Wildcats come to Cheney as one of league’s defensive leaders
The numbers on paper favor visiting Weber State when they travel to Cheney to meet Eastern Washington Saturday at Roos Field for the 91st edition of Homecoming at the school.
But the record on “The Red” always promises to be an equalizer.
The Football Championship Subdivision’s No. 11-ranked Eagles are now 43-9 overall, having lost just five regular season games at “The Inferno” sporting a 33-5 record. Eastern is 54-33-3 in its previous 90 Homecoming contests, and last year defeated Northern Colorado 49-31.
This is the first meeting between the two teams since 2015 when Eastern eked out a 14-13 win at Roos. The Eagles have won five straight in the series. The game kicks off at 1:05 and is officially another sellout.
The Wildcats lead the Big Sky conference in numerous league statistical categories, EWU head coach Aaron Best said on the Oct. 30 coaches show.
“If they’re not one they’re two, if not two they’re three, if they’re not three they’re close to three,” Best said. He wasn’t just reciting numbers either, especially on defense.
Weber ranks at the top of the Big Sky in fewest points allowed and rushing defense, fewest first downs and best in the red zone defense. The Wildcats are a ball-control offense, leading the league in time of possession. And they are second in pass defense and third-down conversion defense.
Many eyes will be on the turnover battle when Weber and Eastern battle. The teams are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Wildcats are ranked ninth in FCS with a plus 1.38 turnover margin per game, with 20 turnovers gained (9th in FCS) and just nine lost (21st). The Eagles, meanwhile, are 115th out of 123 FCS schools with minus 1.38 margin per game. Eastern has gained 10 turnovers (95th) while losing 21 (112th).
Eastern is 40-0 since 2010 when they’ve won the turnover battle, 18-5 when they’ve been tied and 18-21 when they’ve lost.
Eastern (4-1 Big Sky, 5-3 overall) comes off a well-situated bye week that allowed players and coaches to have their first time off since the first week of August. It helped put behind them a 46-28 road loss at Southern Utah on Oct. 21 that knocked them from the Big Sky undefeated ranks. Northern Arizona leads the standings at 5-0.
Weber State, No. 14 in the FCS Coaches Poll, and 19 in the Stats Poll, is 6-2 overall and is also 4-1 in the Big Sky, and is coming off a 41-27 win in Ogden over Montana on Oct. 28.
Eastern has three critical November games to close out the 2017 season, traveling Nov. 11 to face North Dakota before returning home on Nov. 18 to host Portland State. A sweep appears to be a must for Eastern to earn a bye in the first week of the FCS playoffs, which begin Nov. 25.
Eagles vs. Weber State
No. 11 ranked Eastern Washington vs. Weber State, Saturday, Nov. 4, 1:05 p.m. Roos Field (8,600). TV: SWX. Radio: 700-AM ESPN and 105.3-FM in the Spokane/Cheney area. Larry Weir returns for his 27th 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.
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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