Eastern Washington’s offense breaks out to beat Western Illinois 52-31

After three games in which Eastern Washington gave up more big plays than they themselves executed, the ratio reversed in a big way Saturday.

Against Western Illinois, the Eagles offense sprang to life, with seven plays that went for at least 35 yards, including touchdowns of 35, 64 and 67 yards in the first half to give Eastern Washington a lead it never relinquished in a 52-31 victory at Roos Field in Cheney.

“It felt like we just put a full four quarters together,” EWU grad senior linebacker Read Sunn said. “I felt like we were better about being intentional in not giving up those explosive plays. That was the difference today.”

In last week’s 17-14 loss at Northern Iowa, the touchdowns Eastern allowed came on plays of 63 and 79 yards.

But against the Leathernecks (1-3), the Eagles (1-3) allowed just three plays longer than 30 and none longer than 34.

And led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Nate Bell, who was making his second straight start in relief of the injured Jared Taylor, the Eagles’ offense gained yards in chunk after massive chunk.

First there was a 35-yard touchdown pass from Bell to redshirt freshman receiver Jaxon Branch, who scored his first collegiate touchdown midway through the first quarter. Those were the first six points for the Eagles in the first quarter this season, and the lead – which became 8-0 after a two-point pass to Landon Cooper – was Eastern’s first all year.

Bell threw the first of two interceptions on Eastern’s next possession, resulting in a 39-yard field goal to get the Leathernecks on the board. But four plays into the next drive, Bell found the tight end Cooper on a wheel route down the sideline, and the redshirt senior rumbled into the end zone for a 64-yard touchdown, the first of his career.

The next big play came two drives later, on an end-around from receiver Wesley Garrett, who dashed 67 yards for his first career rushing score that made the score 21-10 Eagles.

“I think that reverse probably got us going more than anything,” EWU head coach Aaron Best said. “We’re not just going to put the ball down and run the sticks as easily as we did last year.”

From there, Eastern’s lead grew to as many as 17 points and then shrunk again to as few as six, when a four-yard touchdown run by WIU quarterback Chris Irvin – a Lake City High School graduate – made it 37-31 with 12:29 left in the fourth quarter. Irvin finished 16 of 34 for 167 yards and two touchdown passes along with 17 yards on the ground.

Bell outshined him. He ran 18 times for 144 yards, wasn’t sacked and scored three rushing touchdowns. He also completed 11 of 29 passes for two more touchdowns and 272 yards.

In eight quarters with Bell leading the offense, the Eagles have scored 66 points – and that includes three scoreless quarters to start the Northern Iowa game, and it doesn’t include two would-have-been touchdowns nullified by penalties.

“It’s the same game at the end of the day,” Bell said, “but you get into a flow as the game goes on.”

The Eagles weren’t particularly good on third downs – 4-for-14 – and they committed 11 penalties, which cost them 122 yards. They also missed two extra points and a 51-yard field goal.

After Bell’s second rushing touchdown put them ahead 43-31, the Eagles still went through with a 2-point conversion attempt even after consecutive penalties brought them back to the 18-yard line.

No matter, though. Bell completed a pass to Cronquist between three defenders in the middle of the end zone to convert anyway.

“Not many,” Bell said when asked how many plays they have in the playbook for that situation. “Coach (Marc Anderson) was in my ear before. He said this is what we’ve got and let’s make something happen.”

That’s something Bell did all night, despite the 18 incomplete passes and two interceptions.

“He just gets it. He sees things that are in his blind spots, and he just gets a feel for the game,” Best said. “The completion percentage isn’t that awesome, but when you have explosive plays you can have a few balls go out of bounds.”