LA GRANDE, Ore. – Following a bye week, the Eastern Oregon University football team will face quite the challenge when it returns to the gridiron, as the Mountaineers travel to Helena, Mont., to battle No. 4 Carroll College on Saturday afternoon.
Week Seven – Eastern Oregon vs. No. 4 Carroll College
The Opponent
Carroll enters Saturday's affair with a 3-1 record overall and the same mark in Frontier Conference play. In their last outing, the Saints squeaked out a 10-9 triumph over then-ranked No. 16 Montana Western on Sept. 26.
Despite yielding 390 yards of total offense, the Saints held the Bulldogs to just three field goals to lock up their second-straight win.
With 10:44 left in the third quarter, senior quarterback Mac Roche tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Connor Fohn to put Carroll ahead (10-9) for good.
Carroll is second behind Rocky Mountain in the Frontier Conference in passing yards (250.3 yards/game), and the Saints allow only 21 points per game – good enough for third in the league.
All-Time Series
EOU is 10-16 all time vs. Carroll.
EOU's Last Time Out
The Navy and Gold dropped a 36-35 double-overtime heartbreaker to Rocky Mountain College on Sept. 26 at Community Stadium.
Junior quarterback Zach Bartlow completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver TJ Esekielu to give the Mountaineers a 35-28 lead, but the Battlin' Bears countered with a TD of their own, and junior quarterback Chase White rushed in for the two-point conversion to doom EOU.
Bartlow completed 25 passes for a season-best 264 yards, while senior linebacker Gary Posten paced EOU's defense with 15 tackles (2 solo, 13 assists).
Last Meeting
The Saints handed the Mountaineers their worst loss of the 2014 campaign in a 55-7 decision on Oct. 11, 2014.
The Mountaineers' last win over the Saints was a dandy, as EOU exploded for 21 points in the fourth quarter to pull off the come-from-behind upset over then-ranked No. 3 Carroll, 35-31, on Sept. 28, 2013.
At the time, it was the Navy and Gold's second win over a top-10 program under head football coach Tim Camp.
Pacing the Frontier
On the season, Posten leads the Frontier Conference and is tied for second in the country in tackles with 13.4 per contest.
Senior wide receiver Jace Billingsley leads the league in kickoff return yardage (392) and ranks fifth in the nation, while Bartlow ranks 18th nationally and is second in the Frontier Conference in total offense (249.8 yards/game).
Game Time
Kickoff on Saturday at Nelson Stadium is set for 1:05 p.m. MT.
Live Video/Stats
To watch live video for Saturday's contest, click here. To follow live stats, click here.
Live Audio
Fans can tune into NewsTalk 103 or listen online at www.myeasternoregon.com to listen to Saturday's contest, as Ken Kennedy will have the call for the Mountaineers.
Follow EOU Athletics
Fans can follow Mountaineer athletics on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EOUsports, on Instagram via "EOUsports," or follow the teams on Twitter via @EOUsports.
