Eastern Washington wants to start the season with 2-0 on Saturday
CHENEY, Washington — In a rare event, the Eastern Washington football team will begin its season at Roos Field for the second consecutive year. EWU enters the second week of the season with a 1-0 record and will host the Drake Bulldogs on Saturday, September 7th, kicking off at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Tickets can be purchased online via the link Here or call the EWU Ticket Office at 509-359-6059.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on SWX, with Austin Getz and Adam Shackleford on the phone. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Listen to the game live on 700 ESPN and the Varsity app with the voices of the Eagles, Larry Weir and Paul Sorensen.
A first time for everything
For the first time in program history, Eastern Washington will play two home games to begin the season against FCS opponents in Monmouth and Drake. The Eagles last had two home games to begin the season in 2007 against Mountain Western (NAIA) and UC Davis. They will play two home games to begin the season for the sixth time since moving to Division I (1984, 1987, 1990, 1997, 2007). Prior to this season, each time one of the first two games was against an opponent from a lower division. It will be the first time on the Red Turf that the Eagles will play two home games to begin the season.
Last time outside
The Eagles opened their 2024 season last Thursday night against the Monmouth Hawks. Eastern earned the win with a touchdown catch by Efton Chism III and a run of Jared Taylor. The Hawks then tied the game in the second quarter. EWU countered with 28 straight points to extend its lead to four touchdowns. Monmouth scored twice in the fourth quarter and got closer, but the Eagles’ lead was too big to overcome. Kentrell Williams Jr. decided the game by making an interception with less than two minutes left.
The team’s offense was balanced, totaling 282 passing yards and 278 rushing yards. Kekoa-Visperas finished the game with five touchdown passes and a career-high 89.3 percent passing percentage (25 of 28). Chism set his own career high with 173 receiving yards, 12 catches and three touchdowns.
Chism above the rest
With an already successful career at Eastern, Efton Chism III looks to cement his legacy in his final season with the Eagles. Chism ranks second in EWU history with 5.51 passes caught per game, and 238 total, which ranks third. He moved into eighth place all-time in yards caught, passing Talolo Limu-Jones with 2,714 after his career-high 173 against Monmouth. Chism scored three touchdowns, tying Kendrick Bourne for seventh on the all-time list. Following the career game, Chism was named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
Winnings in sales
The battle for possession is crucial in every game and Eastern Washington knows that firsthand. Since 2010, EWU has a 72-6 record when winning possession differential. Eastern won the battle for possession in the season opener against Monmouth 1-0 by Kentrell Williams Jr. Interception in the fourth quarter.
Strong front
Eastern Washington’s defense held Monmouth to 49 yards on 21 carries and one touchdown in the first game. Those were the fewest rushing yards allowed since Oct. 12, 2023 against Idaho State, when the Bengals also ran for 49 yards and scored three touchdowns. The Eagles defense had three tackles for loss and one sack. Misa from Dishawn had the only sack and Matthias Braun also had a tackle for a loss. Eastern allowed 232.8 rushing yards per game in 2023.
Finish the job in the redzone
Eastern capitalized on 5 of 5 redzone opportunities against Monmouth, scoring a touchdown each time. It was the first time the Eagles scored five or more touchdowns in the redzone since November 21, 2021 against Portland State (6 of 6).
New in Punt
EWU must replace its All-Conference punter in Nick Kokichwho averaged 41.2 yards per punt, sixth in school history. Kokich’s successor is the transfer from Fresno State Landon Ogles. While in Fresno, Ogles did not play in a game for the Bulldogs, but set the school record for the longest field goal of 57 yards at Palomar College (San Diego, California). In the season opener against Monmouth, Ogles punted three times and placed all three passes inside the 20-yard line for 96 yards (32.0 average).
The Eagles open the 2024 regular season on August 29th against Monmouth! Season tickets for the 2024 football season are now available. Ticket packages can be purchased online. through your Paciolan account, by phone at 509-359-6059, or by email at [email protected].
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 varsity sports, six for men and eight for women, both as a learning opportunity for the most athletically gifted students and as an enrichment of student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollment numbers and academic goals.
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