Box Score

The Eastern Washington University football team played host to Tennessee State in the season-opener at Roos Field today (Sept. 3) in the first-ever matchup between the two foes. The Eagles begin the season in the win column following a 36-29 victory, improving to 1-0 while the Tigers, out of the Ohio Valley Conference, fall to 0-1.
 
Redshirt senior Gunner Talkington entered the game with five career touchdown passes and matched that in the contest today. In his second career start, he threw two to Efton Chism III, plus one to Nolan Ulm, Robert Mason III and the Blake Gobel. Talkington completed 29 of his 46 pass attempts with 348 yards through the air. He also was the team's leading rusher with 60 yards.
 
The game also featured a 55-minute lightning delay that began with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter.
 
"Even though the game was four quarters, there were three parts to it. We got it taken to us early, but we rallied back and returned a few of the punches that we took early. We got to the point where we led 29-19 and we got it going right as the lightning hit. We did enough in the third tier of the game to score enough points. But only scoring seven points in a matter of 25 minutes isn't conducive to what we've been in the past, but maybe it's who we are. We leaned on our defense and made enough plays at the end to rally for the win. A lot of players had a hand in it, there weren't any superstar performances, but Gunner showed a ton of poise and Efton made plays in crucial moments, which he's done for a few years. Tre Weed was great late in the game, sealing it with a pick. There are players who stood out even if there wasn't a ton of standout performances," said head coach Aaron Best. "You have to give credit to Tennessee State. They out-yarded out and out-hit us at times. They did a lot of good things, and that quarterback is a great player. We kind of knew what to expect, but we hadn't seen him in a Tiger uniform, it was tough to see what they would do with him in the offense, and I don't think we adjusted well enough but we did enough to end up on top."
 
The first quarter of football at Roos Field in 2022 was anything but boring with a combined 34 points, 455 yards of offense, and five lead changes between the two squads, but Eastern trailed 19-15 after the first. The Eagles then held the Tigers scoreless during both the second and third quarters, scoring 14 unanswered points to lead 29-19 heading into the fourth.
 
Tennessee State scored 10-straight points to open the fourth quarter, tying the contest with 6:32 to go, 29-29. With 2:39 left to play, Talkington found Chism III for the second time for the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard strike. With 43 seconds left on the clock, TSU faced third down on Eastern's 42-yard line when Tre Weed jumped in for the fourth interception of his career to seal the victory, 36-29.
 
In addition to Weed's interception, the Eagles forced two fumbles and recovered both while conceding one. The Eagles had 474 total yards of offense with 78 plays, compiling 126 on the ground and 348 through the air. Tennessee State amassed 547 yards on 81 plays, throwing for 257 and rushing for the other 290.
 
Mitchell Johnson led the way defensively with 11 total tackles, two for loss, plus two sacks. A trio of Eagles in Demetrius Crosby Jr., Ely Doyle and Joshua Jerome each had eight tackles. On the offensive side of the ball, Freddie Roberson hauled in 91 yards on six catches and Efton Chism III compiled 53 yards on six catches plus two touchdowns.
 
The Eagles now head to Eugene, Ore., for a matchup with the Oregon Ducks on Saturday, Sept. 9. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. Pacific time on the Pac-12 Networks and via 700-AM ESPN. The Ducks, who are currently ranked No. 11, are 0-1 after falling to Georgia 49-3 today.
 
Scoring Summary:
 
Tennessee State held all the momentum to open the game. After Eastern Washington went three-and-out to start, the Tigers got on the board with a 65-yard receiving touchdown to take a 7-0 lead on their very first play of the game. On Eastern's next drive, TSU forced and recovered a fumble but came up empty thanks to a sack by Mitchell Johnson on third down.
 
It didn't take long for the Eagles to bounce back. Gunner Talkington found Nolan Ulm for a 41-yard completion to set up the Eagles on TSU's 15-yard line. Two plays later, Talkington connected with Ulm once again for a seven-yard completion and the touchdown. After Talkington's two-point conversion attempt was caught by Jett Carpenter, the Eagles took the 9-7 lead.
 
The Tigers responded with 5:18 left to play in the first on a 57-yard touchdown pass. The extra point attempt failed, giving Tennessee State a 13-8 lead.
 
On Eastern's next drive, Talkington earned his second passing touchdown of the quarter on a 22-yard completion to Robert Mason III. After Seth Harrison's extra point attempt went through the uprights, Eastern pulled back out front, 15-13.
 
The lead wouldn't last, as TSU pulled back ahead on a 43-yard rushing touchdown. The Tigers' two-point conversion attempt failed, helping Eastern stay within striking distance, 19-15, entering the second quarter.
 
Things cooled off both weather wise and on the field in the second quarter. Eastern burned nearly five minutes off of the clock to start the second, piecing together an 11-yard drive that unfortunately ended with a missed 33-yard field goal attempt.
 
The defense forced two consecutive TSU three-and-outs and stepped up again with 6:56 remaining the half when Joshua Jerome recovered a fumble bobbled by the quarterback, setting up EWU on TSU's 26-yard line. The turnover quickly turned into points when Talkington threw his third touchdown pass of the game to Blake Gobel on a 14-yard completion. After Jackson Cleaver's extra point attempt was good, EWU retook a 22-19 lead for the game's sixth lead change. It was also Gobel's eighth career touchdown on just 14 career catches.
 
Eastern's second forced turnover of the game came by way of Brock Harrison who forced a fumble via a stripe sack that was recovered by Caleb Davis, setting up the drive on TSU's 41-yard line. The Eagles once again took advantage and scored on the play, this time on a one-yard flick from Talkington to Efton Chism III for his 11^th career touchdown. The Eagles pulled ahead 29-19 after Cleaver's extra point and would take that lead into the half. Eastern Washington kept the Tigers off of the board in the second quarter and scored 14 unanswered points.   
 
Neither team found the scoreboard and endured a 55-minute lightning delay in the third quarter. Entering the fourth, the Tigers made it a one-possession game with a 32-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter, their first points since the 51 second mark in the first quarter.
 
They would wind up scoring 10-straight points and tied the game on a one-yard rushing touchdown with 6:32 left to play.
 
With 2:39 left to play, Talkington found Chism III for a 13-yard strike and the game-winning touchdown, putting the Eagles ahead 36-29. Tennessee State's attempt to comeback was cut short by Tre Weed with 43 seconds to go on his fourth-career interception to seal the victory for EWU.
 
Five Eagles Make Their First Career Starts:
 
Five Eagles, including a trio of transfers, made their first career starts for the Eagles today. On the defensive side, linebackers Derek Tommasini and Jaren Banks made their first starts in an Eagle uniform. Tommasini transferred in from Idaho and had seven tackles today. Banks, a Rice transfer, ended with seven as well.
 
On the offensive side, Seth Carnahan who also transferred from Idaho, started at right tackle. Brenden River, a sophomore, earned the start at right guard. Justice Jackson started at running back and was second on the team with 23 rushing yards.
 
Current Starts on Defense (192 starts by 18 players): Mitchell Johnson 31, Tre Weed 29, Darrien Sampson 24, Joshua Jerome 21, Debore'ae McClain 14, Matthew Brown 12, Anthany Smith 12, Marlon Jones Jr. 10, Ely Doyle 10, Jacob Newsom 7, Brock Harrison 7, Keshaun King 4, Caleb Davis 4, Demetrius Crosby Jr. 3, Cage Schenck 1, Ahmani Williams 1, Derek Tommasini 1, Jaren Banks 1.

Current Starts on Offense (115 starts by 18 players): Wyatt Musser 21, Freddie Roberson 20, Wyatt Hansen 19,  Dylan Ingram 16, Efton Chism III 10, Matthew Hewa Baddege 5, Anthony Stell Jr. 4, Blake Gobel 3, Luke Dahlgren 3, Jakobie James 3, Andrei Leonardi 2, Brad Godwin 2, Robert Mason III 1, Nolan Ulm 1, Gunner Talkington 2, Brenden Rivera 1, Seth Carnahan 1, Justice Jackson 1