With 10 previous Big Sky Conference titles, the second-ranked Eastern Washington University football team knows what it's like to have the target on its back as the defending champions. But this year, the Eagles and the other league schools are trying to end the four-year streak of titles won by Weber State, which visits Roos Field this Saturday (Oct. 23) for Homecoming at Roos Field.
 
Kickoff is 1:05 p.m. Pacific time in a game broadcast regionally on SWX and available via ESPN+. 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.
 
After a record-breaking performance versus Idaho in a 71-21 romp on Oct. 16 at Roos Field, senior quarterback Eric Barriere should set at least one more career record versus the Wildcats. Now with 13,228 yards of total offense in his career, he needs just 80 yards to catch the EWU and Big Sky records held by former Eagle Matt Nichols with 13,308 from 2006-09. With 11,806 passing yards, Barriere is 810 from the school and league records held by Nichols of 12,616 and seven TD passes from the Eastern and BSC records of 110 held by former Eagle Vernon Adams Jr. (2012-14).
 
In the win over Idaho – EWU's 20th-straight victory at Roos Field where Barriere is 16-0 as a starter -- he had school records of 600 yards passing (No. 8 in FCS history & No. 5 in BSC history), 577 yards of total offense, seven touchdown passes and eight TD's responsible for. That gave him a total of 123 TDs responsible for in his career, surpassing the record of 121 by Adams. As a team, EWU broke school records for total yards (837, 39 behind the Big Sky record of 876) and passing yards (624, 36 behind the Big Sky record of 660), while scoring its most points ever in 55 seasons at Roos Field (formerly Woodward Field).
 
Eastern is 56-34-3 in its previous 93 Homecoming contests, and has won its last two – 54-21 over Northern Colorado in 2019 and 38-14 against Idaho in 2018. The year prior, EWU fell to Weber State 28-20, which was the last time Eastern has lost a home game at "The Inferno."
 
Eastern leads the all-time series against Weber State 19-16 and is 9-6 in games played in Cheney, but EWU has lost the last two meetings. In the last six meetings, five of them have been decided by eight points or less, which has followed a trend for the Wildcats in the 2021 season thus far.
 
Weber State is just 2-4 overall this season and 1-2 in the league because of three close losses to nationally-ranked foes. Weber State fell to James Madison 37-24 on Sept. 18, then lost the next week to UC Davis 17-14. On Friday, Oct. 15, the Wildcats dropped a 13-7 decision to Montana State, and are no longer ranked in FCS Stats Perform or AFCA polls.
 
Speaking of close losses, Eastern's last victory in the series came on Halloween in 2015 when the Eagles squeaked out a 14-13 victory. Eastern scored the go-ahead touchdown in with 8:53 left in the third quarter on the second of two touchdown passes from Jordan West to Cooper Kupp and shutting out the Wildcats in the second half.
 
The Eagles fell 14-6 in 2018 in Ogden in the most recent meeting in a game in which Eric Barriere made just the third start of his career and was 19-of-42 for 185 yards and two interceptions as EWU failed to score a touchdown. Eastern's defense held the Wildcats to just 274 total yards and just one offensive touchdown, and held them scoreless for the final 51:25 of the game. That game represents the only time in EWU's last 163 games the Eagles have not scored a touchdown, dating back to a 19-3 loss to Montana in 2008.
 
In the 2018 loss, the Eagles were ranked No. 4/3 in FCS and Weber State was 13th; in 2017 the Eagles were 11th and the Wildcats were No. 19/14 when EWU fell at home 28-20. The Wildcats took the lead for good in the third quarter of that game, and EWU could manage just two field goals in the second half.
 
Weber State went on to win the Big Sky title in both 2017 (tied with Southern Utah), 2018 (tied with EWU and UC Davis) and 2019 (tied with Sacramento State), as well as the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign when WSU was 5-0 and EWU 4-1 (the two teams did not meet). Eastern three-peated as league champs from 2012-14, but Montana is the only other school to have a streak of more than three (12-straight from 1998-2009).
 
The Eagles retained their No. 2 ranking in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision this week – EWU's highest national ranking since ending the 2018 campaign second in both national polls.
 
Eastern enters this week's Weber State game a perfect 7-0 overall record and 4-0 mark 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 7-0 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 7-0 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 six teams in the FCS that remain undefeated. The last time Eastern was 4-0 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. Eastern has now won nine-straight conference games, with EWU having a 12-game winning streak from 2016-17 and a 14-game streak from 2012-14.
 
After scoring 24 fourth-quarter 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.
 
After a bye in the schedule, EWU plays its final regular season home game is Nov. 6 versus Montana State. Eastern has road games remaining at UC Davis (Nov. 13) and Portland State (Nov. 20). The Weber State game will be the 250th with Aaron Best as either a head coach or assistant coach at EWU (21 seasons), and the PSU game will mark his 300th as a coach or player (25 seasons).
 
After the Idaho victory and a thrilling win over Montana – the 28th time since 2010 the Eagles have rallied for a win when trailing or tied in the fourth quarter -- Eastern has now won 20-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 16-0 as a starter at "The Inferno," and has quarterbacked EWU in five of the 28 rallies.
 
 
 
Game Notes
 
 
Eastern Continues to Be Ranked No. 2
 
At No. 2 in the nation, Eastern continues to own 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 Now Lead FCS in Passing Efficiency to Go Along With Lead in Scoring, Offense and Passing
 
The Eagles will enter this Saturday's game first nationally in passing efficiency, with a mark of 188.12 which includes a FCS-leading 457.3 yards per game, 29 touchdowns, a 69.1 percent completion mark and just five interceptions. Eastern also leads FCS in scoring (54.0 per game), total offense (628.1 yards per game) and first downs (197).
 
Eric Barriere is first in passing efficiency (190.72), touchdowns (28), total offense (446.6), passing yards per game (438.1) and points responsible for (186 with 28 through the air, two on the ground and a trio of two-point conversions).
 
Dennis Merritt is first in the FCS in total touchdowns (14), rushing touchdowns (11), and scoring (12.0 per game), and is also eighth in rushing yards (633) and 24th in rushing yards per game (90.4). Andrew Boston is seventh in receiving yards (629), 17th in receiving yards per game (89.9) and 48th in receptions per game (5.0), with Efton Chism II 10th with six TD receptions. Now unranked because he doesn't have the minimum number of games played to qualify, in stats released on Oct. 10 Talolo Limu-Jones was 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 is the cusp of several major all-time records in Big Sky Conference and EWU history.
 
Entering the Weber State game on Oct. 23, Barriere needs just 80 yards of offense to catch the EWU and Big Sky records held by former Eagle Matt Nichols (2006-09). Barriere is 276 passing yards from moving into fourth in league history (Case Cookus, NAU, 12,082 yards from 2015-19), 401 from third (Jamie Martin, WSU, 12,207 yards from 1989-92), 468 from second (Cameron Higgins, WSU, 12,274 from 2007-10) and 810 from the school and league records held by Nichols of 12,616. Barriere is two TD passes from moving into second in league history (105, Case Cookus, NAU, from 2015-19) and seven from the Eastern and BSC records of 110 held by Vernon Adams (2012-14).
 
He is coming off a remarkable performance against Idaho on Oct. 16 in a 71-21 romp in which he set school records of 600 yards passing (No. 8 in FCS history & No. 5 in BSC history), 577 yards of total offense, seven touchdown passes and eight TD's responsible for. In completing 26-of-35 passes (74 percent), he had a passing efficiency rating of 284.32 that was close to the school record of 313.5. Barriere's performance earned him accolades as the FCS Stats Perform National Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, College Sports Madness FCS Offensive Player of the Week, as well as the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS Top Performer award. In addition, he earned ROOT Sports Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors for the 11th time of his career and fifth this season.
 
In his career he has completed 62.2 percent of his passes (840-of-1351), good for 11,806 yards, 103 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, and has rushed 334 times for 1,422 yards and 20 more TDs (a school-record total of 123 touchdowns accounted for). He had a passing efficiency rating of 146.9 as a sophomore, 151.6 in 2019 and 190.72 thus far in 2021 for a 156.9 mark in his career to currently rank third in school history. His touchdown passes rank second all-time at EWU (third in Big Sky Conference history), his passing yardage is second (fifth in Big Sky Conference history), his total of 13,228 yards of offense rank second (second in the Big Sky).
 
With 45 total games of experience, he is 27-9 in 36 career games as a starter (16-0 at home), with 11,806 passing yards, 1,422 rushing and 13,228 total yards of offense as an Eagle.
 
Barriere now owns the career rushing record for a quarterback with 1,422 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.
 
One week prior to the Idaho game, he had 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.
 
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 63-10 on the Red Turf with FCS-Leading 20-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 3-0 in 2021 to give the Eagles a school-record 20-straight wins at Roos Field. That streak I is currently the top active mark in FCS. Overall, the school record is 21 set from 1935-40.
 
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 63-10 (86.3 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). 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" – 50-6 (89.3 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 86.3 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 176-65 record (73.0 percent) in 241 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 20-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 1045-456 (average score of 52-23). The margin of victory in 15 of the 20 games has been at least 21 points, 10 of them have been by at least 30, five by 40 or more and a trio have been won by at least 50 points (52 and 53 versus Cal Poly and 50 against Idaho).
 
In EWU's last 12 home games, it has won by an average score of 53-24 (630-292). 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 81 Percent of Their Last 114 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 92-22 for a .807 winning percentage. Including three wins at the end of the 2009 season, Eastern has had a 78-15 record (.839) in league games since then.
 
After four games of the 2021 season, the Eagles have won 68 of their last 79 Big Sky Conference games (86.1 percent) since a 0-2 start in 2011. Included are stretches of 58 victories in the last 68 games (including two at the end of the 2012 season) and 36 of the last 42 (since 2016). Those are percentages of .853 and .857, 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 74-13 (.851) against conference foes since the 0-2 start in 2011 and 64-11 (.853) 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, 34-3 at home (92 percent) and 64-11 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.
 
 
Thanks to First Half Outputs, Eagles are One From Record of 50-Point Games
 
Eastern now has had at least 50 points in five games this season, which is the second most in a single season. The
school record is six (2018, 2014).
 
In EWU's last 11 games – all in the 2021 calendar year – Eastern has recorded its top five first-half scoring outputs in the school's 38-year history in FCS. Most recently, the Eagles scored 43 points versus Idaho in a 71-21 romp, and 43 one week earlier at Northern Colorado in a 63-17 victory. Earlier this season EWU 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 29 points in the first quarter versus Idaho are the most points in a first quarter (fifth overall for any quarter) eclipsing the 28 Eastern scored earlier this season against Western Illinois and Central Washington and on five other occasions.
 
Four times this season -- plus the Cal Poly game on 3/27/21 -- Eastern has topped the 62-point mark, including a Roos Field record of 71 against Idaho, 63 versus both UNC and CWU, and 62 at WIU. Those represent five of the top 19 performances in school history (12 as a member of FCS). Of EWU's games of 62 points or more, head coach Aaron Best has had eight of those as head coach – and has been a part of all 12 as a member of FCS. Of the 71 games in school history with over 50 points (record of 68-3), Aaron Best has been the head coach in 16 of those.
 
Eastern's defense has contributed mightily toward a winning margin of 188 points this season (average of 26.9 per game with an average score of 54-27). In 28 total quarters thus far, EWU has recorded eight shutout quarters, including the third quarter versus Idaho on Oct. 16. 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 35-7 in October and have won all three 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.
 
 
With Addition of Mason, Eight Players Have Made Starting Debuts in 2021
 
Central Washington transfer Robert Mason III made the first start as an Eagle on Oct. 16 versus Idaho and finished with four catches for 39 yards and his first career touchdown catch for EWU. Mason is junior and graduated from Graham-Kapowsin High School in Washington State in 2018.
 
One game earlier, 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 (213 starts by 21 players): Calin Criner 26, Tre Weed 25, Jack Sendelbach 24, Mitchell Johnson 24, Darrien Sampson 17, Joshua Jerome 14, Ty Graham 13, Debore'ae McClain 8, Ely Doyle 8, Jacob Newsom 7, Darreon Moore 7, Marlon Jones Jr. 6, Brock Harrison 6, Anthany Smith 6, Matthew Brown 6, Cale Lindsay 5, Keshaun King 4, Caleb Davis 3, Jusstis Warren 2, Cage Schenck 1, Ahmani Williams 1.
 
Current Starts on Offense (259 starts by 23 players): Tristen Taylor 54, Eric Barriere 36, Andrew Boston 31, Conner Crist 15, Talolo Limu-Jones 14, Wyatt Musser 14, Johnny Edwards IV 12, Freddie Roberson 13, Dylan Ingram 12, Wyatt Hansen 12, Matt Shook 9, Dennis Merritt 8, Tamarick Pierce 6, Efton Chism III 5, Anthony Stell Jr. 4, Matthew Hewa Baddege 4, Brad Godwin 2, Luke Dahlgren 2, Jakobie James 2, Robert Mason III 1, 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.
 
 
 
 
EWU Preseason Notes & Honors
 
 
Eagles Check in at No. 11 on Stats Perform Preseason Top 25
 
The Big Sky Conference had five teams recognized in the Stats Perform preseason top 25 poll, including two in the top nine. Weber State came in at No. 6 followed by Montana at the No. 9 spot. After EWU came Montana State (No. 12) and UC Davis (No. 23) while Sacramento State received votes.
 
The Eagles will face off against Weber State, Montana and Montana State at home at Roos Field in 2021 and take on UC Davis on the road, but won't play the Hornets.
 
FCS National Champion Sam Houston claimed the No. 1 spot, while James Madison, South Dakota State, North Dakota State and Delaware rounded out the top five. The Missouri Valley Football Conference had the most selections with six, followed by the Big Sky Conference with five.
 
Eastern was ranked 14th by the American Football Coaches Association in the other major weekly poll. In other preseason polls, the Eagles ranked as high as eighth by College Football America and 10th by College Sports Madness. The Eagles landed 16th on the Hero Sports preseason squad, and were ranked 19th by Athlon Sports. They were picked to finish third by both the coaches and the media in the Big Sky Conference preseason polls.
 
 
Eric Barriere is on Watch Lists for the Walter Payton Award as well as the CFPA Performer of the Year
 
Eric Barriere has the opportunity to finish what he started as he was named to the prestigious Walter Payton Award Watch List by Stats Perform on Aug. 4. Later in August, Barriere was named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy Watch List.
 
The Walter Payton Award is given to the national offensive player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision. Barriere is no stranger to the list, as he's been a finalist the past two seasons. Last year, Barriere finished runner up to Southeastern Louisiana's Cole Kelley, coming just six votes shy (137-131) of the award. In 2019 as a junior, he finished fifth. He is one of 35 players on the list, along with Sacred Heart's Julius Chestnut who finished behind him in voting. More players can join the list during the regular season and a national media panel will select the winner at the end of the year.
 
Barriere is among 44 returning players across the FCS on the watch list for the CFPA award, including two others from the Big Sky Conference in quarterback Hunter Rodrigues from UC Davis and running back Josh Davis from Weber State. The award will be announced on January 22, 2022.
 
Barriere, a native of Inglewood, Calif., has a long list of preseason honors that include the Big Sky Conference Preseason Offensive MVP, and first team preseason All-America honors by Stats Perform, HERO Sports. Most recently, Barriere was named a first team FCS Preseason All-America quarterback by Phil Steele Publications.
 
He is coming off of a season that saw him lead Eastern Washington to the NCAA FCS Playoffs and was named a first team All-American by six different organizations, including being named the FCS Offensive Player of the Year by the FCS ADA.
 
The senior made a case for the Payton Award last year by passing for at least 300 yards in five of six regular games and having at least 400 yards of total offense in three of them. Barriere ranked in the top 10 in the FCS in total offense (fifth, 369.0 per game), passing offense (fifth, 348.4), passing touchdowns (third, 19) and points responsible for (ninth, 17.4 per game). He completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,439 yards, 19 touchdowns and 2,583 total yards of offense.
 

Eric Barriere, Tristen Taylor Make Stats Perform Preseason All-America Team

 
A pair of Eastern football seniors, Eric Barriere and Tristen Taylor, have been named to the Stats Perform Preseason All-America Team, as announced Aug. 2.
 
Barriere represents Eastern as a first team quarterback and Taylor is a second team offensive lineman. The duo is among 21 other Big Sky Conference student-athletes to make the team, the most among FCS conferences selections. In total, there are 120 preseason All-Americans from 60 schools and 15 conferences split into three 40-player teams.
 
Barriere, who hails from Inglewood, Calif., and is a 2016 graduate from La Habra High School, is picking up where he left off. He was named first team All-America by Stats Perform at the end of the spring 2021 season, becoming just the seventh All-American in school history. Last season, he was picked as the preseason Big Sky Offensive MVP and went on to earn the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year honor at the end of the season, as well as being unanimously named to the first team. Additionally, Barriere finished runner-up in voting for the prestigious Walter Payton Award and was honored as a first team All-American by six different organizations at the end of the season. He was also named the FCS Offensive Player of the Year by the FCS ADA.
 
This year, Barriere was picked as the preseason Big Sky Offensive MVP again and made the All-Big Sky preseason team. The other quarterback to be named to the first team preseason Stats Perform All-America team is Cole Kelley, the reigning Walter Payton Award winner who Barriere finished runner-up to.
 
Taylor earned first team All-America honors by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) at the end of last season. He joined Barriere on the preseason All-Big Sky team this year after being named to the first team at the end of the 2021 season, the fourth All-Big Sky honor of his career. He was a second-team selection in 2019 and honorable mention in 2016 and 2017.
 
More on Tristen Taylor . . . Entering his seventh season with the Eagles, Taylor, a Stockton, Calif., native and a 2015 Stagg HS graduate, has started all 54 games he's played in to own sole possession of the school record for career starts. Last year, he helped Eastern rank third in total offense in the FCS with an average of 522.7 yards per game. Eastern was also fourth nationally in passing (366.7) and eighth in scoring offense (37.7). The Eagles led the FCS in total offense during the regular season. Taylor missed the last 12 games in 2018 with a knee injury, but has started all 26 Eagle games since then. He had started 28-of-28 games as an Eagle until the season-ending injury kept him out of the lineup on Sept. 22, 2018, versus Cal Poly. He should establish a new school record for games played against Weber State on Oct. 23 (55, Shaq Hill, 2012-14) and has already broken the record for games started (52, Chris Schlichting, 2016-19 and Cooper Kupp, 2013-16). Already a four-time All-Big Sky selection, Taylor entered the 2021 season with the most starts on the offense and the most overall.
 
 
Eric Barriere, Seth Harrison Named HERO Sports Preseason All-Americans
 
A pair of Eagles have been named to the HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America Teams. Eric Barriere, a senior quarterback, made the First Team Offensive squad, and redshirt-sophomore kicker Seth Harrison earned a spot on the Third Team Special Teams.
 
This is the second preseason All-America honor for Barriere, who was also named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America first team. Back in July, he was named the Big Sky Conference Preseason MVP and earned a spot on the All-Big Sky Preseason Team. Barriere is also on the Walter Payton Award watchlist after finishing runner-up last season.
 
This is the first preseason honor for Harrison, who was named to the All-Big Sky Conference second team following the spring 2021 season.
 
After going 12-of-12 as a freshman, Harrison was 6-of-9 in the 2020-21 season. The 2018 graduate of nearby Coeur d'Alene (Idaho) High School kicked a 55-yard field goal to match the third-longest in school history and also had boots of 47 and 50 yards. He is the seventh Eagle in school history to have at least three career field goals of 47 yards or more, and just the fourth with two of at least 50 yards.
 
Barriere, who hails from Inglewood, Calif., and is a 2016 graduate from La Habra High School, was honored as a first team All-American by six different organizations at the end of the 2021 season. He was also named the FCS Offensive Player of the Year by the FCS ADA.
 
He passed for at least 300 yards in five of six regular games during the unique 2021 spring season, and had at least 400 yards of total offense in three of them. He finished ranked in the top 10 in the FCS in total offense (fifth, 369.0 per game), passing offense (fifth, 348.4), passing touchdowns (third, 19) and points responsible for (ninth, 17.4 per game). He completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,439 yards, 19 touchdowns and 2,583 total yards of offense. Twice he directed game-tying and game-winning scoring drives in the fourth quarter for EWU.
 
More on Seth Harrison . . . Harrison made the first 12 field goal attempts of his career, and is now 24-of-33 for .727 accuracy which currently ranks fifth in school history. The career leader is Tyler McNannay, who was 11-of-12 (.917) in his two-year career from 2014-15. Harrison is also 114-of-120 kicking extra points in his career and has a 54.2 kickoff average (11 touchbacks). Harrison became just the seventh Eagle in school history to have at least three career field goals of 47 yards or more, and just the fourth with two of at least 50 yards. There have been just 44 total field goals of 47 yards or more and 22 of at least 50 all-time at EWU. This season, he is 6-of-12 kicking field goals and 39-of-40 on extra points. In the 2020-21 season, he was 6-of-9 kicking field goals, 25-of-27 on extra points and averaged 59.9 per kickoff (two touchbacks). Harrison ended his debut season in 2019 as the FCS leader in field goal percentage, and was the only kicker in FCS with at least one field goal attempt per game to make all of his field goals. He was 30th in field goals with an average of 1.09 per game) and earned Freshman All-America accolades. Twice Harrison kicked four field goals in a single game.
 
 
Four Eagles Represent Eastern Washington on the Big Sky Preseason Team
 
A quartet of football players represent the Eagles on the 2021 Preseason All-Big Sky team. Eric Barriere, Talolo Limu-Jones, Tristen Taylor and Mitchell Johnson make up EWU's selections, as announced July 26 by the league as part of the Big Sky Media Kickoff.
 
All four selections are coming off seasons that saw them earn spots on the All-Big Sky first team.
 
Barriere was also picked as the conference's Preseason Offensive MVP, released July 25, and is the lone quarterback on the preseason team. The reigning Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and unanimous first team selection also finished runner up in the prestigious Walter Payton Award voting and was honored as a first team All-American by six different organizations. Barriere finished ranked in the top 10 in the FCS in total offense (fifth, 369.0 per game), passing offense (fifth, 348.4), passing touchdowns (third, 19) and points responsible for (ninth, 17.4 per game).
 
Limu-Jones was one of three wide receivers to make the list. The senior was a unanimous All-Big Sky first team selection last season after ending the season fourth in FCS in receiving yards per game (108.4) and was ninth in receptions per game (6.9, total of 48). The Vallejo, Calif., native was also honored as a second team All-American by three different organizations.
 
Taylor, a senior offensive tackle, was also honored on the list after earning a spot on the All-Big Sky first team last year – the fourth All-Big Sky award of his career. He was a second-team selection in 2019 and honorable mention in 2016 and 2017.
 
Johnson is a junior defensive end who earned first team honors last year after earning a spot on the second-team as a freshman. He started six games a year ago and ended the season with 26 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, four quarterback hurries and a pass broken up.
 
More on Talolo Limu-Jones . . . He now has 47 games of experience (14 as a starter), and has 124 career catches for 2,176 yards and 17 touchdowns – an average of 17.5 per reception. Jones currently ranks 18th in school history for career receiving yards and seventh for average per reception. He has averaged a touchdown every 7.3 career catches. Jones has had 16 receptions of at least 40 yards in his career, including five in 2021, six as a junior in 2019 and three more in the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign. He caught 11 passes (tied for 25th in school history) for 231 yards (eighth) in EWU's 34-28 victory versus fourth-ranked Montana on Oct. 2, 2021, including catches of 58, 51 and 40 yards. The two longest catches set-up EWU touchdowns, including the 58-yarder in the fourth quarter which gave EWU the lead for good. Limu-Jones earned second team All-America honors in 2020-21 from three organizations. He ended the regular season with three-straight performances with at least 140 receiving yards, and had a least a 66-yard catch in all three games.
 
More on Mitchell Johnson . . . Johnson has been an opportunistic player as EWU's "Buck" defensive end, and he now has 117 tackles in his 41-game career (24 as a starter). He has 10 sacks, five interceptions, 12 quarterback hurries, six passes broken up, three fumble recoveries and a pair of forced fumbles. In the 2020-21 season when he was awarded first team All-Big Sky accolades, Johnson had 26 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, four quarterback hurries and a pass broken up. Included was his first career touchdown on a 34-yard interception return, and his fifth career interception with a leaping/twisting pick on fourth down with 1:29 remaining in a playoff-clinching victory over Idaho. He burst on the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2018 and earned second team All-Big Sky honors and freshman All-America accolades.
 
 
Phil Steele Publications Honors 11 Eagles, Including Trio as Preseason All-Americans
 
Phil Steele Publications honored 11 Eagles on a pair of preseason all-star teams released recently. Included were FCS Preseason All-America honors to senior quarterback Eric Barriere (first team), senior wide receiver Talolo Limu-Jones (second team) and senior offensive tackle Tristen Taylor (second team).
 
The 2021 Phil Steele Big Sky All-Conference offensive team consisted of Barriere, Limu-Jones and Taylor on the first team. Running back Tamarick Pierce made the second team and wide receivers Freddie Roberson and Andrew Boston along with Wyatt Musser represented EWU on the third team. The Phil Steele Big Sky All-Conference defensive team was made up of Mitchell Johnson and Joshua Jerome on the second team and Anthany Smith on the third squad. Kicker Seth Harrison rounded out Eastern's selections on the second team for special teams.
 
 
 
 
 
More Player Notes
 
 
Eight Current Eagles Have Completed Coursework Toward Degrees
 
Eight Eastern players have already completed requirements toward their bachelor's degree, including a pair of recent graduates in quarterback Eric Barriere and long snapper Cody Clements. Barriere earned his degree in communications and Clements was an English major.
 
Previously, linebacker Jack Sendelbach graduated following spring quarter of 2019 in marketing, and is now in a graduate program for sport and recreation administration. Linebacker Ty Graham is now working toward his master's degree in business administration after having already received his marketing degree from EWU with a minor in sports management. Linebacker Jusstis Warren has also received his bachelor's degree and is now a graduate student in communications studies. Cornerback Darreon Moore has received his management degree and is now working on his MBA like Graham. And offensive tackle Tristen Taylor has completed his criminal justice degree and is now working toward a second degree in psychology.
 
The eighth graduate is quarterback Ryan Kelley, a graduate transfer from Arizona State. He earned his bachelor's degree at ASU and is now working toward his master's in business administration at EWU.
 
Since 2001, Eastern has annually averaged more than 20 selections to the Big Sky All-Academic team. Eastern has had a league-most 475 selections from 2001-2020/21, and Eastern has won a total of 674 Big Sky All-Academic honors since joining the league in 1987. A total of 26 were honored in 2019, and a program-best 34 were recognized in the 2016 season. In the abbreviated 2020-21 season, 52 Eagles were honored, however, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no participation requirements to be named to the team.
 
 
Senior Calin Criner Wears No. 4 Legacy Jersey for Eagles
 
Eastern senior safety Calin Criner is continuing the legacy of wearing the No. 4 jersey for the Eagle Football team, a tribute that has existed for more than 10 years.  Since the 2008 season when senior Jason Belford had the number, the coaching staff has selected a leader on defense to wear the jersey. It symbolizes the defensive player who most embodies the characteristics of defense at Eastern -- grit, toughness, effort, leadership and academic success.
 
In his career, Criner now has eight interceptions (including a 30-yard return for a touchdown versus Northern Colorado on Oct. 9, 2021), 232 tackles (25th in EWU history), 16 passes broken up, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his 48-game career (26 as a starter). He has four performances in his career with at least 10 tackles. The 2016 graduate of Rocky Mountain High School in Boise, Idaho, missed EWU's first four games of the 2020-21 spring season, then started in the final three to close the year with seven tackles and a pass broken up.
 
Criner has deep collegiate football roots. His father is a former player at Boise State (1990 graduate) and is now an assistant coach at Southern Miss with previous collegiate tenures at Idaho, Portland State, Utah State, Minnesota, Eastern Michigan, Cincinnati, Middle Tennessee State, Lamar, and Colorado State Pueblo. Calin is the grandson of former Boise State University head football coach Jim Criner (1976-82), who guided the Broncos to the 1980 NCAA Championship Subdivision (then I-AA) title and later was head coach at Iowa State (1983-86).
 
Although the honor isn't necessarily given to the most talented defensive player on the team, Eastern has had 11-straight players in that number earn All-Big Sky honors, and 13 of a possible 14 since Eastern joined the league in 1987. Below is the list of players who have worn that number since EWU became a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision in 1984 (Big Sky in 1987).
 
Name – Year - Pos. - Hometown / Previous School
Hunter, Darryl - 1983-84-85-86 - DB - Tacoma, Wash. / Foss HS
%Corr, Dominic - 1986-87-88-89 - RB - Seattle, Wash. / Garfield HS
%Wright, Harold - 1990-91-92-93 - RB - Tacoma, Wash. / Lakes HS '89
Givens, Roderick - 1995 - DB - Auburn, Wash. / Auburn HS '94
#%Brightful, Lamont - 1998-99-00-01 - WR - Everett, Wash. /Mariner HS '97
%Williams, A.J. - 2002-03 - DB - Lacey, Wash. - North Thurston HS '01
%Dotson, Anthony - 2005-06-07 - DB - Federal Way, Wash. / Federal Way HS '03
%Belford, Jason - 2005-06-07-08 - DL - Tacoma, Wash. / Lincoln HS '04
#%Sherritt, J.C. - 2007-08-09-10 - LB - Pullman, Wash. / Pullman HS '06
%Brown, Allen - 2010-11-12-13 - DB - Tacoma, Wash. / Foss HS '09
%Raynes, Todd - 2012-13-14-15 - DB - Kenmore, Wash. / Inglemoor HS '11
%Zamora, Miquiyah - 2013-14-15-16 - LB - Pasco, Wash. / Chiawana HS '12
%Havili, Albert - 2013-14-16-17 - DL - Federal Way, Wash. / Federal Way HS '13
%Fettig, Mitch - 2015-16-17-18 - DB  - Olympia Wash. / Olympia HS '14
%Ledbetter, Dylan - 2016-17-18-19 - DL - West Seattle, Wash. / O'Dea HS '15
Criner, Calin – 2017-18-19-20 – DB – Boise, Idaho / Rocky Mountain HS '16
 
#All-America selection (Brightful was first team in 2001, second team in 2000 & second team in 1999 as return specialist, and honorable mention in 2001 as a wide receiver; Sherritt was the Buck Buchanan Award winner in 2010, and first team in 2009 and 2010 as a linebacker).
 
%All-Big Sky Conference selection (Corr was first team in 1989 & second team in 1989 as return specialist; Wright was Big Sky Newcomer of the Year in 1989, and first team in 1991 & second team in 1992 as a running back; Brightful was first team in 2001 as a wide receiver and return specialist, first team in 2000 as a return specialist, second team in 2000 as a wide receiver and first team in 1999 as a return specialist; Williams was honorable mention in 2003 and 2002 as a safety; Dotson was second team in 2007 as an outside linebacker; Belford was second team in 2008 and honorable mention in 2007 as a defensive end; Sherritt was the Big Sky Defensive MVP in 2010, first team in 2009 and 2010 as a linebacker & honorable mention in 2008 as a linebacker; Brown was second team in 2012 & honorable mention in 2013 as a safety; Raynes was third team in 2015 as a safety; Zamora was first team in 2016 & honorable mention in 2014 as a linebacker; Havili was second team in 2017 as a defensive end; Fettig was third team in 2018 & 2017 & honorable mention in 2016 as a safety; Ledbetter was honorable mention in 2018 and 2019 as a defensive tackle).
 
 
More on EWU Returning Offensive Players
 
Besides Eric Barriere, Gunner Talkington was the only player of the three to throw a pass in 2020-21, all when he made the first start of his career versus Cal Poly and finished with career highs for completions (6), yards (132), touchdowns (2), rushing yards (14), long rush (14) and total offense (146). He has completed 32-of-64 passes for 365 yards and five touchdowns in his career. He's thrown passes this season against Central Washington (5-of-9 for 58 yards), Western Illinois (2-of-3 for six yards), Northern Colorado (2-of-2 for 10 yards) and Idaho (2-of-3 for 24 yards and a TD).
 
Andrew Boston returns for his junior season after catching 26 passes 391 yards and three scores in 2020-21. A freshman All-America selection in 2018, Boston has 154 receptions (16th in EWU history) for 2,281 yards (16th) and 19 touchdowns (18 receiving to rank 16th all-time at EWU, 1 rushing) in 39 career games (31 as a starter) as an Eagle. He's now had six games with at least 100 yards receiving, including a career-high 175 versus Idaho on Oct. 16, 2021.
 
Also returning to the receiver position are Roberson and Anthony Stell Jr., a pair of former high school teammates who were impressive as redshirt freshmen in 2019 and then developed into standouts in 2020-21. Roberson started six games, finishing with 33 grabs for 470 yards and three touchdowns, and also had a 42-yard touchdown rush. He now has 23 games of experience (13 starts) in his career with totals of 72 receptions for 1,132 yards and seven touchdowns, with a quartet of 100-yard receiving performances, including a career-high 192 versus Idaho on Oct. 16, 2021. Stell had four starts in 2020-21, and finished the season with 17 catches for 282 yards and three scores. He now has 22 catches for 323 yards and three scores in his 20-game career.
 
Senior Johnny Edwards IV did not play in the 2020-21 winter/spring season. He now has 40 games of experience (12 as a starter), and has career totals of 57 receptions for 976 yards and nine touchdowns. He had his best day as an Eagle on Sept. 18, 2021, at Western Illinois when he had three catches for 126 yards, including touchdown catches of 76 and 51 yards. As a junior in 2019, he was third on the team with 32 catches for 553 yards (17.3 per reception) and three scores.
 
Eastern also has a trio of experienced tight ends, led by returning starter Dylan Ingram. Mostly used as a blocking tight end, the junior has 39 games of experience (12 starts), and has caught 12 passes for 132 yards and four scores in his career.
 
Sophomore Aiden Nellor is also back with 24 games of experience as an Eagle and seven career catches for 67 yards, as well as redshirt freshman Blake Gobel. Gobel now has 18 games of experience, and has 14 career catches for 165 yards and six touchdowns after leading the tight end corp with four receptions for 26 yards and two scores in the 2020-21 season.
 
The running back position returns a pair of seniors in Pierce, the returning starter, and Merritt. Both returned from injuries to earn All-Big Sky honors in the 2020-21 season and help keep the Eagle offense productive.
 
Pierce, forced to redshirt in 2019 while recovering from a knee injury at the end of the 2018 season, started six of the seven games he played in the 2020-21 season to earn first team All-Big Sky accolades. He finished the season with a team-high 462 yards rushing with five touchdowns and an average of 5.4 yards per rush. He also caught eight passes for another 31 yards, and had his first career 100-yard rushing game with 105 and two scores versus Northern Arizona.
 
Pierce now has a 5.98 career average per rush which currently ranks fifth in school history (Merritt is sixth at 5.79). Pierce has rushed for 1,476 yards and 23 touchdowns in 46 games as an Eagle (six as a starter) with 21 catches for 138 yards and another score.
 
Merritt also returned to be highly productive in 2020-21 after suffering a serious lower leg injury versus Lindenwood on Sept. 7, 2019, and missing the remainder of the season. He earned All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention after playing in all seven Eastern games (one as a starter) as a running back. He had 287 yards and four touchdowns rushing for EWU, and caught another 10 passes for 123 yards and three more scores. He scored a team-high seven touchdowns, including three in EWU's final regular season game versus Idaho. He passed the 1,000 career rushing yards mark against Central Washington on Sept. 11, 2021, when he had what was then a career-high 120 yards (he followed that with a career-high 148 at Western Illinois on Sept. 18). He now has 1,494 career yards (5.79 average per rush to rank sixth in school history) and 19 touchdowns rushing, and another 36 catches for 549 yards and seven scores in 44 games (eight as a starter). Merritt has also averaged 20.7 yards on 30 career kickoff returns.
 
Sophomores Silas Perreiah and Micah Smith also return after seeing action in both 2019 and 2020-21. Perreiah played in EWU's first three games in 2020-21 and then missed the rest of the season. He has now played in 13 career games, and has 268 yards rushing with a touchdown, and three catches for seven yards and another score. Smith has played in 18 Eagle games in his career and has 232 yards rushing and two scores, plus four catches for 34 yards.
 
Sophomore Isaiah Lewis now has a total of 14 games of experience as an Eagle, he played in two games early in the 2019 season and had 64 yards and a touchdown rushing versus Lindenwood, but shortly after that left the team. As a redshirt freshman in 2018, he played in three games and had 52 yards. He has 302 career rushing yards (7.0 per carry) with one TD, and has caught three passes for 40 yards. He had a career-high 86 yards versus Idaho on Oct. 16, 2021, including a career-long rush of 47 yards.
 
The biggest priority for EWU in 2020-21 was replacing four starters on the offensive line, a group which had combined for 193 games played and 141 starts in their careers through the 2019 season. One of the new starters was senior center Conner Crist, who now has 35 career games of experience and 15 starts under his belt. He recovered a fumble in the endzone against Central Washington for his first career touchdown, just the fourth offensive lineman in EWU history to score a touchdown.
 
Entering his seventh season with the Eagles, Tristen Taylor, a Stockton, Calif., native and a 2015 Stagg HS graduate, has started all 54 games he's played in. Wyatt Musser now has 40 games worth of experience in his career with 14 starts. Junior tackle Matt Shook was injured in 2019 and did not play, but returned to start all seven games in 2020-21 and now has 19 games worth of experience with nine starts.
 
The fifth starter back from 2020-21 is Wyatt Hansen, a freshman who has started all 12 career games he played as an offensive guard. Sophomore Brad Godwin started the other two games in 2020-21, and now has 20 total games of experience with two career starts.
 
 
More on EWU Returning Defensive Players
 
Anthany Smith is a returning starting safety and had a stellar season in 2020-21 to earn first team All-Big Sky honors. The junior finished with a team-leading 44 tackles in six games played (all as a starter). In EWU's last regular season game versus Idaho, Smith had 17 tackles -- equaling the 19th-most in school history. He made his starting debut earlier in the season versus the Vandals (2/27/21) and had 10 tackles, a pass broken up and a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown which was the 18th-longest in school history. Smith has 71 career tackles, three interceptions and three passes broken up in 24 games (six as a starter). Smith played in just three games in 2019 before being lost for the season with an injury and has not yet played in 2021.
 
Junior Keshaun King started EWU's first four games in 2020-21 before starting safety Calin Criner returned, and King finished with 33 tackles on the season. In the second game versus Idaho, he had nine tackles and his first career interception that led to EWU's game-winning score. King now has 59 tackles and an interception in his 28-game career (four as a starter).
 
Tre Weed and sophomore Darrien Sampson were both seven-game starters at cornerback for EWU in the 2020-21 season. Weed, honored on the All-Big Sky Conference second team, has now played 30 games as an Eagle (25 as a starter). He has career totals of 87 tackles, three interceptions and 11 passes broken up.
 
Sampson finished with 13 tackles and a pair of passes broken up in 2020-21, and has now played in 28 career games (17 starts). A former high school teammate of wide receivers Anthony Stell Jr. and Freddie Roberson, he now has 46 tackles, three interceptions and five passes broken up as an Eagle.
 
The fifth starter back in the secondary is nickel back Marlon Jones Jr., who saw action in all seven games as a redshirt freshman and started four times. He finished the year with 17 of his 24 tackles in EWU's last three games, including a pass broken up in the final game of the year versus North Dakota State. He also played in three games in 2019, and he now has a total of 15 games of experience (six starts) and has a career total of 49 tackles with three passes broken up and interceptions versus Idaho on Oct. 16, 2021, and versus Montana on Oct. 2, 2021, in EWU's 34-28 victory over the fourth-ranked Grizzlies.
 
Also back for the Eagles in the secondary is 2019 starting cornerback Darreon Moore, now a junior. Moore has played in 29 career games (seven as a starter), and has 42 tackles with three passes broken up and a sack.
 
Arizona State transfer Ely Doyle provided a big boost in 2020-21 for Eastern after playing in five games in 2019 for the Sun Devils. He had 36 tackles in six games played to rank fourth on the team, including no tackles while playing sparingly in EWU's opener versus Idaho. But he quickly bumped himself up the leaders list, with 30 tackles during EWU's four-game winning streak. He also had two passes broken up in the 2020-21 season, and missed the rematch against Idaho which extended EWU's winning streak to five. He now has a total of 71 career tackles and five passes broken up in 13 games with the Eagles (eight starts). He had a career-high 10 tackles with a PBU in EWU's 34-28 victory over fourth-ranked Montana on Oct. 2, 2021.
 
Jack Sendelbach, a three-time team captain, and Graham headline a linebacker corp that includes five returning letterwinners. Graham was also a co-captain during the 2020-21 season when the University of Idaho transfer was playing his first collegiate games after a stretch of 833 days without.
 
Sendelbach finished with 33 tackles to rank sixth on the team despite playing in just three games. An Eagle since the fall of 2015 when he redshirted, Sendelbach now has 247 tackles (19th in school history) in his 45-game career (24 as a starter), and has had 13 performances in double figures. He also has five career sacks, 26 total tackles for loss, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles.
 
Graham had 42 tackles after starting all six of the games he played as a linebacker to earn honorable mention All-Big Sky honors. Graham had a then career-high nine tackles in his Eagle debut versus his former team, then in the rematch played just the first series versus Vandals before being lost for the season with an injury. The local product of Cheney (Wash.) High School played in 27 games at Idaho and had 133 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, an interception, two passes broken up and a forced fumble in those three seasons for the Vandals. His father, John, is EWU's former defensive coordinator. In Eastern's season-opener at UNLV, he had a career-high 14 tackles for his first performance in double figures and has two in his career. In 13 career games with the Eagles (13 starts), he has 107 total tackles, three sacks, 12 total tackles for loss and one interception that he returned 43 yards for his first career touchdown.
 
Also back at linebacker is junior Cale Lindsay, who had 16 total tackles in seven games in the 2020-21 season. He made the first two starts of his career that season, and now has 63 tackles in 30 career games (five starts) along with four tackles for loss and one fumble recovery.
 
Now at linebacker is Warren, who transferred to EWU in 2019 from the University of Washington. He played in EWU's opener against his alma mater in 2019, but missed the rest of the season. In the 2020-21 season, he also played just one game as a starter at end before being lost for the remainder of the season. He has now played in six games as an Eagle (two starts) and has 16 tackles. He made his second start as an Eagle on Oct. 16, 2021, versus Idaho and had eight tackles. In his 31-game career as a Husky, he had nine tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, a forced fumble and caught a 2-yard touchdown pass.
 
On the defensive line, freshman end Brock Harrison returns as a 2020-21 starter, as does Joshua Jerome and freshman tackle Jacob Newsom. Jerome earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors.
 
Jerome started all seven of Eastern's games and had 41 tackles to rank third on the team, and also had a team-leading three sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries. He has played just 28 career games (14 as a starter), but already has 113 career tackles with 9 1/2 sacks, 24 total tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, a pass broken up, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
 
Harrison took over as the starter at an end position in EWU's second game of the 2020-21 season and finished with a team-high five quarterback hurries to go along with 15 tackles. He's played in a total of 18 career games as an Eagle (six starts) and has 34 tackles, six total tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, an interception, a fumble recovery and one pass broken up. Newsom also started all seven games as a tackle, and finished with 22 tackles in his debut season. He has two sacks, a pass broken up, a forced fumble, a quarterback hurry and 31 total tackles in 15 career games (seven starts).
 
Four other returning lettermen are back with starting experience, including junior Caleb Davis who missed the entire 2020-21 season. He now has 54 tackles and four sacks in 30 games (three as a starter), including 21 stops and one sack as a sophomore in 2019.
 
Junior Debore'ae McClain started once as a defensive end in the 2020-21 season and finished with 12 tackles in seven games. He now has 54 stops in 41 career games (eight starts), with 2 1/2 sacks, six total tackles for loss, a forced fumble and six quarterback hurries.
 
Sophomore Emmanuel Osuoha is the only other non-freshman returning, and was a linebacker in the winter/spring. Osuoha had a pair of tackles in six games played and now has 12 career stops in 12 games played.
 
 
More on EWU Returning Special Teams Players
 
Besides kicker Seth Harrison, sophomore punter Nick Kokich and sophomore long snapper Cody Clements return with two years of experience under their belts.
 
As a true freshman in 2019, Kokich made his season debut four games into the season and has held the punting position ever since. In 2020-21 he averaged 39.2 yards in 20 punts, with five downed inside the opponent 20-yard line and two of at least 50 yards with a long of 55. He averaged 39.0 yards in 2019, and now has a 39.2 career average with 20 downed inside the opponent 20-yard line and a long of 59 to equal the 38th longest in EWU history. His longest in the 2021 season is 56 with an average of 39.8, and he did not have to punt versus Idaho on Oct. 16, 2021, in EWU's 71-21 romp.
 
 
 
 
More Season Notes
 
 
Eagles Record Best Back-to-Back Scoring and Offensive Games in School History
 
Eastern's 134 points in the last two games is the best two-game stretch in school history, and has continued a trend of out-of-this-world statistics for the Eagles.
 
Eastern's combined 1,427 yards of offense against Western Illinois (754) and Southern Utah (673) is the most in back-to-back games in school history. The previous most was 1,395 set in 2019 when the Eagles had 706 versus Northern Arizona on Nov. 2 and 689 a week later versus Idaho State.
 
The 754 yards EWU had versus the Leathernecks came just 15 from the school record, but was a program best versus a FCS or FBS foe. Additionally, Eric Barriere set the individual school record with 562 yards of total offense against WIU (542 passing), then EWU set a team record for passing yards with 554 at SUU (Barriere had 518 and the other 36 came on a fake punt).
 
Including the 645 yards EWU had versus Central Washington on Sept. 11, and the Eagles had 2,072 in a three-game stretch – an average of 690.7 per game. That is also a high for EWU in back-to-back-to-back games, and those three performances all rank in the top 21 in school history.
 
Eastern's 175 points (58.3 average) in those games is actually not EWU's best three-game stretch. That distinction goes to the 2018 squad, which had 181 points (and 1,871 total yards of offense) in victories over Northern Colorado (48 points, 578 yards), UC Davis (59 points, 669 yards) and Portland State (74 points, 624 yards). The point total in the latter two games – 133 points – is eight better than the combined 125 EWU scored this season versus Central Washington and Western Illinois, but was eclipsed on Oct. 16, 2021, when EWU scored 71 points versus Idaho a week after scoring 63 against Northern Colorado – a combined total of 134 points.
 
 
A Few More Superlatives From the Idaho Game
 
* The 71 points are the most ever scored at Roos/Woodward Field, fifth most all-time, and second most
against a Division I opponent (74 at Portland State, 11/16/18).
 
* Eastern set a school record for total offense (837), which was 39 short of the Big Sky record of 876. The 624 passing yards by the Eagles was also a school record, and was 36 short of the Big Sky record of 660. Eastern's team passing efficiency rating of 281.09 was the third-best in program history.
 
* At the point EWU took a 50-14 lead in the third quarter, the Eagles were averaging 13.4 yards per play (42 plays, 561 yards), a pace that would have broken the EWU and Big Sky record of 12.3 yards per play versus Montana State in 2013. Eastern finished the Idaho game with an average of 10.6 per play.


Eastern Now 63-0 Since 2010 When Winning the TO Battle
 
In the last 13+ seasons (2008-2021), the Eagles are now 72-1 when they've won the turnover battle, 25-9 when they've been tied and 25-35 when they've lost (total of 122-45). The last time EWU lost a game when it won the turnover battle came in the 2009 FCS Playoffs at Stephen F. Austin when EWU had two miscues and forced four in the 44-33 loss.
 
Thus, EWU is 63-0 since 2010 when they've won the turnover battle, 22-9 when they've been tied and 23-28 when they've lost. That's a collective record of 108-37 (74.5 percent), with 28 of those 37 losses (76 percent) coming in games EWU has lost the turnover battle and 58 percent of EWU's wins coming when they've won the turnover battle (79 percent when including ties).
 
In 2021, EWU won the turnover battle versus Central Washington (2-0), Western Illinois (1-0), Southern Utah (1-0), Northern Colorado (2-1) and Idaho (3-0), and lost to UNLV (3-2). The Eagles were tied versus Montana (2-2).
 
In 2020-21, EWU opened the year by falling to Idaho 28-21 after losing the turnover battle 2-1. Eastern beat Northern Arizona 45-13 on March 6, but also lost the turnover battle in that one, 3-0. Eastern beat Idaho State by both score (46-42) and the turnover battle (3-2). Eastern won the turnover battle 2-1 against Cal Poly on March 27, but lost 1-0 at UC Davis in a 32-22 victory on April 3. The Eagles closed the regular season by registered two four-quarter interceptions – the only turnovers of the game – in a 38-31 win over Idaho on April 10. In the FCS Playoffs, the lone turnover was an Eagle interception on offense as North Dakota State won the turnover battle 1-0.
 
 
Eastern is 32-19 Since 2010 Versus Ranked­ Opponents
 
Following EWU's game on Oct. 2 versus fourth-ranked Montana, Eastern has now won 63 percent of its games (32-19) versus ranked teams since 2010. Eastern is 61-73 (.455) in 134 games overall against ranked teams since becoming a member of that classification in 1983 (then known as I-AA). Since 1983, Eastern is 1-7 versus ranked FBS foes, and a loss to Washington (ranked 13th by the media and 12th by the coaches) in 2019 was the eighth such foe EWU has faced.
 
Eastern's 2021 game versus Montana was the 65th time and the most recent occasion Eastern has faced a team ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (STATS). Eastern is 11-10 versus top 10 foes since 2010, including a 6-4 mark in the regular season and 5-6 in the playoffs Eastern is 20-45 in the 65 games all-time versus top 10 opponents. The Eagles are 10-35 all-time versus top 5 opponents (5-7 since 2010), including 2-8 versus No. 1 (0-2 since 2010).
 
Overall, EWU has faced the No. 1 team in FCS 10 times, winning twice -- 35-31 in 2004 over Southern Illinois in the FCS Playoffs and 30-21 in 2002 over Montana at Albi Stadium in Spokane, Wash. One of the losses was in 2016 in Fargo, N.D., when North Dakota State beat No. 8 Eastern 50-44 in overtime. The following season, EWU was ranked seventh and lost 40-13 to second-ranked NDSU in Cheney. Eastern lost a third time to the top-ranked Bison by a 38-24 score on Jan. 5, 2019, in the NCAA Division I Championship Game.
 
 
Two of Top Coaches in League History Squared Off Oct. 2 in Cheney
 
Head coach Aaron Best has led EWU to league finishes of 6-2, 7-1, 6-2, 5-1, and 2-0 in the league in his four-plus seasons at the helm, a 28-6 record and .824 winning percentage that currently ranks fifth in the 58-year history of the league (second among coaches with at least four seasons). Montana's Joe Glenn was 20-2 (.909) in the Big Sky in three seasons, Montana's Mick Dennehy was 27-5 in league games (.844) in four seasons at the helm and Keith Gilbertson from Idaho was 19-4 (.826) in three seasons. Plus, former EWU assistant Troy Taylor is currently 10-1 (.909) as Sacramento State's head coach and Montana's Bobby Hauck is 58-14 (.806) in his second stint as head coach of the Grizzlies. Overall, Best is currently 38-14 for a .731 winning percentage to rank seventh all-time in the league (fifth among coaches with at least four seasons at the helm).
 
Montana's Bobby Hauck, in two stints at Montana, is now 102-28 overall (.785). His overall percentage ranks only behind Glenn (39-6, .867) who coached only three seasons.
 
 
Eagles Now 11-27 Versus FBS Members After UNLV Win
 
Since the early 1980's when it began the move to become a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (in 1984), Eastern is now 11-27 all-time versus Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Eastern has won four of its last 11 games versus FBS foes after a 35-33 double-overtime victory at UNLV on Sept. 2, 2021, at the new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Eastern's most recent victory over an FBS foe came in the 2016 season with a 45-42 victory at Washington State. Since then, EWU had lost at Texas Tech in 2017 (56-10), at Washington State in 2018 (59-24) and at Washington in 2019 (47-14).
 
Against current Pac-12 Conference members, EWU is now 2-11 (2-13 including losses to Washington State in 1907 and 1908) with a 49-46 upset of 25th-ranked Oregon State in 2013 and a 45-42 win over Washington State in 2016. A 35-17 win over Connecticut on Sept. 8, 2001, snapped a five-game losing streak versus FBS foes, then a 20-3 win at Idaho in 2012 snapped a 10-game skid. Here are EWU's upcoming games versus FBS opponents:
 
2021 - at UNLV – Win, 35-33 (2 overtimes)
2022 - at Oregon (9/3/22)
2022 - at Florida (10/1/22) . . . re-scheduled from 2020
2023 - at Fresno State (9/9/23)
2026 - at Washington (date either 9/5, 9/12 or 9/19)
2028 - at Washington (date either 9/2, 9/9 or 9/16)
 
 
Eagles Have Played 64 Games in a Dome
 
The game Sept. 2, 2021, versus UNLV at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, was Eastern's 64th game inside a dome, where the temperatures are always at about 72 degrees and wind or humidity are not factors. After the 35-33 loss, Eastern is 33-31 all-time in domes, including 16-4 at Idaho State's Holt Arena, 4-10 at the Kibbie Dome, 10-7 at NAU's Walkup Skydome, 2-0 at North Dakota, 0-2 at North Dakota State, 1-0 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, 0-1 at South Dakota, 0-6 at Northern Iowa and 0-1 at the Houston Astrodome.
 
The 2020-21 season for Eastern was played in the winter/spring, thus, heat wasn't a factor as three of EWU's seven games were played in a dome. On game day this week in Las Vegas, Thursday's high temperature is forecast to be 98 degrees, and if not for the temperature-controlled dome, probably would have been about 90 degrees at kickoff at 7 p.m. Pacific time, which would have ranked in the top eight in school history for hottest games at kickoff.
 
Playing in a dome is a far cry from what Eastern faced Sept. 14, 2019, in Jacksonville, Ala., where the game was delayed by 30 minutes to 3:35 p.m. because of lightning in the area. At kickoff it was 90 degrees with 67 percent humidity. That was the eighth-hottest game in recorded EWU history (since 1980), ranking behind the 106 at Arizona State (8/31/02 at 6 p.m.), 97 at Sacramento State (9/26/09 at 6 p.m.), 94 at Southwest Texas State (9/7/95 at 6 p.m. in San Marcos, Texas), 93 at Spokane's Albi Stadium versus Portland State (9/3/88 at 7 p.m.), 93 at Sacramento State (9/26/15 at 6 p.m.), 92 at Eastern Illinois (9/14/91 at 6:30 p.m.) and 91 at Nicholls State (9/2/04 at 6:30 p.m. at Thibodeaux, La.). On two other occasions the temperature has hit 90 degrees at kickoff.
 
The temperature for the Nicholls State game in 2004 also came with considerable humidity, and a pre-game rain shower soaked Eastern's footballs prior to the 37-14 loss. Eastern also faced severe weather at Sam Houston State on Sept. 28, 2013, when a thunder, lightning and rain storm stopped the game for 78 minutes. With a temperature of 84 degrees and 81 percent humidity, Eastern fell 49-34. There was also a similar one-hour weather delay when Eastern played at Southwest Texas State in San Marcos, Texas, on a 94-degree day on Sept. 7, 1995. Eastern won that game 34-16.
 
 
Eastern Washington and North Dakota State to Clash at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2023
 
Two NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) perennials will clash at one of America's newest major stadiums to open the 2023 football season. The Eastern football team will play at North Dakota State on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023 at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, in Minneapolis, Minn., with a time to be announced at a later date.
 
The matchup will be the sixth all-time between the two programs, but only the third time the Eagles and Bison have clashed during the regular season. Eastern Washington is 1-4 all-time against NDSU, with the most recent game coming on April 24, 2021 when the Bison knocked EWU out of the first round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs by a score of 42-20 in Fargo, N.D.
 
Prior to that, EWU lost to NDSU in the FCS Championship game on January 5, 2019 in Frisco, Texas, by a final score of 38-24. The other playoff match-up was the first-ever game between the two foes, and that one went Eastern's way on Dec. 11, 2010 in overtime when the Eagles beat the Bison 38-31 to advance to the NCAA Semifinals en route to the 2010 title. In fact, two matchups between the teams have gone to overtime, with EWU losing the other on Sept. 10, 2016 in Fargo, N.D. by a final score of 50-44.
 
North Dakota State is a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Eastern Washington is currently 10-15 all-time against current MVFC members, including a 5-0 record versus North Dakota when it was a member of the Big Sky.
 
The Bison went 7-3 during the abbreviated spring 2021 season, advancing to the NCAA FCS Quarterfinals where they lost to Sam Houston State. In 2019, NDSU went a perfect 16-0 and won its eighth-straight FCS National Title.
 
Officially opened in 2016, U.S. Bank stadium is an enclosed stadium that seats 66,860 for most games and can be expanded to 73,000. Besides home Minnesota Viking games, the stadium hosted Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4, 2018, the ESPN X Games and the NCAA Final Four in 2019.
 
Ticket information for the 2023 match-up will be available at a later date.
 
 
 
 
Series Notes
 
* Eastern leads the all-time series against Weber State 19-16, and is 8-9 in Ogden, 9-6 in games played in Cheney and 2-1 at Albi Stadium in Spokane. Eastern has lost the last two meetings, including a 14-6 loss in 2018 in Ogden in the most recent meeting. Until a 28-20 home loss in 2017, Eastern had won the last three meetings at Roos Field and five-straight overall. The Eagles hadn't lost to the Wildcats since 2009 by a 31-13 score in Cheney. In the last six meetings, five of them have been decided by eight points or less.
 
 
Last Meeting - #13 Weber State 14, #4 EWU 6 (10/13/18)
 
Despite a stellar performance by its defense, Eastern fell to Weber State 14-6 in a Big Sky Conference game matching nationally-ranked foes Oct. 13, 2018, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden, Utah. No. 4/3 Eagles held the 13th-ranked Wildcats to just 275 total yards and just one offensive touchdown – numbers typically good enough to win. The Eagles held WSU scoreless for the final 51:25 of the game, but fell from the unbeaten ranks in the Big Sky after the fewest combined points in an EWU game since 2009. However, the Weber State defense held EWU to 247 yards, and for the first time since a 19-3 loss to Montana in 2008, the Eagles did not score a touchdown. The game included a combined total of 15 punts and 11 three-and-outs. They also were just a combined 6-of-32 on third down, and combined for 3-of-7 on fourth down.  Eastern's Roldan Alcobendas punted seven times for a 60.3 average, including a school-record punt of 78 yards and three others of at least 60 yards. He also booted a pair of field goals. For the second-straight game, junior Eric Barriere was an injury replacement for injured starting quarterback Gage Gubrud (lower leg injury suffered at Montana State on Sept. 29. The sophomore passed for 185 yards, but EWU's vaunted rushing attack managed just 62 yards in support of him. Weber State used a hot start to open a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, and held the Eagles to 41 yards on their first 23 plays of the game. After Eastern's first of four three-and-outs in the first half, the Wildcats scored on a 75-yard punt return by Josh Davis. Eastern's lone score of the half came on a 31-yard field goal by Alcobendas, but EWU managed only 83 yards at intermission. Eastern then had 63 yards in the third quarter and 101 in the fourth. Eastern had a key fourth-down stop with 13:27 to play on a tackle by Calin Criner and Keenan Williams, and the Eagles followed with a 10-play, 71-yard drive to get to the Weber State 7-yard line. But a third down pass by Barriere was intercepted in the end zone by Weber State's Jawian Harrison Jr. with 9:34 to play to end what was EWU's longest drive of the day – 45 was the longest prior to that. Weber State then went on a 39-yard drive to take 6:28 off the clock before an Eastern interception ended its comeback chances. Nsimba Webster caught seven passes for 71 yards to lead EWU receivers, and running backs Sam McPherson and Antoine Custer Jr. were EWU's leading rushers, but were held to 22 yards apiece with the long run of the day for the Eagles being 19 yards.  Safety Dehonta Hayes led EWU with 12 tackles, and safety Calin Criner finished with 11. Linebacker Kurt Calhoun also had 11 tackles for EWU, and defensive ends Keenan Williams and Jim Townsend each had sacks.
 
 
Last Time in Cheney - #19 Weber State 28, #11 Eastern Washington 20 (11/4/17)
 
The 11th-ranked Eagles led 7-0 and 14-7 in the first half, but No. 19/14 Weber State scored 14 unanswered points and went on to beat the Eagles 28-20 in an important Big Sky Conference game at Roos Field on Nov. 4, 2017, in EWU's 91st Homecoming Game. After a pair of EWU field goals cut Weber State's lead to one with 7:01 to play, the Wildcats went on a time-consuming drive of 4:35 that was capped by a 24-yard touchdown run. Eastern turned the ball over on downs in its next possession, all but sealing EWU's second-straight setback after a five-game winning streak. Although the Eagles were 3-of-3 in scoring in the red zone, twice in the last 12:19 of the game Eastern had to settle for field goals after having first-and-goal situations from inside the Weber State 10-yard line. Eastern even had one TD called back because of a penalty. The loss spoiled an impressive defensive performance in which the Eagles held Weber State to 414 yards of offense, with EWU managing only 383. Eastern took a 7-0 lead on the first possession of the game when the Eagles drove 78 yards on seven plays, capped by a 7-yard touchdown run by Antoine Custer Jr.. After WSU knotted the score, Eastern went 74 yards on seven plays in the second quarter to take a 14-7 lead, capped by a 23-yard touchdown pass from Gage Gubrud to Nsimba Webster. Gubrud finished 22-of-42 for 239 yards and a touchdown. Webster caught a team-high seven passes for 94 yards, and for the fifth-straight game had a touchdown reception.  Custer led Eastern's rushing attack with 76 yards and a touchdown, and Sam McPherson chipped in 69 yards. Linebackers Kurt Calhoun and Ketner Kupp combined for 23 tackles, with Calhoun finishing with a career-high 13 and Kupp getting 10 with a pass broken up and a quarterback hurry. Safety Mitch Fettig had eight tackles. Kicker Roldan Alcobendas made field goals of 25 and 26 yards in the fourth quarter for the Eagles.