Eric Barriere throws 5 TDs to rally Eastern Washington past Idaho State

Associated Press

POCATELLO, Idaho – Eric Barriere threw a five touchdowns, and his 6-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Boston with 25 seconds left capped Eastern Washington’s 46-42 comeback win over the Idaho State Bengals (1-2 Big Sky Conference) on Saturday.

Barriere also set a career high with 455 yards passing on 34 completions. Boston caught 10 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns.

Trailing 42-31, Barriere found Blake Gobel in the back of the end zone with 5:50 remaining. Barriere found Boston on the 2-point conversion to reduce the deficit to 42-39. The Eagles’ defense, which surrendered 502 total yards to the Bengals, stepped up and forced a three-and-out to get the ball back.

Barriere and Boston ended the way they started. On fourth-and-1 at the Idaho State 8-yard line, Barriere found Boston in the right corner of the end zone for a 7-0 lead on the game’s opening drive.

The Eagles (2-1 Big Sky) finished 3 of 4 on fourth-down conversions and were 11 of 19 on third-down conversions.

EWU piled up 596 total yards. Barriere needs three yards to pass Vernon Adams’ school career quarterback rushing record of 1,232.

Tyler Vander Waal threw for a career-high 409 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more for Idaho State.

Ty Graham led Eastern’s defense with eight tackles, and Anthany Smith and Darrien Sampson each had interceptions. Debore’ae McClain had 1 1/2 sacks and Jacob Newsom had one.

Eastern Washington (2-1, 2-1 Big Sky) now has won 12 straight over the Bengals (1-2, 1-2) and owns a 30-9 all-time series lead.