CHENEY, Wash. — Following a rare two-game homestand to open the season for Eastern Washington football, the team prepares for its first road test of the 2024 season. The Eagles travel for a non-conference matchup against Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, September 14, with kickoff at 4 p.m. Pacific Time, 6 p.m. Central Time.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+, while fans can listen to the action live on 700 ESPN and the Varsity App with the voices of the Eagles, Larry Weir and Paul Sorensen.
Last Time Out
Eastern Washington fell short of a 2-0 start to the season after a tough 35-32 overtime loss to Drake. There were seven lead changes in the game, including three in the fourth quarter. The Eagles had a 21-20 lead going into the fourth, but a long drive by the Bulldogs gave them a 26-21 advantage. Eastern responded with a 10-play, 63 yard drive, ending with a
Michael Wortham 6-yard run. EWU retook the lead, 29-26. The back-and-forth continued as Drake marched down the field to tie the game at 29 on a 41-yard field goal and 4:29 on the clock. Neither team could score again and the game moved to overtime. The Eagles scored first on a 36-yard field goal from
Soren McKee. The Bulldogs opened with an 11 yard run and scored the game-winning touchdown two plays later by way of a diving catch from Trey Radocha.
Wortham finished the game with three touchdowns and 189 all-purpose yards. Eastern rushed for 206 yards, led by 94 yards from Tuna Altahir.
Round Two Against the Lions
Eastern won the first ever meeting between Southeastern Louisiana in a 40-29 victory at Roos Field last season. The game was a close contest, with neither team leading by more than seven points for the majority of the game. The Lions led 29-26 with five minutes left in the game, when Kekoa Visperas led a drive down the field with 47 passing yards and 13 on the ground to put the team on the one-yard line. Altahir then converted the redzone opportunity with a touchdown run. With a 1:34 left on the clock, the Lions were driving down the field until Marlon Jones Jr. sealed the game with a pick six. Visperas finished with 349 yards passing and two touchdowns. Efton Chism III and Nolan Ulm each had nine receptions and a touchdown, finishing with 103 and 89 yards respectively.
Stout Up Front…Again
Eastern Washington's rush defense was again effective against Drake, allowing 67 yards on 21 carries for a 3.2 yards per attempt average. EWU opened its season holding its opponents under 100 yards rushing yards in both games. The Eagles had 2 tackles for loss against the Bulldogs. Eastern ranks 2nd in the Big Sky, allowing 58.0 rushing yards per game.
Working the Ground Game
EWU rushed for 206 net yards against Drake this past Saturday, averaging 4.4 per carry. The team ran the ball 47 times, led by 12 carries from Tuna Altahir and Kekoa Visperas. Michael Wortham also had double-digit carries with 11 total. Malik Dotson was close with 9 carries for 43 yards. The Eagles produced three scores on the ground. It was the second consecutive game Eastern has put up 200+ yards in a game. Extending back to 2023, EWU has 200+ yard rushing games in 5 of its last 7 matchups.
Finishing the Job
Eastern went 5-for-5 on redzone opportunities for the second consecutive game, scoring four touchdowns and converting one field goal. EWU had a 100% scoring rate in the redzone, with five-or-more scores in consecutive games for the first time since 2021, when they went 7-for-7 against Northern Colorado(10/9) and 6-for-6 against Montana(10/2).
Secondary Production
Eastern secondary is developing into a strong unit, led by sophomore safety Derek Ganter Jr. and redshirt-junior corner DaJean Wells. Ganter Jr. leads the team with 13 total tackles, including 11 solo to rank 9th in the Big Sky. Wells leads the conference with 5 pass breakups this season, adding 6 total tackles, with 5 solo. The two each have an assisted tackle for loss.
Steady Work for Chism
Efton Chism III kept up the production in Week for the Eagles, catching nine passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. The senior is now second in EWU history with 5.57 receptions per game, totaling 247 that also ranks third all-time. He moved into seventh all-time in receiving yards, with 2.779 after adding 65 yards against Drake. Chism scored his 28th career reception touchdown against the Bulldogs, giving him sole-possession of seventh on the all-time list. He currently leads the Big Sky with 238 receiving yards, 21 receptions and 4 touchdowns.
Season tickets for the 2024 football season are now available. Ticket packages can be purchased online via your Paciolan account, over the phone at 509-359-6059, or by emailing tickets@ewu.edu.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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