Idaho tight end Noah West-Baranco recalls the block, catch, and two-point finish that capped a 35-34 stunner over Montana State

Idaho’s most recent upset did not just arrive as a result. It was built through a chain of decisive plays that tightened the margin from start to finish, culminating in a 35-34 win over top-ranked, unbeaten Montana State. In the aftermath, tight end Noah West-Baranco pointed to a specific sequence that helped flip the game’s final stretch from chaos into certainty, including a block that led to a two-point conversion finish.

The closing moments, as described in the game recap, centered on West-Baranco’s involvement on back-to-back critical touches. First, he contributed to the play that put Idaho in position to attempt and complete the two-point conversion that ultimately completed the final margin. Then, later in the same closing thread, West-Baranco caught a 23-yard pass from quarterback Joshua Wood with one second remaining, a catch that helped extend the comeback into a finish rather than ending it before the final whistle.

Wood’s late-game decision-making mattered, but West-Baranco’s role illustrated the mix Idaho needed: protection and presence at the goal line, followed by reliable hands on a deep check-down that became a drive-reshaping gain. The story of how Idaho carried momentum through pressure does not rely on one isolated highlight. It depends on connected plays that each create an additional option, and the late sequence described tied those options together.

The win itself carried major weight in the Football Championship Subdivision, where Montana State entered the moment with a reputation reinforced by an unbeaten start and a top national ranking. Idaho, described in the recap as still searching for stability before this statement result, made the case that the gap between “expected” and “possible” can compress quickly in college football, especially when late execution is precise.

West-Baranco’s quote, “No way we weren’t going to score,” frames Idaho’s posture late, according to the recap. It reads less like bravado and more like a team decision to treat each play as necessary rather than discretionary. In practical terms, that kind of mindset often shows up in the details, the willingness to keep the offense moving even when clock pressure tightens and the margin shrinks to a possession.

What to watch next is how the Vandals manage the fallout from such a win. Upsets against highly regarded teams can change confidence, but they can also raise expectations from within the program. For Idaho, the immediate question will be whether the late-game cohesion described in this sequence becomes a repeatable identity, especially in red-zone situations where blocks, quick decisions, and reliable targets must align.

For West-Baranco and Wood, the takeaway is clear: when the game compresses into seconds and yards, the tight end becomes more than a route runner. West-Baranco’s involvement in both the scoring set-up and the final extend-and-finish catch described in the recap suggests Idaho plans to continue leaning on that partnership as it builds out its late-game packages.