Eastern Washington’s football players and coaches tend to avoid excuses, so they haven’t attributed the team’s record to a challenging schedule. However, from an outsider’s perspective, it’s evident that their schedule—particularly in conference play—has been among the toughest in the Big Sky since mid-September.
“Our record doesn’t reflect how well we’ve played,” said the head coach after the Eagles lost 42-28 to the unbeaten Montana State Bobcats. “At times, we’ve really maximized our potential, which is something to be proud of.”
It’s significant to note that despite their best efforts, the Eagles haven’t been able to secure wins against the top teams in the Big Sky. After a heavy 49-16 loss to Nevada (a Mountain West Conference team), Eastern faced a nail-biting home defeat to Montana, losing 52-49, followed by a victory over then-ranked Sacramento State, 35-28.
They then suffered close losses to two top-10 teams, losing 48-38 to UC Davis and 38-28 to Idaho.
These consecutive games, culminating in the defeat to Montana State, have negatively impacted Eastern’s record, which sits at 2-7 overall and 1-4 in Big Sky play. However, their final three games appear more manageable, starting with a match against Northern Colorado (1-8, 1-4) this Saturday, followed by a home game against Idaho State (4-5, 2-3) on November 16, and ending with a game at Northern Arizona (5-4, 3-2) on November 23.
If Eastern were to win all three, they would still finish with a losing record for the third straight season but would improve by one victory—albeit in an additional game—compared to last year’s 4-7 record, which was better than the 3-8 mark in 2022.
“There are no moral victories,” said a senior offensive lineman on Monday. “We all want to win, and it’s been tough. We’ve had several close games over the last two years, and it’s frustrating.
“But we have three more games, and the players are in a good mindset to go after these wins.”
The team’s hopes for the playoffs likely faded after the October 19 defeat to UC Davis, their fifth loss of the season. However, early losses in non-conference play also significantly impacted their postseason aspirations.
Following a season-opening 42-27 victory over Monmouth—now 4-5 and 2-3 in the Coastal Athletic Conference—Eastern lost at home to Drake, 35-32 in overtime. Drake (6-1, 5-0) now leads the Pioneer League and won the conference last year before suffering a heavy playoff loss.
Eastern followed this with a 28-24 loss at Southeastern Louisiana, where some players battled a stomach bug during the game, even affecting their travel.
They played those two games without their redshirt junior quarterback, who has filled in for the starter throughout the season, and his availability for the upcoming game is uncertain after he missed last week’s match.
In addition, the team has faced injuries to starting wide receivers who have played only four games combined and totaled just 21 receptions.
Despite these challenges, Eastern ranks fourth in the Big Sky for rushing offense and scoring offense.
“Our offense has managed to adapt through the setbacks,” said the offensive coordinator, referring to injuries. “Players haven’t faltered; they love to compete.”
This has been true as the Eagles have faced four currently ranked teams in their last five games, which have a combined record of 30-6 overall and 17-3 in league play.
Looking ahead, the Eagles have the chance to show that while they may not be among the top teams in the league, they could rank fifth, sixth, or seventh.
Following seasons where they finished tenth and eighth in the 12-team Big Sky, showing progress this year would be meaningful.
“You need to perform better in those matchups against the top teams,” the coach said. “I believe we belonged in those games. We didn’t look out of place. We need to focus on the present, support one another, and give it our all on Saturday.”
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