Eagles host Hornets in key Big Sky game
Eastern Washington University, as rested and healthy as it has been in weeks, takes on struggling Sacramento State this afternoon in a Big Sky Conference matchup that kicks off at 2:05 at Woodward Field.
It’s homecoming in Cheney, and the stakes remain high for the Eagles (3-4, 2-2 Big Sky), who have been “all in” for the past two weeks in an effort to keep their flickering hopes of cashing in on another NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth alive.
Standing in their way this weekend is a Sacramento State team (3-5, 1-4) that remains – in the eyes of Eastern coach Beau Baldwin, at least – extremely capable, despite having lost its last three games by a combined total of 79 points.
“They have very good athleticism and very good football players all over,” Baldwin said of the Hornets, who lost at home to Montana State 31-20 last Saturday. “With the exception of their last three games, they’ve played everyone tight. They’ve played some good football this year, and, to me, they’re just another one of those Big Sky teams that are capable of beating anyone on their schedule.”
The Hornets, whose only Big Sky win came against a Portland State team that clubbed the Eagles 47-36 in Portland on Oct. 4, boast one of the country’s most prolific pass catchers in Tony Washington, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound senior, who is averaging a league-best 113.5 receiving yards per game.
“They’ve got good athletes at all of the receiver positions,” Baldwin said. “They really like to mix things up (on offense), and they have the ability to get very, very hot.”
Hornets starting quarterback Jason Smith, a 5-11, 190-pound sophomore, missed three games with an ankle injury earlier this fall but has still managed to throw for 1,038 yards and eight touchdowns when healthy. He was shaky against Montana State last Saturday, however, completing just 21 of 41 passes for 212 yards and throwing a pair of interceptions.
Sacramento State’s defense is strong up front and built to stop the run. It has allowed an average of only 94.6 rushing yards per game.
“Statistically, they’re very good against the run, but I think their overall defense, because of their team speed, is very good, too,” Baldwin said.
Eastern is coming off a much-needed bye week and hopes to have several previously injured key players – including starting middle linebacker Makai Borden – available for today’s game.
“It was a very good week for us to have a bye week, because of our injury situation,” Baldwin said. “But it’s vital that we don’t come back rusty.”
The Eagles used a strong second-half performance on both sides of the football to beat Montana State 34-17 in Bozeman two weeks ago. They’re hoping to build on that success as they attempt to win out and somehow sneak into the postseason playoff picture.
Junior quarterback Matt Nichols has completed 185 of his 307 pass attempts for 2,099 yards and 14 touchdowns, but his production has dwindled in the last two games and he has dropped to second place behind Portland State’s Drew Hubel on the Big Sky’s list of total offense leaders with an average of 303.1 yards per game.
The expected return of Borden should help further solidify an Eastern defense that is getting better each week and features the nation’s sacks leader in senior end Greg Peach, who is averaging two a game.
Notes
Eastern leads the series 13-3, but all three of the Hornets’ win have come at Woodward Field in the last seven seasons. … Along with the anticipated return of Borden, who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury, the Eagles also hope to regain the services of linebacker Marcus Walker (shoulder) and running back Dale Morris (knee). … Sacramento State has used three different starting quarterbacks – Smith, sophomore McLeod Bethel-Thompson and sophomore Duncan White – so far this fall. … Hornets wideout Tony Washington has caught passes totaling 100 yards or more in five of Sacramento State’s last seven games.