As good as the Eastern Washington University football team has been on the road, there is still nothing like playing at home at "The Inferno."
 
Eastern begins a three-game homestand this Saturday (Oct. 16) when second-ranked EWU hosts rival Idaho at Roos Field where EWU has won 19-straight games. The Eagles enter the game with their highest national ranking since ending the 2018 campaign second in both national polls.
 
Kickoff is 11:32 a.m. Pacific time in a game broadcast on ROOT Sports and available on ESPN+ outside of ROOT's television/cable broadcast area. The contest will also be broadcast on 700-AM ESPN and 105.3-FM in the Spokane/Cheney area. Larry Weir returns for his 31st season calling the play-by-play, with analysis handled by Paul Sorensen for the 19th season. Broadcasts begin one hour prior to kickoff and include an expanded post-game show.
 
Eastern has won four of the last six games in the series to give the Eagles eight victories against 17 losses in the all-time series. The Vandals re-joined the Big Sky in football in 2018, and Eastern won 38-14 in Cheney in 2018 after leading 31-0 at halftime. Eastern lost the next two meetings in Moscow (35-27 in 2019 and 28-21 in 2020-21), but rebounded for a 38-21 home victory to end the 2020-21 season and qualify for the NCAA Championship Subdivision Playoffs.
 
Prior to the 2018 meeting, the last time the former league rivals had met in a Big Sky game was in 1995 when the Vandals prevailed 37-10, and the last time they met in Cheney was 1994. That 2018 game was the first meeting between the two schools since 2012 when Eastern won in Moscow 20-3. Until 2018, Eastern had never defeated the Vandals in Cheney, losing 28-7 in 1942, 38-21 in 1992 and 40-15 in 1994. Eastern is now 2-3 versus Idaho in Cheney and 2-4 against the Vandals all-time at Albi Stadium in Spokane (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1997, 1999).
 
Idaho is coming off a 42-35 home victory against Portland State, while EWU played on the road for the fourth time in six games and came away with a 63-17 win at Northern Colorado. The Vandals are 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the league, and led the Vikings 35-14 at halftime, while the Eagles continued their amazing first-half production by leading the Bears 43-10 at intermission.
 
Eastern enters this week's Idaho game a perfect 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big Sky Conference, including a marquee victory over Montana on Oct. 2. That 34-28 win against the Grizzlies was a battle of what was then the No. 6 and No. 4 ranked teams in FCS, respectively.
 
Eastern's 6-0 start is the best under head coach Aaron Best, and exceeded the 5-0 start by the 1985 team under head coach Dick Zornes as EWU's best start as a member of FCS. The last time EWU was 6-0 in any season came 54 years ago in 1967 when Eastern won its first 11 games before losing in the NAIA Championship Game. Eastern was also 6-0 in 1965, 1948 and 1921, and 7-0 one other time (1965).
 
Eastern is currently just one of eight teams in the FCS that remain undefeated. The last time Eastern was 3-0 in the league came in 2018, and EWU started the Big Sky schedule 4-0 in 2017 before losing. The Eagles were a perfect 8-0 in 2016, matching the 2013 Eastern squad for the school's best-ever Big Sky finish.
 
After scoring 24 points – including 21 consecutively in a span of just 5:09 -- in the win over Montana, Eastern jumped past the Grizzlies in the FCS rankings. On Oct. 9, both James Madison and South Dakota State lost, enabling the Eagles to jump up two more spots to No. 2 in both the AFCA Coaches Top 25 poll and the Stats Perform Top 25 polls. Eastern was ranked 14^th and 11^th, respectively, entering the season. Other preseason polls had EWU ranked eighth (College Football America), 10th (College Sports Madness), 16th (Hero Sports) and 19th (Athlon Sports).
 
With all 22 starters returning and a whopping total of 67 returning letterwinners, Eastern is seeking its 11th Big Sky Conference title and 15th appearance in the FCS Playoffs. The Eagles won the 2010 NCAA Division I title and were runners-up in 2018, and advanced to the first round of the playoffs in the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign.
 
Eastern returns a total of 14 players who have previously earned All-Big Sky Conference honors, with 13 of them being honored during the 2020-21 campaign when eight of the league's 13 schools took part in the league schedule. Quarterback Eric Barriere was the runner-up for the 2020-21 Walter Payton Award, and joins offensive tackle Tristen Taylor, wide receiver Talolo Limu-Jones and kicker Seth Harrison as preseason All-Americans.
 
Eastern will resume its best-ever home schedule in school history on Oct. 23 when Eastern hosts four-time defending Big Sky champion Weber State. After a bye, EWU plays its home game is Nov. 6 versus Montana State. Eastern has road games remaining at UC Davis (Nov. 13) and Portland State (Nov. 20).
 
After the thrilling victory over Montana – the 28th time since 2010 the Eagles have rallied for a win when trailing or tied in the fourth quarter -- Eastern has won 19-straight games at "The Inferno" which is tied for the longest active home winning streak in the FCS. Returning All-America quarterback Eric Barriere is a perfect 15-0 as a starter at "The Inferno," and has quarterbacked EWU in five of the 28 rallies.
 
 
 
Game Notes
 
 
Eastern Ranked No. 2 for First Time Since 2018
 
Eastern enters this week's game with the school's highest national ranking since ending the 2018 campaign second in both national polls. That came after the Eagles lost to North Dakota State 38-24 for the NCAA Division I title.
 
The Eagles have been ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in 2014, 2012, 2011 and 2010 for at least one week of the season. On its way to the national title, Eastern ended both the 2010 regular season and the playoffs as the No. 1-ranked FCS team by both The Sports Network and in the FCS Coaches Poll.
 
Eastern was also No. 1 in the first two polls of the 2011 season, two weeks in 2012 and once in 2014. The Eagles were as high as second in 2018 and 2013, as high as fourth in 2015 and as high as third in 2016. The school's highest ranking in 2019 was fourth and in the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign the Eagles were as high as ninth.
 
 
Eagles Continue to Lead FCS in Scoring and Offense
 
The Eagles will enter this Saturday's game first nationally in scoring (51.2 per game), total offense (593.3 yards per game) and first downs (162), and are second in passing offense (429.5) and third in passing efficiency (174.5).
 
Eric Barriere is first in passing touchdowns (21), and second in total offense (424.8) and passing yards per game (411.2). His career-best 177.4 passing efficiency rating currently ranks third (first among players with at least 138 attempts on the season; Barriere has 245)
 
Dennis Merritt is first in the FCS in total touchdowns (13), rushing touchdowns (12), and scoring (13.0 per game), and is also 10th in rushing yards (556) and 19th in rushing yards per game (92.7). Talolo Limu-Jones is eighth in receiving yards (561), fourth in receiving yards per game (112.2) and 14th in receptions per game (6.6).
 
 
Reigning BSC Player of the Week Eric Barriere Continues to Climb Big Sky & EWU All-Time Leaders Lists
 
Senior quarterback Eric Barriere continues to garner yards and awards by the bushel, and now ranks No. 2 in school history and is in the top six all-time in Big Sky Conference in three major categories.
 
He is coming off a 32-of-41 performance for 347 yards and three touchdowns as EWU led 43-10 at halftime en route to a 63-17 romp at Northern Colorado on Oct. 9. In the first half alone, he was 23-of-29 (79 percent) for 231 yards as he earned ROOT Sports Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors for the 10th time in his career and fourth this season.
 
In his career he has completed 61.9 percent of his passes (814-of-1316), good for 11,206 yards, 96 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, and has rushed 328 times for 1,445 yards and 19 more TDs (total of 112 touchdowns accounted for). He had a passing efficiency rating of 146.9 as a sophomore, 151.6 in 2019 and 177.4 thus far in 2021 for a 153.5 mark in his career to currently rank fifth in school history. His touchdown passes rank second all-time at EWU (fourth in Big Sky Conference history), his passing yardage is second (sixth in Big Sky Conference history), his total of 12,651 yards of offense rank second (second in the Big Sky) and his total of TDs responsible for is second (six from the school record of 121).
 
Entering the Idaho game on Oct. 16, Barriere needs just 657 yards of offense to catch the EWU and Big Sky records held by former Eagle Matt Nichols (2006-09). Barriere is 194 passing yards from moving into sixth in league history (Travis Brown, NAU, 11,400 yards from 1996-99) and 1,410 from the school and league records held by Nichols of 12,616. Barriere is two TD passes from moving into third in league history (Cameron Higgins, Weber State, 98 from 2007-10) and 14 from the Eastern and BSC records of 110 held by Vernon Adams (2012-14).
 
With 44 total games of experience, he is 26-9 in 35 career games as a starter (15-0 at home), with 11,206 passing yards, 1,445 rushing and 12,651 total yards of offense as an Eagle. Barriere has had 25 performances of at least 300 yards of total offense and 18 with at least 300 yards passing in his 44 games as an Eagle. He has had 14 with at least 400 yards of total offense and eight with at least 400 passing.
 
Barriere now owns the career rushing record for a quarterback with 1,445 yards, breaking the previous record of 1,232 yards by Vernon Adams Jr. (2012-14). Eastern is 21-1 when Barriere has rushed for at least 21 yards, with the lone loss coming at Sacramento State (10/5/19) when he finished with 103.
 
Following the Southern Utah game on Sept. 25, he received his second-straight FCS National Offensive Player of the Week accolades from College Sports Madness. He also received honorable mention as FCS Offensive Player of the Week from Stats Perform and honorable mention as the FCS Performer of the week from College Football Performance Awards. In addition, his second-straight 500-yard passing performance on the road helped him win him his ninth-career ROOT Sports Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week award, and he earned the same honor from CSN.
 
He had the most yards in back-to-back games in school history in both passing and total offense with 542 passing at Western Illinois on Sept. 18, 2021 (a school-record 562 yards of total offense) and 518 pass a week later at Southern Utah (546 total). He is the first FCS player with consecutive 500-yard passing performances since Cornell's Jeff Mathews in 2011 (521 versus Cornell and 548 at Penn).
 
He had a 30-of-43 passing performance in a 50-21 Big Sky Conference win at Southern Utah, throwing for 518 of EWU's school-record 554 passing yards (the other 36 came on a fake punt). He had four touchdown passes against the Thunderbirds, and both his passing and offense totals rank No. 5 on EWU's all-time list, and he now owns three of the top five performances on each list. Barriere had no interceptions for the third-straight game, and entered the Montana game with 125 attempts without a pick after throwing two in EWU's season-opening 35-33 win at UNLV. His streak was snapped at 154 attempts versus the Grizzlies.
 
Barriere broke FCS records for most passing yards (487) and total offense (497) in a single half versus Western Illinois on Sept. 18, 2021, as EWU took a 55-21 halftime lead in the 62-56 shootout victory. The old records of 480 and 491 were set in 2012 by Taylor Heinicke of Old Dominion versus New Hampshire. Barriere finished with a school-record 562 yards of total offense (542 passing yards were just seven from the school record).
 
The performance at Western Illinois earned Barriere his eighth-career ROOT Sports Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week award and he was also recognized nationally as he was named the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week, the College Football Performance Association FCS National Performer of the Week and the College Sports Madness National Offensive and Big Sky Player of the Week.
 
Barriere is a preseason All-America selection and on watch lists for two end-of-season player of the year awards in FCS. Ten times in his career he has won Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors (four in 2021, three in 2020-21, twice in 2019, once in 2018).
 
He was selected as Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was the runner-up for the Walter Payton Award in the 2020-21 season. He was selected to six different FCS All-America squads during the season impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
A unanimous first team All-Big Sky choice in the 2020-21 season, he earned third team All-Big Sky Conference honors as both a sophomore (2018) and junior (2019).
 
 
Eagles Now 62-10 on the Red Turf with FCS-Leading 19-Game Winning Streak
 
Having won all five of its regular season home games in 2019 and all eight in 2018, Eastern was 3-0 at home in the 2020-21 season and is currently 2-0 in 2021 to give the Eagles a school-record 19-straight wins at Roos Field. That streak I is currently the top active mark in FCS.
 
The Eagles entered the 2021 season as one of three teams with the longest active home winning streaks in FBS with 17 consecutive victories, and EWU improved that to 18 with a resounding 63-14 win over Central Washington on Sept. 11. The other schools who entered the season with 17-game home winning streaks included James Madison, which extended its streak to 19 with a 55-7 win over Maine on Sept. 11. North Dakota also had a 18-game streak after winning its home opener Sept. 18 versus Drake, but fell at home on Oct. 2 against North Dakota State. James Madison lost at home 28-27 on Oct. 9 versus Villanova, thus giving EWU sole possession of the top active mark.
 
Eastern is now 62-10 (86.1 percent) overall at "The Inferno" since 2010. The stadium has been known as Roos Field since 2010 when a new red synthetic Sprinturf surface made its debut. Eastern's last home loss came on Nov. 4, 2017, versus Weber State.
 
At its current site, the previous school record was 11 consecutive home wins set between 9/16/78 and 9/27/80 (between losses was from 11/19/77 to 11/1/80). Overall, the school record is 21 set from 1935-40. Eastern had a nine-game winning streak snapped in a 36-21 loss to Montana State on Sept. 24, 2011. The Eagles also had a nine-game winning streak at that venue snapped against Sacramento State on Oct. 21, 2000, when the Hornets made a 23-yard field goal with no time remaining.
 
Eastern has lost just six regular season games at "The Inferno" – 49-6 (89.0 percent), plus are 13-4 (76.5 percent) in playoff games. The only regular season losses at home for EWU since 2010 are to conference foes Montana State (2011), Portland State (2011 and 2015), Northern Arizona (2015) and Weber State (2017), as well as North Dakota State (2017).
 
Eastern finished a perfect 8-0 in its debut season at "The Inferno," including three playoff victories. Eastern has won 86.1 percent of its games since the red turf was installed in 2010 – including a 6-0 record versus rival Montana. The original red turf at Roos Field was replaced in summer of 2020 by a new AstroTurf surface.
 
The North Dakota State game on Sept. 9, 2017, was the 50th at Roos Field since the red turf surface was installed in 2010. In 2016, Eastern finished 7-1 in the 50th season of football at EWU's current stadium location, which opened in 1967. Eastern has a 175-65 record (72.9 percent) in 240 games at Roos Field (formerly Woodward Field) since 1967, with the Eagles utilizing Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane as the school's main home field from 1983-89.
 
 
Eagles Dominant During 19-Game Winning Streak at Home
 
During Eastern's 19-game winning streak at Roos Field, the Eagles have had just four games decided by less than double figures and all but five decided by at least 21 points. In fact, Eastern has more than doubled its opponents 974-435 (average score of 51-23). The margin of victory in 14 of the 19 games has been at least 21 points, nine of them have been by at least 30, four by 40 or more and a pair have been won by at least 50 points (52 and 53, both versus Cal Poly).
 
In EWU's last 11 home games, it has won by an average score of 51-25 (559-271). Those games came after EWU's 34-29 victory over UC Davis in the 2018 FCS Playoffs. The only other games decided by less than 10 points was a 53-46 victory over Portland State to end the 2019 campaign, 38-31 over Idaho on April 10, 2021, to end the 2020-21 regular season and 34-28 over fourth-ranked Montana on Oct. 2, 2021, to help EWU improve to 6-0 versus the Grizzlies since the red turf was installed in 2010.
 
 
New Iconic Red Turf at "The Inferno" Made its Debut on March 6, 2021
 
The red glow that was missing in Cheney, Wash., in May and June finally returned in July of 2020 with the replacement of EWU's original iconic red turf. And it finally got to be used on March 6, 2021.
 
Workers began in July of 2020 the three-week process of installing the second generation of red turf at Eastern Washington University's Roos Field. The original red turf at "The Inferno" was installed in 2010, and taken out in May of 2020 in preparation for its replacement.
 
The basic design of the new turf is the same as before with "Eastern" in one end zone. But "Eagles" replaced "Washington" in the other.
 
The project was completed in August, just as preseason practices were expected to move from the grass EWU practice fields to the stadium in preparation for the 2020 season. But the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the start of the season, so instead of making its debut versus Western Illinois on Sept. 12, 2020, the turf finally made its debut versus Northern Arizona on March 6, 2021.
 
 AstroTurf received the bid to replace the iconic red field. The nearly $1 million project was part of a $5 million pledge provided by local businessman Jack Gillingham toward the Roos Field Renovation Project.
 
 
Eagles Have Won 80 Percent of Their Last 113 Big Sky Conference Games
 
Eastern has had 23 winning seasons in the last 25 years (1996-2020), including a current school record string of 14-straight (2007-20) and another stretch of seven straight (1999-2005). The last time Eastern had that many winning seasons in a row came 75 years earlier in the Red Reese era when Eastern had a string of 11-straight winning seasons from 1931-1941.
 
A major reason for Eastern's stretch of winning seasons is success in the Big Sky Conference. In finishing 5-1 in the league in the 2020-21 season, Eastern has now won at least five conference games in the last 14 seasons, with a 6-2 or better finish (75 percent) in 11 of those 14. Since EWU's last losing league season in 2006 (3-5), the Eagles are 91-22 for a .805 winning percentage. Including three wins at the end of the 2009 season, Eastern has had a 77-15 record (.837) in league games since then.
 
After three games of the 2021 season, the Eagles have won 67 of their last 78 Big Sky Conference games (85.9 percent) since a 0-2 start in 2011. Included are stretches of 57 victories in the last 67 games (including two at the end of the 2012 season) and 35 of the last 41 (since 2016). Those are percentages of .851 and .854, respectively.
 
At one point the Eagles had won 44 of 50 league games, and the only Big Sky school which has come close to that in the 58-year history of the league was Montana, which won 50 of 55 games from 1995-2002 and 46 of 51 from 2003-2009.
 
Including four non-conference victories (two versus MSU, and one each against Cal Poly and Northern Arizona), two playoff wins (Montana and UC Davis) and one loss (Idaho), the Eagles are 73-13 (.849) against conference foes since the 0-2 start in 2011 and 63-11 (.851) since winning the last three games at the end of the 2012 campaign (one a non-conference win over Cal Poly).
 
What is perhaps most impressive is Eastern's ability to consistently win on the road versus conference foes, with records of 30-8 (79 percent) on the road, 33-3 at home (92 percent) and 63-11 overall (85 percent) in the last eight-plus seasons since ending 2012 with three wins versus fellow BSC foes. From 2012-2019, Eastern defeated every Big Sky team on the road at least once, including former Big Sky member North Dakota and a 2012 non-league road victory at Idaho, which re-joined the league in 2018. Until losing at Southern Utah in October of 2017, the Eagles had won their previous road game versus all 13 other league members.
 
Eastern secured its 10th Big Sky title in 2018 and in the 2020-21 season EWU earned its 14th berth in the FCS Playoffs in what is now 37 years as a member of the FCS (formerly I-AA) and 34 seasons in the Big Sky. Since 2010 when EWU won the NCAA Division I title, the Eagles have won league titles six times (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018) and advanced to the playoffs all six of those seasons.
 
From 2004 to 2009 Eastern advanced to the playoffs four times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009), and won the league title twice (2004, 2005). Eastern has three other playoff berths in school history (1985, 1992, 1997) and two other titles (1992, 1997), and has only had two multi-year stretches in which they accomplished neither. Those were both six-year stretches from between 1986-1991 and 1998-2003.
 
 
Eagles Continue Big Sky Success With Impressive Consistency
 
Consistency has been a cornerstone of EWU Football, and the Eagles have cemented a 16-year run of winning the league title and/or advancing to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs at least every other year. Since 2004, Eastern has advanced to the playoffs and/or won the league title at least every other year, and hasn't had back-back-empty seasons since 2002 and 2003.
 
Since 2010 when EWU won the NCAA Division I title, the Eagles have won league titles six times (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018) and advanced to the playoffs all six of those seasons. From 2004 to 2009 Eastern advanced to the playoffs four times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009), and won the league title twice (2004, 2005). Eastern has three other playoff berths in school history (1985, 1992, 1997) and two other titles (1992, 1997), and has only had two multi-year stretches in which they accomplished neither. Those were both six-year stretches from between 1986-1991 and 1998-2003.
 
 
Eagles Have Had Top Four First-Half Scoring Outputs in its FCS History in 2021
 
In EWU's last 10 games – all in the 2021 calendar year – Eastern has recorded its top four first-half scoring outputs in the school's 38-year history in FCS. Most recently, the Eagles scored 43 points at Northern Colorado in a 63-17 victory, and earlier this season recorded the top two performances with 55 against Western Illinois and 46 versus Central Washington. Those games broke the previous record of 45 set versus Cal Poly on March 27, 2021, during EWU's abbreviated 2020-21 winter/spring schedule.
 
Eastern's 28 points in the first quarter versus Western Illinois are tied for the second-most for points in the first quarter (sixth overall for any quarter). Eastern also had 28 in the second quarter against Central Washington, which matches the third-most EWU has scored in that stanza as a member of FCS.
 
Three times this season -- plus the Cal Poly game on 3/27/21 -- Eastern has topped the 62-point mark, including 63 versus both UNC and CWU, and 62 at WIU. Those represent four of the top 18 performances in school history (11 as a member of FCS). Of EWU's games of 62 points or more, head coach Aaron Best has had seven of those as head coach – and has been a part of all 11 as a member of FCS.
 
Eastern's defense has contributed mightily toward a winning margin of 138 points this season (average of 23.0 per game with an average score of 51-28). In 24 total quarters thus far, EWU has recorded seven shutout quarters, including the fourth quarter versus Northern Colorado on Oct. 9. Only four times has the defense surrendered more than a single touchdown in a quarter, and three of those came against Western Illinois in EWU's high-scoring 62-56 victory (UNLV was the other time that occurred).
 
 
Eagles Have Been Impressive in November, But October Has Been Good Too
 
Since 2010, Eastern is 26-4 in regular season games in November, but October hasn't been too shabby either. The Eagles are 34-7 in October and have won both of their outings in 2021 thus far.
 
Eastern continued their November success in 2019 with a 4-0 record. Since 2004, EWU has lost just seven regular season games in November (Weber State in 2017; NAU, Portland State and Montana in 2015; Sac State and Weber State in 2006; and Cal Poly in 2005), with an overall record of 39-7 and a current nine-game winning streak in the month. Until losing to Northern Arizona on Nov. 7, 2015, Eastern had won its last 19 regular season games in November, dating back to a 15-13 loss to Sacramento State on Nov. 1, 2008.
 
In November through January since 2004, the Eagles are now 55-16, including a 39-7 regular season mark and 16-9 record in the FCS Playoffs. Since 2010, Eastern is 40-9 overall in November and beyond (26-4 regular season and 14-5 in the playoffs), with the lone setbacks coming in 2019 to North Dakota State in the NCAA Division I Championship game; 2017 to Weber State; 2016 to Youngstown State in the semifinals of the FCS Playoffs; 2015 to Portland State, Montana and Northern Arizona; 2014 to Illinois State in the playoff quarterfinals; 2013 to Towson in the playoff semifinals; and 2012 to Sam Houston State in the playoff semifinals.
 
 
Eastern Washington Football Picked to Finish Third by both the Coaches and Media
 
The Eagles have been picked to finish third in the Big Sky Conference by both the coaches and media in polls released July 26 at the Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff in Spokane.
 
Only four-time defending Big Sky Champions Weber State plus Montana were selected ahead of the Eagles in both polls, with EWU finishing ahead of Montana State and Sacramento State.
 
After that, spots six through 11 were identical in both the coaches and media polls with UC Davis picked sixth followed by Northern Arizona, Idaho, Idaho State, Portland State, and Southern Utah. In the coaches poll, Cal Poly was selected 12th followed by Northern Colorado. The media selected Northern Colorado 13th and Cal Poly 12th.
 
Eastern received three first-place votes in the media poll and two in the coaches. Weber State had 14 votes in the media and seven in the coaches, while Montana had four first-place votes in the media poll to go with two in the coaches. Montana State (three in media, one in coaches) and Sacramento State (one in coaches) rounded out the first place votes.
 
Prior to the 2020 season, Eastern was picked No. 4 in both polls. In 2018 and 2019, they were selected No. 1 by both the coaches and media, which marked the third time since 2014 the Eagles have been picked No. 1 in both polls. In 2015 EWU was selected first by the media. In 2016 the Eagles were fourth by the coaches and third by the media, and in 2017 Eastern was second in both. In 2013, EWU was second in both as well.
 
Since winning the league and NCAA Division I titles in 2010, Eastern has won Big Sky championships in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018, giving the Eagles a total of 10 league titles.
 
Eastern Washington plays three of the top-five teams in the Big Sky preseason polls at home this season in No. 1 Weber State, No. 2 Montana and No. 4 Montana State. They are also slated to play No. 8 Idaho at Roos Field, and will go on the road to play No. 11 Southern Utah, No. 12/13 Northern Colorado, No. 6 UC Davis and No. 10 Portland State.

 
Streak of At Least One Road Win Extended to 53 Seasons; Two Road Wins Now at 28 Seasons
 
Eastern improved its streak of regular season road wins to six games with a 63-17 win at Northern Colorado on Oct. 9. Eastern is now 4-0 thus far on the road and won the last two regular season road games in the 2020-21 winter/spring season. The streak dates back to a 28-21 loss at Idaho on Feb. 27, and the lone blemish away from home since then was a 42-20 setback at North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.
 
Against UNLV, extended EWU's current streak seasons with at least one road win to 53. That streak now includes all 38 seasons Eastern has been a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA). The last time Eastern was winless on the road was 1969 when the then-Savages were 0-4 away from home and finished 4-5 on the season.
 
Two weeks later at Western Illinois, Eastern extended its streak of seasons with at least two road wins to 28. Eastern has had at least two road wins in all but six seasons (1974, 1975, 1976, 1988, 1989, 1994) since 1969, including a current streak of 28-straight seasons with at least a pair.
 
 
Ulm, Dahlgren, James, Schenck, Hewa-Baddege, Brown and Williams Make Starting Debuts
 
Redshirt freshman Nolan Ulm made his first career start in his 12th career game on Oct. 9, 2021, at Northern Colorado. The 2020 graduate of Kelowna (B.C.) Secondary in Canada finished the game with career highs of six receptions for 38 yards, including a career-long reception of 13 yards.
 
Two redshirt freshmen made their starting debuts in Eastern's showdown with Montana on Oct. 2, both on offense. Luke Dahlgren started at left offensive guard, as usual starting guard Wyatt Hansen moved to right tackle to fill that position held previously by Matthew Hewa Baddege. In addition, EWU started four wide receivers and no running back versus the Griz, and Jakobie James received his first career start. Dahlgren is a 2019 graduate of Forks (Wash.) High School, and James graduated the same year from Redlands (Calif.) HS.
 
Freshman Cage Schenck, a 2020 graduate of Woodinville (Wash.) High School had his first career start at Southern Utah as a nickel back, and finished with a career-high three tackles with a pass broken up for the second-straight game.
 
A pair of tackles – one on each side of the ball – and a linebacker also made their first career starts earlier this season. Redshirt freshman Matthew Hewa Baddege started at offensive tackle at UNLV on Sept. 2. Versus Central Washington on Sept. 11, freshman Matthew Brown started at defensive tackle for his first start as an Eagle and freshman Ahmani Williams made his first career start at linebacker
 
Hewa Baddege is from Port Coquitlam, B.C., and Brown is out of Hoquiam (Wash.) High School. Williams is a 2020 graduate from Skyline High School in Vancouver, Wash., and is the son of former Eagle All-America safety Julian Williams.
 
The Eagles entered the season with 18 players on each side of the ball with starting experience, including 182 total starts by offensive players and 136 by the defense for a total of 318. There were no new starters when EWU played at Western Illinois on Sept. 18.
 
In the abbreviated 2020-21 season, 20 players made the initial starts of their careers – 12 on defense and eight on offense. Eastern entered that year with a total of 20 players returning with 191 games of starting experience, including 10 players on defense with 86 starts and 10 on offense with 105 starts.
 
Here are the current starts by EWU players:
 
Current Starts on Defense (202 starts by 21 players): Calin Criner 25, Tre Weed 24, Jack Sendelbach 23, Mitchell Johnson 23, Darrien Sampson 16, Joshua Jerome 13, Ty Graham 12, Debore'ae McClain 7, Ely Doyle 7, Jacob Newsom 7, Darreon Moore 7, Marlon Jones Jr. 6, Brock Harrison 6, Anthany Smith 6, Matthew Brown 5, Cale Lindsay 5, Keshaun King 4, Caleb Davis 3, Jusstis Warren 1, Cage Schenck 1, Ahmani Williams 1.
 
Current Starts on Offense (248 starts by 22 players): Tristen Taylor 53, Eric Barriere 35, Andrew Boston 30, Conner Crist 14, Talolo Limu-Jones 14, Wyatt Musser 13, Johnny Edwards IV 12, Freddie Roberson 12, Dylan Ingram 12, Wyatt Hansen 11, Matt Shook 8, Dennis Merritt 7, Tamarick Pierce 6, Efton Chism III 4, Anthony Stell Jr. 4, Matthew Hewa Baddege 4, Brad Godwin 2, Luke Dahlgren 2, Jakobie James 2, Nolan Ulm 1, Blake Gobel 1, Gunner Talkington 1.
 
 
Eagle Football Tidbits
 
* Eastern picked up its third win of the season – and second on the road – after surviving for a 62-56 win on Sept. 18 at Western Illinois of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Eagles led 55-21 at halftime as Eric Barriere set FCS records with 487 passing yards and 497 total yards of offense in the first half alone. He finished with a school-record 562 yards of offense (542 through the air), breaking the record with a win-clinching 10-yard first down run in the final minute.
 
* Prior to that, the Eagles opened their home schedule with a 63-14 win versus NCAA Division II Central Washington and a 35-33 victory in two overtimes over UNLV in EWU's season opener on Sept. 2 in Las Vegas. The Rebels are a member of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Mountain West Conference. Eastern has now won four of its last 11 games versus FBS members.
 
* Eastern finished 5-2 overall in the unique 2020-21 spring season and advanced to the first round of the NCAA Division I playoffs where it lost to North Dakota State. The Eagles ended the season ranked No. 10 in the Stats Perform Top 25 poll, marking the 16th time Eastern has finished the season nationally ranked, including 12 times since 2004. The other seasons were in 1985, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Seven times the Eagles have finished in the top four – fourth in 1997, 2012, 2014 and 2016; third in 2013; second in 2018; and first in 2010 after winning the NCAA Division I title.
 
* Eastern closed the 2020 regular season with the best offense in FCS, and finished the season third at 524.9 yards per game. The Eagles were also fourth nationally in passing (367.3) and eighth in scoring offense (37.7). Eastern's passing average was the third-best in school history and the average of 524.9 yards per game of total offense was fourth, just ahead of the 2019 average of 524.8 which led FCS.
 
* In EWU's last 17 seasons (2004-2020/21), EWU has ranked in the top 10 in FCS in passing 14 times, total offense on 13 occasions and scoring eight times. In school history, EWU has won a trio of FCS titles for total offense (2019, 2001, 1997), as well as three passing offense titles (2016, 2015, 2011) and two for scoring offense (2014, 2001).
 
* Eastern entered the fall season with a total of 36 players returning with 318 games of starting experience, including 18 players on defense with 136 starts and 18 on offense with 182 starts.
 
* Headlining Eastern's cast of returning players are a trio of All-Americans – Barriere, offensive tackle Tristen Taylor and wide receiver Talolo Limu-Jones. They helped Eastern lead FCS in total offense during the regular season, and Barriere went on to finish as the runner-up for the Walter Payton Award given to the top offensive player in FCS. He won first team recognition on six FCS All-America teams, including the FCS Athletic Director's Association which picked him as its top offensive player nationally.
 
* Of the total of 67 returning letterwinners, fifth-year head coach Aaron Best has them evenly split with 31 back on both offense and defense, plus five specialists. The adjusted, abbreviated schedule in 2020-21 did not count against the eligibility for all student-athletes.
 
* Three of the returning players are back for their seventh seasons as Eagles. Following the conclusion of the 2019 season, offensive tackle Tristen Taylor, linebacker Jack Sendelbach and running back Dennis Merritt were granted a sixth year by the NCAA to complete four years of eligibility because of seasons lost because of injuries. Also receiving a sixth year was University of Washington transfer Jusstis Warren, who played in just one game for EWU in 2019 and only one in 2020-21.