Running Cal Poly Mustangs next challenge for Eastern

The giants keep lining up, and so far, Eastern Washington finds ways to knock them down.

The nation's No. 3-ranked Football Championship Subdivision Eagles - fresh from quietly dominating No. 16 Montana with a 35-16 Big Sky Conference win last Saturday at Roos Field - face yet another ranked opponent on the road against the No. 14 Cal Poly Mustangs.

The game, set for Alex G. Spanos Stadium in San Luis Obispo, Calif. kicks off at 6:05 p.m., and while not on any regular TV networks it can be viewed on watchbigsky.com. Radio coverage is on 700-AM ESPN.

The contest features a battle of the top two offenses in the nation, Eastern's via the air and Cal Poly, which is traditionally run-dominated with the triple option.

The Eagles lead the FCS in passing offense with 437.5 yards per game, and are second in total offense at 555.3. The Mustangs average 370.3 yards per game.

The key may be how well the defenses hold those dynamic offenses in check. Eastern's defenders are often unjustly maligned according to their head coach, Beau Baldwin.

"Sometimes there is a misconception that every game we play is something like 56-54," he said. "That's not true. When you just look at Big Sky play, our defense is right up there near the top of the conference in (fewest) points allowed."

After making adjustments following the first quarter versus the Grizzlies, who initially moved pretty freely last Saturday, the Eagles clamped down on quarterback Brady Gustafson and routinely flushed him out of the pocket. He was sacked twice and threw a couple of interceptions.

Montana led 7-0 before Eastern went on a 35-3 run that included yet another stellar effort by Cooper Kupp who scored three times and rolled up 140 yards on eight catches. Kupp also connected with Gage Gubrud on a 54-yard pass play that began as a fake reverse and left the Eagle quarterback two yards short of a score.

Cal Poly also notched a win over state rival Sacramento State. They trailed in the second quarter 21-14 before going on a 24-0 run and an eventual 59-47 victory.

Besides Kupp, the top receiver in FCS, Gubrud leads the nation in passing yards (399.8) per game, while Kupp leads in receptions (9.6) and yards (143.7) per game.

Cal Poly's Joe Protheroe is fourth in FCS in rushing at 131.6 yards per game while Kori Garcia averages nearly eight yards per carry to rank fifth in the nation.

"They are totally different than what we've faced," Baldwin said, going from a pass-happy Montana team to the option attack of the Mustangs. "Facing different offenses is tough, but what makes them difficult to defend is when they are executing at a high level."

Last year's meeting with Cal Poly was a thriller, won in overtime by the Eagles 42-41 at Roos. The Eagles rallied from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to score 22 unanswered points in the final 5:11 of regulation, then Eastern's Nzuzi Webster recovered a Cal Poly fumble on a two-point conversion attempt in OT.

Eagles vs. Mustangs

FCS No. 3 Eastern Washington versus No.14 Cal Poly. Saturday, Nov. 5, 6:05 p.m. Alex G. Spanos Stadium (11,075), San Luis Obispo, Calif. TV: No live network TV. Available at watchbigsky.com. Radio: 700-AM ESPN in Spokane. Larry Weir returns for his 26th season calling the play-by-play, with analysis handled by Paul Sorensen. Broadcasts begin one hour prior to kickoff and include an expanded post-game show. Cheney watch parties: Wild Bills Long Bar.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].