Poffenbarger, Easton lead Albany over Idaho 30-22 for first FCS semifinal berth

Updated Dec. 10, 2023 2:16 a.m. ET

Associated Press

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — Reese Poffenbarger threw three touchdown passes to Brevin Easton, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, and Albany rallied for a 30-22 victory over Idaho on Saturday night in the Kibbie Dome to advance to the semifinals of the FCS Championship.

No. 5 seed Albany (11-3) advances to the semis for the first time in program history after notching a victory in its first trip to the quarterfinals. The Great Danes, who won the Coastal Athletic Association for the first time, will play No. 1 seed South Dakota State on Friday. No. 2 seed Montana will host unseeded but nine-time champion North Dakota State in the other semifinal on Saturday.

Idaho (9-4), the fourth seed, scored first on freshman Gevani McCoy's 36-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Dwyer six minutes into the game. Poffenbarger, a sophomore who leads the FCS with 36 touchdown passes this season, needed just four plays to pull Albany even, firing a 64-yard scoring strike to Easton 90 seconds later. Ricardo Chavez kicked a 45-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to give the Vandals a 10-7 advantage after one quarter, but it was all downhill for Chavez after that.

Jermaine Jackson, who had a punt-return touchdown in each of Idaho's last two games, returned an Albany punt 73 yards early in the second quarter before a penalty pushed it back to the Great Danes' 29-yard line. Anthony Woods scored on a 5-yard run three plays later. Idaho led 16-7 after Chavez's point-after kick was blocked. Poffenroth and Easton hooked up for a 39-yard touchdown and Albany pulled within two points with 6:55 left before halftime and stayed there.

Idaho came in unbeaten this season when it forces at least one turnover and the Vandals got their first one against Albany on a fumble recovery by Murvin Kenion III with 9:12 left in the third quarter. The Vandals drove to the Great Danes’ 7-yard line before settling for Chavez’s 24-yard field goal and a 19-14 lead.

Chavez, the All-Big Sky Conference kicker, missed three field goals for Idaho after connecting on 16 of 18 previous attempts this season. Chavez, who is also a second-team all-conference punter, had a 15-yarder early in the fourth quarter that gave Albany the ball at its own 45-yard line and led to John Opalko's 22-yard field goal and a two-point deficit with 11:07 left to play.

After Albany forced a three-and-out, Poffenbarger drove the Great Danes 85 yards in 12 plays and hit Easton for a 30-yard touchdown and a 23-19 lead with 4:38 to go. Griffin Woodell scored on a 29-yard run with 46 seconds left.

Poffenroth completed 24 of 41 passes for 341 yards for Albany. Easton, a senior, had a career-high 141 yards receiving on five catches ... by halftime. He finished with nine receptions for 228 yards. Woodell had 98 yards on 21 carries.

The Vandals entered play with a 15-0 record when Woods, a sophomore, rushes for at least 63 yards. He had 42 at halftime, picked up 52 in the third quarter and finished with 104 on 16 carries. Albany's defense came in yielding an FCS-low 75.9 yards per game on the ground.

McCoy had 317 yards on 24-for-43 passing for Idaho. Hayden Hatten caught 12 passes for 135 yards.

The Vandals, who rejoined the FCS in 2018 after 22 seasons as a FBS member, missed a chance to win a 10th game in a season for the third time in program history. The Vandals won 11 games in 1988 and 1993 when they advanced to their only two semifinals. They have not made the championship game.

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