three first-half scoring drives on consecutive possessions accounted for a 17-10 lead, and the stingy defense made sure that held up.

It was Idaho’s first win over Wyoming since 1921 and the team’s first win ever in Laramie.

“This team has unbelievable belief, and we have a great defense,” Jason Eck said. “Our defense was tremendous, especially in the second half.”

Idaho’s first home game of the season is next Saturday in Moscow, when Albany visits for a 2 p.m. Mountain time kickoff. The Great Danes knocked the Vandals out of the FCS playoffs last season, winning 30-22 in the quarterfinals.