Eastern Washington stalls in second half of 31-21 loss to No. 5 Incarnate Word

SAN ANTONIO – Time and again on Saturday night, the Incarnate Word Cardinals tried to pound the ball through the Eastern Washington defense.

It was a sensible strategy. Last season, it was a weakness the Eagles’ opponents exploited with relative ease.

But on most of their 44 rushing attempts, the Cardinals running backs experienced something different. Something far more favorable and hopeful for this year’s Eagles: stuff after stuff after stuff.

“We stopped the run. That’s something we didn’t do at all last year and we stopped the run, play in and play out,” EWU head coach Aaron Best said. “We just couldn’t get on track offensively in the second half, until we did.”

Eastern’s defense held fifth-ranked Incarnate Word to 126 yards – 2.9 per carry, about half what the Eagles allowed over the course of 12 games last season. But a stagnant second-half offense didn’t take advantage, and the Cardinals held on for a 31-21 victory at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio.

“I saw a side of the ball that completely believed in themselves and each other,” EWU senior quarterback Jared Taylor said. “The work we did mentally over the offseason and the togetherness we worked on showed tonight. Tonight, it was a completely different team. A completely different defense.”

That might seem like hyperbole on a night when the Eagles (0-1) still allowed 458 yards of offense to the Cardinals (1-1), who were coming off a 20-6 road loss last weekend to Nicholls. But the Cardinals ran 82 plays – 27 more than the Eagles did – and they punted six times, which is something just one EWU opponent did last year.

The largest chunk of yards, 75 of them gained by Jameson Garcia on a touchdown reception, was timed particularly poorly for the Eagles, who had just scored for the first time. Garcia’s second quarter touchdown made it 21-7 with 9:43 until halftime.

But the second quarter was when the Eagles’ offense was at its best, gaining 138 yards in the frame, more than half of the 270 they finished the game with overall. All three of their touchdowns came over those 15 minutes: on two touchdown runs by redshirt junior Marceese Yetts and another touchdown run by Taylor.

Eastern never did take the lead, though, and a 37-yard field goal by Will Faris gave the Cardinals a 24-21 lead heading into halftime.

“The defense carried us tonight,” Taylor said. “I think they played very, very, very well, and I think it comes down to us on offense. Twenty-one points isn’t enough.”

Making his third career start, Taylor still ran 10 times for 35 yards, something that was his primary contribution as the No. 2 quarterback last season. He also facilitated both of Yetts’ touchdowns on option plays. Yetts finished with EWU career-highs in receptions (seven), receiving yards (63) and rushing yards (59).

“We saw a weakness in their defense,” Yetts said. “We felt like we could beat them on the edge with that speed option.”

But Taylor also completed 21 of 38 passes for 183 yards, and he didn’t throw an interception (something his backup, Nate Bell, did on the opening drive).

But afterward, Taylor wasn’t pleased with his performance. Asked how many of his throws he’d like to have back, Taylor said “all of them.”

Three of his passes were caught by redshirt freshman Jaxon Branch, who had 43 yards in his first career game at Eastern. Senior Nolan Ulm, who missed all but four games last season, caught four passes for 27 yards. He was the end-zone target when Bell came in for the 10th play of the Eagles’ opening drive, and threw the ball intercepted by Barry Dillon.

Yet all that was a distant memory through a third quarter that saw nine consecutive punts – five by UIW, four by EWU – and in which the two teams combined to run 34 plays and gain just 107 yards.

“I mean, 24-21 seemed like forever in that second half,” Best said.

Eastern’s offense finally got going on a nine-play, 63-yard drive in the fourth quarter when they advanced to UIW’s 31-yard line. But on second-and-10, Taylor and Yetts fumbled a handoff, and UIW’s Declan Williams landed on it.

The Cardinals responded with an 11-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that made the score 31-21 with 2:48 to go. Eastern turned the ball over on downs on the next possession.

Now Eastern will prepare for Boise State on short rest for a game Friday in Boise.

“We went toe-to-toe with a team that was angry from last week and we played well in pockets, just not well over the course of 60 minutes,” Best said. “I am absolutely proud of this bunch in a lot of ways. This is far from a finished product.”