Eastern Washington Football Faces Tough Challenge Against Fresno State
Eastern Washington football team is gearing up for a challenging game against Fresno State Bulldogs this weekend. Besides facing scorching temperatures in Fresno, the Eagles will also have to deal with a potent passing offense. After suffering a loss to North Dakota State, the Eagles now face the task of defeating a team that excels in throwing the ball.
Last week, Fresno State’s quarterback Mikey Keene had an impressive performance, completing 31 of 44 passes for 366 yards, along with four touchdowns and one interception. Although Fresno State ran the ball 37 times, their focus was on the air attack. This is a stark contrast to the run-heavy strategy employed by North Dakota State, who dominated Eastern Washington in the previous game.
The Eagles’ defensive lineman Jacob Newsom acknowledged the different challenges posed by both teams. Fresno State aims to get the ball to their playmakers in open space, while North Dakota State was more focused on running the ball through predetermined gaps.
In addition to the challenges on the field, Eastern Washington is also playing the second consecutive guarantee game. They received a $200,000 payout for the North Dakota State game and will receive $300,000 for the Fresno State game. While the payouts are lower than what the team received last year for games against Oregon and Florida, it allows for less travel and the opportunity to play only one FBS team.
Fresno State comes into the game with a winning streak of 10 games and a history of success against FCS opponents, winning their last 17 matchups. The two programs also share some familiarity, as Fresno State’s offensive coordinator and running backs coach previously held positions at Eastern Washington.
Eastern Washington’s offense will be looking to bounce back after a lackluster performance against North Dakota State. They scored only 10 points and had a field goal blocked. Although they gained 339 yards, they struggled in the red zone, converted on just 5 of 17 third downs, and punted seven times.
Facing Fresno State’s veteran defense, which features 10 senior starters, adds another layer of complexity for Eastern Washington. Last season, the Bulldogs boasted one of the best defenses in the Mountain West, allowing the second-fewest points and fourth-fewest yards per game.
While Purdue managed to gain 363 yards against Fresno State in their previous game, they struggled on third down conversions and were only able to put together consecutive scoring drives once. Now, Fresno State gets the advantage of playing at home, where they had a strong record last year.
Eastern Washington is eager to build on their performance against North Dakota State and secure their first win against an FBS team since defeating UNLV two years ago. The team is determined to overcome the challenges posed by Fresno State’s passing offense and the scorching California heat. It will be an exciting game that will test Eastern Washington’s resilience and ability to adapt to different game plans.
