Cheney, WA – The Eastern Washington running game proved to be just a little better than the Portland State passing game as the Eagles pulled out a Dam Cup Rivalry win over the Vikings, 35-27, at Roos Field.
 
The Eagles rushed for 333 yards out of 461 yards of total offense. The Vikings passed for a season-high 339 yards out of a season-high 469 yards of total offense. The difference? Eastern was able to get into the end zone five times while the Vikings' five scores were three touchdowns and two field goals.
 
The loss pushed the Vikings to 0-6 on the season as they have battled the nation's toughest schedule, according to the Massey Ratings. This one was the closest loss and perhaps the most painful.
 
"There were a few critical plays on offense that we didn't execute. On those plays we end up punting instead of scoring," said Vikings Coach Bruce Barnum. "We had chances to get ahead on the back-and-forth and we didn't take advantage. Between that battle, and our tackling still needing to improve we had our chances."
 
Eastern Washington opened the scoring on a 45-yard touchdown run by quarterback Nate Bell. The Vikings came back on the next series, driving 75 yards, with most coming on the ground behind sophomore back Delon Thompson. He rushed seven times for 33 yards in the series, scoring on a two-yard run to tie the game.
 
Eastern's running game continued to damage the Vikings as the Eagles gained over 100 yards on the ground and led 14-7 after the first quarter.
 
The Viking defense made its first big play of the game when cornerback Carsten Mamaril picked off an Eagles' pass at the PSU two-yard line shutting down a drive. PSU drove 72 yards, courtesy of a 52-yard completion from John-Keawe Sagapolutele to Terence Loville. However, the Vikings ended up with no points after missing a 43-yard field goal attempt.
 
The Eagles added another rushing touchdown, but PSU closed out the first half with 10 straight points. A 75-yard drive ended with another short TD run by Thompson. On Eastern's ensuing possession, PSU defensive end Spencer Elliott sacked Bell, forcing a fumble that was recovered by defensive tackle Daniel Matagi at the Eagles' 21. The Vikings couldn't move the ball, but got a 38-yard field goal from Mathias Uribe. That made it a 21-17 at halftime with Eastern Washington holding the narrow lead.
 
PSU's defense forced a three-and-out to open the second half. The Vikings then got a 25-yard field goal from Uribe to narrow the gap to 21-20.
 
The Eagles followed with back-to-back scores after forcing a Viking punt in between. That put them ahead 35-20 with 3:10 left in the third quarter.
 
Portland State tried to get back within one score, driving 65 yards downfield. But the Eagles stood them up at their own 10-yard line. The Vikings had to resort to a fourth-and-goal pass into the endzone but came up empty with 12:36 remaining in the game.
 
Still, PSU's defense got another quick three-and-out. A short punt by Eastern Washington gave the Vikings good field position and they needed only three plays to score. Sagapolutele found Loville again on a 24-yard post pattern for the score. The extra point made it 35-27 Eagles with 9:56 left.
 
The teams traded punts after that. When the Eagles got the ball with just over five minutes to play, they needed only a couple of first downs to run out the clock. They got the first downs, but there was still drama to be had. Bell was trying to complete a clinching drive for Eastern Washington as he raced for the end zone. What appeared to be a sure touchdown was not, as Viking safety Isaiah Green punched the ball out of his grasp and it bounced through the end zone. A touchback for the Vikings with 1:59 to play gave them a last gasp.
 
The Vikings ran six plays and were approaching midfield but Eastern's Jaylon Jenkins intercepted a Sagapolutele throw at the PSU 47 to ice the game.
 
Sagapolutele passed for a career-high 302 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Zachary Dodson-Greene caught 10 passes for 83 yards, Loville had seven catches for 114 yards and tight end Kristian Ingman made five grabs for 92 yards.
 
Bell passed for only 95 yards for the Eagles, but he rushed for 175, more than half the team total.
 
Linebacker Henry Amposta led the Vikings defense with eight tackles. Isaiah Green made seven tackles. PSU had five tackles for loss and three sacks in the game.
 

GAME NOTES

• Junior defensive end Spencer Elliott made two quarterback sacks, forcing a fumble. He has 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles this season.
• Junior Brooks Ferguson, a former quarterback converted to tight end, threw the first pass of his PSU career, a 37-yard completion to tight end Kristian Ingman on a trick play.
• Senior punter Tony Johnson had a career-long 75-yard punt in the fourth quarter.
• Eastern Washington was only the second unranked opponent of the season for the Vikings among six, and the first unranked FCS opponent.