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LA GRANDE, Ore. -- The No. 9 Eastern Oregon University football team hosts Montana Western for its first home game of the season. The game is sponsored by Goss Motors in La Grande. The weekly notes are now available.

* Game 4: No. 9 Eastern Oregon (3-0, 3-0 Frontier) at No. 23 Montana Western (0-3, 0-3)
* When: Saturday, Sept. 24, 1 p.m.
* Where: Community Stadium, La Grande, Ore.
* Forecast: Mid 80's and Mostly Sunny with no chance of precipitation.
* Live Stats: EOUSports.com      
* Live Video: EOUSports.com      
* Live Radio: KCMB 104.7 FM
* Series: Eastern leads the all-time series over the Bulldogs 15-5.

GAME TIME
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Community Stadium with a live video stream on EOUSports.com. A live radio broadcast will also be available on KCMB 104.7 FM in La Grande and Baker City.

THE SERIES
* Eastern Oregon has won 15 of the 20 all-time meetings.
* Montana Western ended an EOU four-game win streak with a win in La Grande in the last meeting in 2010.
* Until last season's win, the last time Western won in La Grande.
* Last year's win in La Grande was the Bulldogs' lone victory of the season.
* The last four games in La Grande between the schools have all been decided by 10 points or less.
* The Bulldog football program has an all-time record of 202-272-13, since 1924.
* Western has made three postseason appearances, last one in 2002.
* Montana Western last had a winning record in 2004 when it had a 7-4 record.

QUICK HITS
* The 580-mile trek from Dillon, Mont. to La Grande is the longest trip for UMW.
* The Mountaineers' Chris Ware is one rushing touchdown from breaking the Eastern
Oregon career school record. It would be his 13th school record.
* Eastern Oregon played its first three games away from home for the first time since 2006. The Mountaineers went 1-2 in that stretch. It was also the last time EOU played three road games in a row.
* EOU is 5-6 since 2000 in home openers.
* Eastern has only began four seasons by winning its first three games. The last in 1980.
* The Mountaineers have only won three games in a row 17 times in their 82-year history.
* EOU is back in the Top 10 at the highest position in 31 years at No. 9.
* Eastern's previous high was No. 8 after an 8-0 start in 1980.
* EOU is 12-1 under Tim Camp when it scores 40 or more points.
* Camp won his 20th game as a collegiate head coach.
* Camp is now 4-7 against Top 25 teams as a head coach.

WARE ONE AWAY FROM OWNING LUCKY NO. 13
Eastern Oregon quarterback, Chris Ware, is one rushing touchdowns from breaking the school's rushing touchdowns in a career record. The senior has scored 21 rushing touchdowns in his career, tying Damien Johnson's seven-year-old record at EOU. Ware currently holds 12 school records. The Rainier, Ore. native has a chance to break record number 14 later this season. He is 51 rushing attempts from topping Tim Sicocan's 11-year-old school record.

A BAD CASE OF DEJA VU?
The last time Eastern Oregon and Montana Western met in La Grande, the Bulldogs entered the game winless and left with a shocking victory. This weekend, UMW comes in with no wins again seeking a bigger upset. The Bulldogs' 27-20 win was the first for Western in Community Stadium since 2002. Eastern had a four-game win streak over UMW before the win. EOU lost three of its final four games last season including that game. This will the Bulldogs third road game of the season, just as many as Eastern has played away from home.

SAMPSON CLAIMS CONFERENCE HONOR
Eastern Oregon University student-athlete, Kevin Sampson, has been named the Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Week. The senior running back ran for 179 yards on 21 carries in the Mountaineers (3-0, 3-0 Frontier Conference) 48-29 road win at No. 23 Montana State-Northern. Sampson also caught three passes for 37 yards. He finished the game with three rushing touchdowns and a touchdown reception. Sampson wins the award for the third time in his career and first since Oct. 4 last season.

HELLO TOP 10
The Eastern Oregon University football team returned to the Top 10 for the first time in 31 years Monday at No. 9 in the NAIA Top 25 poll. The Mountaineers moved from No. 12 to No. 9 in the latest national poll. It is the second highest ranking in program history. The 1980 Eastern team climbed as high as No. 8 after its 8-0 start. That Mountaineer team finished 8-1 and ended the season ranked No. 11. Eastern Oregon received 225 points in the poll, 24 more than the last poll.

JUST ANOTHER NATIONAL RANKED OPPONENT
The Mountaineers' three-game win streak to open the season is amazing on many levels, all were road games with long bus trips, and all were against teams that were in the NAIA national poll at the time Eastern played them. EOU's season-opening 31-15 win at Montana Tech was against a Tech team that was receiving votes in the poll. The Mountaineers then went and upset the nation's top team, Carroll, 41-33. Last week, Eastern Oregon beat then-ranked No. 23 Montana State-Northern, 48-29.

NOT A BAD START
The Mountaineers start the season 3-0 for only the fourth time in the program's 82-year history. EOU has started two seasons, 4-0, including the school's best start in 1980, when Eastern won the first six games of the season. The Mountaineers have posted three straight wins only 17 times in 82 years. EOU has won four straight games during a season six times since beginning football in 1929. Eastern has the opportunity to win the fourth and fifth games in a row at home in La Grande.

WARE'S THE DEFENSE?
Eastern quarterback, Chris Ware, is currently third in the nation in pass efficiency at 176.9. Ware's 289 total offense yards per game is ninth in the NAIA, and his 251.3 passing yards per game is 10th. The Mountaineers are averaging 453.3 yards per game on offense, which is 10th in the country. Kevin Sampson is in the top five in five statistical categories. He is third in the NAIA in rushing yards per game (131.7) and fourth in total rushing (395). The senior is 521 rushing yards away from breaking Tim Sicocan's 11-year school career record.

THIRD DOWN? NO PROBLEM
The Mountaineers are taking care of business on third down so far this season. Eastern Oregon is currently first in the country on third down, converting 65 percent of the time. EOU has made first downs on 25 of its 39 third down attempts. Last week at Montana State-Northern, EOU was 7 for 10 on third down. The Mountaineers are ninth in the nation on fourth down conversions as well. Eastern has made three of its four attempts on fourth down this season. EOU scored on its first six possessions last week at MSUN.

GONE CAMPING
Eastern has found winning territory under its head coach Tim Camp. The Mountaineers won their 20th game under Camp last week at Northern. Only Don Turner from 1978 to 1981 reached 20 wins faster than Camp in Eastern's coaching history. With the exception of Carroll, EOU has a winning record against every conference opponent under Camp. The Mountaineers have also posted four wins against Top 25 teams in 11 tries while Camp has been the head coach. Camp improved his road record to 10-9 with last week's win.

A STONE WALL
Montana Western's offensive line has kept their quarterbacks safe so far this season. The Bulldogs' are 19th in the NAIA in sacks against, allowing only 1.0 per game. They've surrendered only three sacks this season. Look for Western to use two quarterbacks during Saturday's game. Zack McRae and Jeff Logan have each seen time so far this season behind center.