Eastern Washington hits the ground at record rate to beat Northern Colorado 43-15

Following a series of close losses to some of the best teams in the Big Sky, Eastern Washington players and coaches insisted there was no quit in the Eagles.

They backed up that sentiment on Saturday.

Against Northern Colorado, the Eagles ran for 339 yards on a program-record 68 carries and held the ball for nearly 44 minutes in a 43-15 victory at Nottingham Field in Greeley, Colorado.

Redshirt junior Malik Dotson returned after missing the previous three games and ran for 125 yards, his first 100-yard game in 11 with the Eagles, pacing an offense that got rushing yards from seven players.

“It’s a blessing to run behind that offensive line,” Dotson said in a postgame radio interview. “Every play that was a run play I got excited because the holes opened up and it was really fun to run. I wish I had the money to get (the offensive linemen) some Buffalo Wild Wings on Monday.”

The rushing attack helped balance out a passing game that welcomed back redshirt junior starting quarterback Kekoa Visperas, who completed 13 of 20 attempts for 179 yards and three touchdowns and one interception after he missed last week’s 42-28 loss to Montana State.

Visperas threw a 44-yard touchdown to redshirt sophomore Wesley Garrett on EWU’s first drive, the first of four straight touchdown drives for the Eagles, who by the 11:47 mark of the second quarter led 29-0.

The Eagles converted on 13 of 17 third downs and 2 of 2 fourth downs and only punted twice.

“Kudos to the offensive staff, getting creative the right way, putting people in position to be successful,” EWU head coach Aaron Best said. “Good things usually happen when you’re putting together 10-, 12-, 14-play drives. A lot of people had an impact in this game.”

Michael Wortham – who has thrown, run for and returned a kick for a touchdown this season – caught a touchdown pass for the first time this season. The senior caught four passes for a season-high 58 receiving yards.

Jared Taylor completed 3 of 4 passing attempts for 20 yards and a touchdown pass to Efton Chism III and also ran 17 times and 92 yards for two more touchdowns.

The three quarterbacks – Visperas, Taylor and Wortham – gave way to fourth-string quarterback Nate Bell in the fourth quarter once the Eagles’ rout was officially on. Bell ran seven times for 38 yards and did not attempt a pass.

“Mike, Koa and I just want the best for everybody. We don’t care who is getting the love,” Taylor said.

“We got Nate to go out there today, and we were fired up. There’s so much love in the quarterback room. It’s really fun to be a part of.”

The Bears dropped to 1-9 on the season and 1-5 in the Big Sky. The Eagles improved to 3-7 and 2-4 with a home game against Idaho State (5-5, 3-3) next week and a road finale at Northern Arizona on Nov. 23.

The senior Chism had another typical day, catching 10 passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. He has 95 receptions this season and with two games remaining is looking to become just the second EWU receiver to have 100 receptions in a season. Cooper Kupp achieved that feat three times, with seasons of 104, 114 and 117 catches.

Chism also has 1,035 receiving yards, the first EWU receiver with 1,000 yards in a season since 2021, when Talolo Limu-Jones had 1,122. And, in his 50th game with the Eagles, he ran, successfully, for a 2-point conversion in the first quarter.

Eastern’s defense also had its best statistical game of the season, holding the Bears to 12 first downs, 44 plays and 323 yards. Each of those were the fewest the Eagles had allowed this year.

The Eagles allowed a season-low 48 rushing yards after giving up a combined 788 the past three games in losses to Montana State, Idaho and UC Davis.

“I thought our front did a really good job against the run,” Best said. “I would’ve liked to provide a little more pressure against the pass, (but) 15 points on the road, after having some of the shortcomings we’ve had to this point, I am really proud of that defense.”

Eastern improved to 16-1 against Northern Colorado and 14-0 since the Bears joined the Big Sky in 2006.