EWU’s playoff hopes get tough test at NAU

The opponent changes again, but the high stakes remain the same.

For the third consecutive week, Eastern Washington University finds itself in desperate need of another victory as it strives to keep alive its Football Championship Subdivision playoffs hopes.

It’s been like that for the Eagles since early October, when a 24-23 road loss to Big Sky Conference bully Montana left them – in all likelihood – just one more defeat away from being eliminated from postseason playoff consideration.

Faced with having to win its last four regular-season games to have any realistic chance of playing on into late November, 20th-ranked Eastern (6-3 overall, 4-2 in the Big Sky) scratched out wins over Sacramento State and Northern Colorado, the two teams tied for last place in the conference standings.

But this afternoon, the competition level should rise dramatically when the Eagles take on second-place Northern Arizona (6-4, 5-2) in another crucial Big Sky showdown in the 15,000-seat Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Ariz.

“This is another big game for us, obviously,” said Eagles coach Paul Wulff. “We have to keep winning to have any chance of making the playoffs, and it’s going to be a heck of a challenge going against one of the best teams in the league at their place.”

NAU, since suffering an unexpected 38-9 loss at Sacramento State on Sept. 29, has won four of five games with the loss coming against unbeaten Montana. The Lumberjacks feature the Big Sky’s top rushing attack and one of the conference’s most versatile quarterbacks in Lance Kriesien, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior, who has completed almost 58 percent of his passes for 1,717 yards and eight touchdowns, while rushing for 634 yards and eight more TDs.

“It certainly has been a little bit different look,” NAU coach Jerome Souers said of his offensive attack. “One of Lance’s strength is his ability to run the football. It just happens that he’s a little farther along with that than with his throwing game.

“But we have high hopes that he’s developing into a quarterback that can throw as well as he can run, and then we’re going to be where we want to be.”

Wulff admits his defense can not sell out completely to the run. But keeping track of Kriesien will be Priority No. 1.

“They have the best running game in the conference and Lance is their catalyst,” Wulff said. “They get an extra hat – an extra blocker – when the quarterback can run. It’s going to be a real challenge trying to contain him, and the issue is, he can still throw the football.”

Eastern will counter with a defense ranked No. 2 in the Big Sky against the run. The Eagles have allowed an average of 118.4 rushing yards per game and have forced a conference-high 23 turnovers.

“Their defense is very opportunistic,” Souers said, adding he has been equally impressed with the Eagles’ offense.

“I think Eastern Washington brings the best balance on offense that we’re going to see,” Souers said. “They’re just a real fast football team, and when we get them on our turf here, it’s going to be a challenge matching up with their speed.”