Grip on Sports: Eastern heads to Missoula for a game both teams need to grab

A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s another college football Saturday. We will quickly get out of the way, so you can prep yourself for today’s games – or read up on last night’s prep games. Or both. And, lest we forget, we have some basketball news. Read on.

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• While doing sports talk radio yesterday, Rick Lukens asked me what local game I was intrigued about this week. My response came quickly: Eastern Washington at Montana.

What’s not to love? It’s a rivalry game. It’s in the biggest, best stadium in the Big Sky Conference. It has a history. And both teams need to win.

It is Aaron Best’s first conference game as Eastern’s head coach. It’s hard enough replacing the most successful coach in school history, but starting Big Sky play 0-1 (and dropping to 1-3 overall) would make it even tougher.

Bob Stitt has been around Montana longer, but that’s just increased the pressure. The guy who was a lower-division legend hasn’t turned the Griz around as quickly as Montana fans would have liked.

To add even more to a game that really doesn’t need it, former Eastern coach Mike Kramer, the pride of Colton, will be doing the color for Larry Weir’s radio broadcast on 700 ESPN.

• I would love to sit and listen, but I have a commitment in Pullman – as does EWU’s usual color guy, Paul Sorensen. It’s Hall of Fame weekend at WSU and though I’m not being inducted, as Sorensen is, I will be at the game. We’ll be doing our “hot” takes right after the game ends and then adding our “expertise” to the postgame call-in show, as per usual.

The oddsmakers made Washington State a four-touchdown favorite and the gap has grown a half-point or so throughout the week. That could be a tough cover. If WSU comes out of the game 4-0 and healthy, then it’s a good week for the Cougars.

• My friends at Hoopfest reached out this week because they wanted everyone to know their AAU youth basketball league is still accepting team entries. And it will be accepting them through Monday night. The deadline has been pushed back to midnight that day.

I am old enough to remember when Spokane’s AAU league began, some 28 years ago. And have been lucky enough to have been involved as some coaching capacity for more than half those years. Man, that’s a lot of games.

It’s the best place in town for girls and boys in fourth through eighth grade to play competitive hoops.

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WSU: With a possible undefeated showdown with USC looming in six days, this would seem like a trap game for the Cougars. No matter. Theo Lawson sees them winning by 32 points. … Theo also tells us about the connections between the schools as well as the keys to a Cougar win. … There are keys for Nevada as well. … The Times’ Stefanie Loh touches base with an ex-WSU player, Kaleb Fossum, who transferred to Nevada but probably won’t play against his old friends due to an injury.

Elsewhere in the Pac-12, if you like news about the past or the conference’s day-to-day operations under commissioner Larry Scott, then today is good day for you. … Washington’s Dante Pettis has been a tough cover for Colorado, dating back to his freshman year. The Buffs’ Steven Montez will probably try to take advantage of a hole created by cornerback Byron Murphy’s broken foot. … Was Oregon’s 3-0 non-conference record built by great play or weak competition? As Pac-12 play begins, the weak competition, in the form of 1-2 Arizona State and its embattled coach, Todd Graham, continues. … It’s been a long time since California has upset USC (it last happened in 2003), which comes in ranked fifth. The Bears are even trying to use the memory of one of their fallen greats to get it done. … Speaking of California, the school is going outside to figure out how to save money. … It hasn’t been that long since UCLA has gotten past Stanford, but it may seem that way in Westwood. Both teams need this win today, so expect the battle in the Bay Area to be fierce. … Oregon State is working on shoring up its defense during its bye week. … Finally, the weekend kicked off last night in Tucson, where the Arizona Wildcats had every opportunity to upset 21st-ranked Utah. But they squandered them all and the Utes, despite an injury to starting quarterback Tyler Huntley, won, 30-24.

Gonzaga: No one scored as the men’s soccer team drew with 20th-ranked Air Force at home.

EWU: You know that stuff we talked about concerning today’s Eastern game in Missoula? Jim Allen does a better job of covering it in his advance. … The Griz and linebacker Gage Smith will keep it loose today. … Around the Big Sky, both Cal Poly and Northern Arizona will be looking for their first wins when they meet in San Luis Obispo. … Southern Utah feels it can compete for the conference title. So a slip-up in Sacramento just can’t happen. … Northern Colorado host Idaho State in a game that should show if the Bengals are for real. … North Dakota went into the year the conference favorite. Non-conference play has cast some doubts on that. Now comes Montana State to open the conference schedule. Can the Bobcats pull an upset?

Idaho: The Vandals are in Mobile, Ala., today to face South Alabama. Idaho play-by-play voice Dennis Patchin texted me yesterday to say you could feel the humidity before the doors of the plane opened. The weather isn’t part of Pete Harriman’s advance but it may play a part in the outcome.

Preps: We actually watched a bit of Gonzaga Prep’s 42-28 win over Mt. Spokane last night and sort of wished we hadn’t. We happened upon the game just as Hunter McKenna was scoring the game-clinching touchdown on a fumble return. Except the replays were clear. The Wildcats’ Quinten Ayers knee was down before the ball came out. Such are the vagaries of high school football. Greg Lee has the game story, as well as one on the earlier game at Albi, U-Hi’s easy win over Lewis and Clark. … Ryan Collingwood covered Central Valley’s rout of North Central. … Camas High rallied late, really late, and edged Coeur d’Alene 28-25. … We can also pass along a football roundup as well as Dave Nichols’ summary of Friday night’s action. … In other prep action last night, we can direct you to roundups in volleyball, girls’ soccer and slowpitch softball.

Chiefs: Spokane opened Western Hockey League play last night in Prince George and opened it in style, winning 4-2 behind Ty Smith’s goal and two assists.

Mariners: Cleveland is the hottest team in baseball. The M’s aren’t. So what happens? Seattle gets its best-pitched game in weeks, Nelson Cruz goes deep in the bottom of the ninth and the M’s win 3-1. … Seattle has used 40 pitchers this season. How did that happen? … The writers who cover the M’s gave out awards last night.

Seahawks: Pete Carroll is never negative, so when he says Jimmy Graham will play you have to take it, well, literally. He’s not going to lie about that. … Sheldon Richardson has been the truth in the inside of the defensive line. … A former Hawk returned to the secondary and he wishes he never left. … Who should you watch in the game against Tennessee tomorrow? It’s going to be hot and humid in Nashville.

Sounders: Seattle travels to Salt Lake City to face one of the MLS’ hottest squads. But the Sounders are at least warm as well. … The Portland Timbers did one of the nicest things yesterday and deserve accolades for it.

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• A quick note and a quick heads-up. We won’t be here Monday morning. Sorry, but we have an early doctor’s appointment and won’t be able to get everything done in time. We will be here tomorrow, of course, but Monday, no. And we’ll be back Tuesday. Until later …