MOSCOW – The Idaho Vandals welcomed back starting quarterback Jack Layne with a strong team win against rival Eastern Washington in front of a sellout home crowd.

Not a bad Saturday night at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome for Layne and the black and gold clad faithful.

Idaho (6-3, 3-2) retained the Che-Scow Cup with a 38-28 victory over its opponent from Cheney, Washington.

Sophomore quarterback Layne returned from a broken collarbone and threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. It was his first game back since Aug. 31 against now-No. 1 Oregon in the team's season opener.

“It was great to have (Layne) back,” Idaho coach Jason Eck said. “He was very precise and did a good job. But I think our best football is still ahead of us. I think we can do even better here.”

Idaho relied on a plethora of runners in the backfield as the team continued to battle injuries, but freshman Deshaun Buchanan came through with a 116-yard performance and led a Vandals team that finished with 252 rushing yards.

The Vandals defeated Eastern Washington (2-6, 1-3) on the day 487-388.

Senior safety Tommy McCormick was all over the field on defense and led the team with 18 tackles. The Vandal defense held FCS-leading receiver Efton Chism III to seven receptions for 114 yards, most of them in the first half.

“Disappointed with the ones I missed. I had more chances out there and could have gotten 20 if I had just made a few more, but I'm happy with my performance out there,” McCormick said. “I felt like it was one of my best games and I think it showed.”

Layne quickly worked through the rust

The returning quarterback's first two pass attempts were missed. The first came over 6-foot-6 tight end Mike Martinez on a screen pass. The second throw involved a miscommunication with sophomore Jordan Dwyer that ultimately resulted in an airmail throw 10 yards over the wide receiver's head.

Then Layne adjusted himself and removed the rust.

On a third-and-6, Layne stood strong in the pocket and connected with a rushing Dwyer over the middle for a 23-yard gain. Six plays later, the QB found tight end Alex Moore for a 4-yard score and Idaho had a touchdown on its first possession for the first time in four games.

The Vandal defense tried to force a turnover on EWU's first drive. Edge Keyshawn James-Newby chased Eagles quarterback Kekoa Visperas out of the pocket and knocked the ball out of the QB's hand as he tried to throw it away. Idaho jumped on the loose ball and the on-field call was a fumble, but replay reversed the call.

The Eagles drove down the field and tied the game with an 11-play drive capped by a 1-yard quarterback keeper by Visperas.

Layne went back on the field and led Idaho on a 12-play drive that took up the remaining five minutes and 30 seconds of the first quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Layne found Dwyer for a 15-yard reception and capitalized on the 83-yard drive for a 14-7 lead.

Throughout the game, Layne showed he wasn't worried about re-injuring his repaired collarbone by constantly lunging forward on quarterback runs and standing in the pocket as defenders rushed in to give his teammates every possible second give to take the lead.

“Man, it was great,” Layne said. “It's funny, when you get injured you really get a new perspective on how great this game is and how great it is to be out there with your brothers, even just on the practice field.”

Layne finished the day completing 17 of 28 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Impulse-shifting defense stance

Idaho led by three points at halftime and the Eagles began the second half with the ball and a chance to take the lead for the first time in the game.

On a second-and-9, James-Newby was just a finger away from breaking out of his sack slumber when Visperas deflected the ball just in time. Running back Tuna Altahir converted a third down with a 17-yard run on the next play.

Visperas and Altahir methodically moved the ball down the field as EWU picked up five first downs in a drive that lasted nearly eight minutes.

The Eagles had two plays inside the 2-yard line, but Idaho developed another typical defensive stand.

“I thought the turning point was that our defense put up such a great goal line, which is kind of a calling card for our defense,” Eck said. “We were really good in those situations.”

Great Buchanan

Freshman Deshaun Buchanan only saw the Idaho backcourt in three games this season. The running back had a total of 20 carries for 91 yards this season. He almost doubled his total in a single game.

Two plays from the defensive goal line, Buchanan stopped a run right up the middle and sprinted past the second line. The Chandler, Arizona native was caught at the EWU 26-yard line for a 72-yard run.

“Don’t get caught and I didn’t do a good job,” Buchanan said when asked what he was thinking during the run.