EWU’s nonconference game with MSU still full of meaning
BOZEMAN – That’s funny, this doesn’t feel like a nonconference game, and it probably never will.
As they warmed up at Bobcat Stadium on a pleasant Friday afternoon, the Eastern Washington players also warmed to the subject of a rivalry with Montana State that’s among the biggest in the Big Sky Conference.
“It’s a ranked opponent, they’re in our conference and they know us pretty well, plus we beat them pretty good last year,” EWU running back Quincy Forte said.
In fact, the last three meetings were full of consequences for both:
• In 2011, a 36-21 home loss to MSU left the defending FCS champion Eagles at 0-4 and playing for pride.
• In 2012, a blocked punt and a pick-6 less than a minute apart in the fourth quarter helped Eastern to a 27-24 win in Bozeman that vaulted the Eagles to a No. 1 ranking and an eventual Big Sky title.
• Last year in Cheney, the Eagles offense turned in perhaps its best performance in recent history, rolling up 591 yards and a Big Sky-record 12.3 yards a play in a 54-29 win.
Last year’s game had it all: offensive fireworks and a sellout crowd for Eastern’s 500th win, which all but clinched another Big Sky title.
For the Bobcats, it was the beginning of a three-game losing streak that saw them miss the postseason for the first time in four years. For 14th-ranked MSU, today’s game is a chance at redemption.
“It’s a regional game, our fans love the game, our players love the game, and it’s a game that means a lot,” said MSU coach Rob Ash.
To stay in today’s game against the second-ranked Eagles, the Bobcats defense must find a way to slow down Eastern quarterback Vernon Adams, who in three games already has 1,147 passing yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 68 percent of his 125 passes with one interception.
The Eagles (2-1) have also piled another 580 yards rushing, putting this year’s offense atop the FCS charts on both total offense (593.3 per game) and scoring offense (49.7 points.)
On top of that, Adams is determined to erase the memory of what he calls the worst performance of his career two years ago on this same field: 12 for 29 with two interceptions. “I was scared then, but not anymore,” Adams said.
“I’m definitely more experienced now.”
So is the MSU defense. Junior nose tackle Taylor Sheridan is an active 280-pounder, while senior Robert Marshall and four-year starting cornerback Deonte Flowers lead a veteran secondary.
Last week, the Bobcats (2-1) held an explosive Central Arkansas offense to 13 points after three quarters before coasting to a 44-33 win.
“They’re very athletic and strong, they can handle anyone physically at our level, and they understand how to play as a unit, to time up zones and not give anything away,” EWU head coach Beau Baldwin said of the MSU defense.