Eagles soar past Bearkats in football opener, 56-35
August 29, 2014
With the sixth largest crowd in Roos Field history cheering the Eagles on, Eastern Washington was able to take revenge on fellow FCS powerhouse Sam Houston State University Bearkats.
The contest was the first college football game of the year and was televised, for the first time at Eastern, on ESPN.
Going into the game with an 0-3 record against the Bearkats, the history between these two teams was evident from the get go. The Eagles jumped out to an early 7 point lead in the first quarter on senior wide receiver Blair Bomber’s first touchdown of the season.
The lead did not last long as SHSU scored two touchdowns in the first 26 seconds of the second quarter. Eastern quickly answered back with junior quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. leading the team down the field for a score. The teams were tied at 21 going into halftime.
The score could have been higher but Adams was unable to connect on some big plays with his receivers early in the game.
“My quarterback coach came and talked to me and said I needed to work on my technique, first game being sloppy and nervous,” said Adams.
The third quarter was defined by a more disciplined Eagle defense which held SHSU scoreless for the quarter. Senior safety Tevin McDonald made one of the plays of the game when he tipped the ball on a pass rush and then caught it for an interception off of a Bearkat lineman’s helmet.
“I noticed the quarterback still had the ball. I got a hand on his arm, it bounced off a lineman’s head and came right back into my arms,” said McDonald, who was one of the Eagles standout defensive players in the opener.
A sold-out crowd of about 8,600 fans at Roos Field took over the stands for the opening ESPN game on August 23.
Eastern opened the fourth quarter with 1-yard touchdown run which put the team up 35-21. SHSU quickly rallied, driving right down the field and scoring.
Leading by only one score the Eagles needed to seal the game and Adams Jr. came through in the clutch, showing why he is a favorite to win this years Walter Payton award for most outstanding offensive player.
Vernon Adams Jr., quarterback, poses for a photo after the winning game against Sam Houston State.
On 3rd and 9 from the EWU 41-yard line Adams Jr. scrambled out of a sack for a 29-yard gain which was aided by a 15-yard face mask penalty for a 44-yard gain. The play took the life out of SHSU and all but sealed the game for the Eagles, who would go on to score four plays later.
“I just felt pressure and I got out there and just ran,” said Adams who totaled 302 yards through the air to go along with 61 on the ground.
Sam Houston would score one more time but the Eagles began to pile on the points after that, racking up 28 in the fourth quarter alone for a final score of 56-35.
With noticeable jitters in the first half the Eagles got in a groove during the second, playing up to their number 1 ranking in the country.
“The way we played that second half if we can just [build] on that, I don’t think that there is a team that can play with us,” said McDonald.
Eastern will take on Montana Western, Aug. 30 at Roos Field with a 6:05 p.m. kickoff.
