Abilene Christian Defeated Idaho 41-39

Abilene Christian secured its first win of the season as Idaho dropped to an 0-4 record following the close football game.

Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Football

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Abilene Christian secured its first victory of the season by defeating Idaho 41-39 in a back-and-forth contest. Idaho fell to a 0-4 record despite a strong offensive effort from quarterback Joshua Wood.

Why it matters

The result leaves Idaho winless early in the season while providing Abilene Christian with critical momentum after a late fourth-quarter surge. Idaho now faces a bye week to regroup before returning to conference play.

Joshua Wood recorded four rushing touchdowns and threw for 326 yards on 22-of-34 passing, while Tony Harste tallied 151 receiving yards on six catches. Defensive players Cruz Hepburn and Mitchel Jaskowiak each recorded 10 tackles.

The players

Joshua Wood

He is the starting quarterback for Idaho who led his team with four rushing touchdowns in the loss.

Brandon Perez

He is a kicker who contributed to Abilene Christian's offense with a 31-yard and a 51-yard field goal.

Deonte Dean

He is an offensive player for Abilene Christian who scored a touchdown on a screen pass during the fourth quarter.

Tony Harste

He is a receiver for Idaho who finished the game with 151 yards and one touchdown on six catches.

Cruz Hepburn

He is a defensive player for Idaho who recorded 10 tackles in the contest.

The details

Abilene Christian rallied in the final period by returning a recovered fumble for a touchdown and executing a successful screen pass to Deonte Dean. Despite Idaho's late effort featuring two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, the visitors preserved the lead by recovering an onside kick.

The football game took place on September 19, 2026.
Idaho is scheduled to host Montana State on October 2, 2026.

The Big Picture

This defeat fits within the established 2026 college football season schedule as an early indicator of team trajectory. It marks a significant departure for Idaho as they fall further behind in conference standings.

Idaho's move to an 0-4 record complicates their path to bowl eligibility and creates significant pressure for the coaching staff during the upcoming bye week. The team must improve defensive consistency to capitalize on Wood's high-volume offensive production.

The takeaway

The game highlighted the difficulty of sustaining a rally after trailing late, even with a high-performing quarterback. Teams must focus on minimizing turnover risks in critical fourth-quarter drives to avoid similar outcomes.