CHENEY, Wash. (November 2, 2019) – The Northern Arizona football team led 14-7 early, but couldn't hold down the Eastern Washington offense as it suffered a 66-38 road loss to the Eagles on Saturday afternoon at Roos Field in Cheney.
The Eastern Washington offense posted points on each of its first seven possessions of the game, including six touchdowns as it rang up 706 yards of total offense in the victory. Overall, the Eagles registered points on 10 of its first 11 possessions, including nine touchdowns and one field goal.
"I am disappointed in how we executed the game plan today," NAU head coach
Chris Ball said. "Give credit to Eastern Washington. They have terrific players and are a well-coached football team and it showed today."
NAU senior running back
Joe Logan was a bright spot in defeat for the Lumberjacks as he scored three rushing touchdowns and finished with a season-best 120 yards on the ground, becoming the first NAU player to eclipse the 100-yard rushing plateau this season.
The Lumberjack offense posted 497 yards of total offense and senior quarterback
Case Cookus finished with 356 passing yards and two touchdowns while completing 30-of-46 attempts. Sophomore
Brandon Porter was his top target with eight receptions for 111 yards and two touchdown receptions.
Cookus now boasts 11,121 passing yards which vaulted him from eighth place to sixth on the Big Sky career passing yardage leaderboard.
In addition, his two scoring passes give him 100 for his career – making him only the second signal caller in Big Sky history to reach the century mark in touchdown tosses.
The 66 points allowed by the Lumberjacks are the most by an opponent since Georgia Southern tabbed 72 against NAU in the opening round of the 1999 NCAA Playoffs. It was also the highest point total allowed to a Big Sky foe since giving up 67 at Weber State in 1993.
Antoine Custer Jr. paced the Eagles on the ground with 139 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries. Eric Barriere completed 29-of-38 passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns.
The offensive fireworks started early on both sides as each team scored on its opening two possessions of the game.
NAU got the scoring started with an opening drive that went 70 yards in just four plays and was capped on a 36-yard touchdown run by
Joe Logan just 1:37 into the contest to give the 'Jacks a 7-0 edge.
Eastern Washington answered on the initial play of its first drive via a 75-yard scoring toss from Barriere to Talolo Limu-Jones, to even things up at 7-7.
The Lumberjacks' offense kept the pressure on with a seven-play, 75-yard march, which saw
Joey Gatewood nab three catches for a total of 47 yards which set up an eight-yard touchdown catch by
Brandon Porter, putting NAU back in front 14-7 at the 10:39 mark of the opening quarter.
The Eagles closed to within 14-10 with a 27-yard field goal on their next possession by Seth Harrison at 7:30 of the first quarter.
Following a punt by NAU, Eastern Washington scored for the third straight possession with a 90-yard drive that was keyed by a 50-yard run by Custer Jr. on a fourth and one try. Custer Jr. punched in the touchdown from three yards out one play later to give the Eagles the lead for the first time at 17-14 with 3:32 left in the opening quarter.
The Eagles increased their lead to 24-14 at the 13:59 mark of the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown plunge by Custer Jr. EWU completed all nine pass attempts on the possession totaling 82 yards.
Custer Jr. added his third rushing score of the game with a 36-yard dash on a third and three play to up the Eagles' advantage to 31-14 with 9:23 left in the second quarter.
Logan answered for the 'Jacks on their next possession with his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard rush that trimmed the margin to 31-21 at the 7:04 mark of the second quarter. Porter sparked the drive with a 31-yard reception on the first play of the march.
The Eagles scored for the sixth straight possession of the first half with a nine-play, 65-yard drive that ended on a nine-yard touchdown run by Tamarick Pierce to increase the lead for Eastern Washington to 38-21 with 3:46 before the break.
NAU managed to get to within 14 before the break on a 22-yard field goal by
Luis Aguilar on the final play of the first half to make the score 38-24.
Eastern Washington picked up right where it left off in the second half with a nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the final 30 minutes of action. Barriere finished off the march by scooting into the end zone on a 19-yard rush at the 12:26 mark of the third quarter, making the score 45-24.
The touchdown marked the seventh straight possession to open the game for the Eagles with points, who wouldn't punt until the 8:33 mark of the third quarter.
Cookus tossed his second touchdown pass of the game and became just the second player in Big Sky history to total 100 passing scores in a career on a 22-yard connection with Porter with 10:48 remaining in the third quarter, trimming the margin to 45-31.
The Eagles capitalized on a fumble by NAU's Logan midway through the third which was recovered by Eastern Washington at the NAU 49. Barriere then threw his second touchdown pass of the game with a three-yard toss to Jayce Gilder to increase the lead for EWU to 52-31 at the 5:43 mark of the third.
Disaster struck for the Lumberjacks on their next possession as they drove 63 yards to the EWU 5-yard line when a fumble by Cookus was recovered by EWU's Andrew Katzenberger and returned 77 yards down the sideline for a touchdown that upped the margin for the Eagles to 59-31.
Logan added his third rushing touchdown of the game with 13:27 left in regulation to trim the Eagles' lead to 59-38.
Barriere tossed his third touchdown pass of the game with a 22-yard hookup with Jayson Williams at the 11:16 mark of the fourth quarter, making the score 66-38.
The Lumberjacks return to the Skydome to face current Big Sky co-leader Sacramento State on Saturday, Nov. 9 in a 2 p.m. MST kickoff.
NAU's showdown with the Hornets will be aired live on Your Phoenix CW, NAU-TV, Pluto TV (539) and the Lumberjack Radio Network.
Postgame Notes – at Eastern Washington – November 2, 2019
- Saturday's game NAU's first visit to Cheney, Wash., since Nov. 7, 2015 – a 52-30 victory for the Lumberjacks.
- Eastern Washington scored on its first seven possessions of the game (six touchdowns, 1 field goal)
- Eastern Washington's first punt came at the 8:33 mark of the first quarter.
- NAU senior quarterback Case Cookus tossed the 100th passing touchdown of his career with a 22-yard connection to Brandon Porter at the 10:48 mark of the third quarter. He is one of only two players in conference history to amass 100 TD passes in a career.
- Cookus threw for a total of 356 yards and now boasts 11,121 passing yards which vaulted him from eighth place to sixth on the Big Sky career passing yardage leaderboard.
- The NAU defense allowed 460 yards of total offense in the first half.
- Senior running back Joe Logan rushed for a season-high 120 yards and three touchdowns. It marked the first 100-plus yard rushing effort by an NAU player this season.
