EWU notebook: Eagles seniors set high standard
The scoreboard reflected off his face, Eastern Washington offensive lineman Clay DeBord walked slowly toward the Eagles’ locker room Saturday night.
“We win as a team and we lose as a team,” DeBord said after EWU’s 34-31 loss to Portland State. “I’m proud to call myself an Eagles and proud proud to be with my brothers.”
“They’re in the locker room and that’s where I’m headed,” said DeBord, who had just played his 51st – and last – game as an Eagle.
There he joined 14 other seniors who compiled one of the best four-year records in school history. Along with three Big Sky Conference titles won from 2012-14, the Eagles won 27 of 32 Big Sky games and 40 games overall.
“It’s special, but it’s hard right now,” EWU head coach Beau Baldwin said. “When you know you’ve played your last game, you don’t want to take your pads off.”
PSU adjustments pay off in third quarter
Eastern had the lead and the momentum at halftime, but Portland State seized them both in a dominating third quarter that shifted Saturday’s game the Vikings’ way.
Trailing 17-13, PSU took the second-half kickoff and marched 79 yards in seven plays, with quarterback Alex Kuresa finding Josh Kraght alone in the end zone.
The PSU defense made a bigger impression in the third quarter, holding Eastern two two first downs and 34 yards of offense. Midway through the period, Beau Duronslet’s interception of a tipped pass by Reilly Hennessey set the Vikings up at the EWU 35.
“They made us do a few things differently in the third quarter, things we weren’t able to execute,” EWU wide receiver Cooper Kupp said.
Nine plays later, the Vikings unleashed a trick play, as wide receiver Thomas Carter took a reverse and stopped and fired a 5-yard TD pass to Cam Sommer. That gave PSU a 27-17 lead.
Kupp sets another record
With a 78-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, Kupp increased his season catch total to 114, ranking ninth in FCS history and breaking the Big Sky record of 112 in 2011 by Idaho State’s Rodrick Rumble.
With 4,764 career yards, Kupp moved into second in FCS history ahead of the 4,693 Jerry Rice had for Mississippi Valley from 1981-84 (the record is 5,250).
With 311 career grabs, he moved into fourth in FCS history (No. 3 has 317, No. 2 has 332 and the record is 395). He had 19 touchdown receptions for the season and 56 in his career.
The junior is only two TD receptions in his career behind the FCS record of 58 set by New Hampshire’s David Ball from 2003-06.
FCS bracket to be announced Sunday
Eastern won’t be in the field, but several Big Sky teams will learn their fate Sunday when the NCAA reveals the field for the 24-team Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Big Sky champion Southern Utah (8-3, 7-1) earned the league’s automatic bid, while Portland State (8-3, 6-2) and Montana (7-4, 6-2) almost certainly will get at-large bids.
Southern Utah clinched the title with a 49-41 win over Northern Arizona, while Montana topped Montana State 54-35.
NAU (7-4, 5-3) figures to be on the bubble, as does North Dakota (7-4, 5-3).