LA GRANDE, Ore. – It's safe to say that Montana Tech remembers the Eastern Oregon University football team all too well. The Orediggers' lone loss this season and the only flaw holding them from sitting pretty in first place of the Frontier Conference was a 33-21 defeat at the hands of the Mountaineers on Sept. 19 at Community Stadium.
Just over a month later, the Navy and Gold will have an opportunity to do just the same, except this time on the road in Butte, Mont.
Week 10: EOU vs. No. 10 Montana Tech
The Opponent
Montana Tech enters Saturday's contest with a 6-1 record overall and a 6-1 mark in league action.
The Orediggers are riding high after a 42-7 triumph over then-ranked No. 18 Carroll in Helena, Mont.
Junior running back Nolan Saraceni amassed 273 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 24 carries. He set a school-record for the most points scored and touchdowns tallied in a single game for Montana Tech, and his 99-yard touchdown run was also a program record.
Montana Tech ranks sixth in the country in rushing offense (274.6 yards/game), and the Orediggers hold opponents to only 287.9 yards of total offense per contest, good enough for eighth in the nation.
Saraceni leads the country in rushing yards (1,401), rushing yards per game (173.5), and scoring per game (15).
Series History
EOU is 13-13 all-time against Montana Tech.
Last Meeting
EOU defeated then-ranked No.15 Montana Tech, 33-21, in the Mountaineers' home opener on Sept. 19.
Junior quarterback Zach Bartlow finished with 231 yards passing and two touchdowns, while junior wide receiver Joshua Richards caught four passes for 95 receiving yards for the Mountaineers, including a 73-yard catch in the third stanza.
Senior wide receiver Jace Billingsley registered a season-high 182 rushing yards on 34 carries, while senior linebacker Gary Posten led EOU's defense with 12 tackles (1 solo, 11 assists).
Causing nightmares for the Orediggers, senior defensive back Byron Benson tallied seven tackles (4 solo, 3 assists) and snatched a key interception in the fourth quarter that kept Montana Tech at bay.
EOU's Last Timeout
The Navy and Gold saw its highest offensive output since 2008 under eighth-year head coach Tim Camp in a 72-30 thrashing of MSU-Northern last Saturday.
Bartlow completed a career-high 27 passes for 325 yards passing and tallied 94 yards on 13 carries. He finished the game with two passing touchdowns and three touchdowns on the ground for a school-record 30 points.
Senior running back Jace Billingsley registered 135 yards on 15 carries. Meanwhile, sophomore wide receiver Calvin Connors logged a career-high 142 yards on five punt returns, including an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Benson also returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter - the third-longest kickoff return for a TD in program history.
Defensively, EOU was paced by senior linebacker Gary Posten's nine tackles, one sack, and two tackles for loss
Game Time
Kickoff at Alumni Stadium on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. MT.
Live Audio
Fans can tune into NewsTalk 103 or listen to Saturday's contest online at www.myeasternoregon.com.
Live Video
To watch Saturday's Frontier Conference matchup, click here.
Follow EOU Athletics
Fans can follow Mountaineer athletics on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EOUathletics, on Instagram via "EOUsports," or follow the teams on Twitter via @EOUsports.
