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16_FB_Williams
EOU Athletics
20
Winner College of Idaho CI 2-1 , 1-1
7
Eastern Oregon EOU 2-1 , 2-1
Winner
College of Idaho CI
2-1 , 1-1
20
Final
7
Eastern Oregon EOU
2-1 , 2-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CI College of Idaho 6 0 6 8 20
EOU Eastern Oregon 7 0 0 0 7

Game Recap: Football | | Seth Dahle, Sports Information Director

No. 10 EOU Football Tripped Up By College of Idaho, 20-7

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Junior wide receiver Skylar Williams snagged a tremendous touchdown grab on the Blue and Gold's first drive of the game, but things quickly turned south for the 10th-ranked EOU football team.
 
As the rain continued to pour at Community Stadium, College of Idaho remained persistent, outscoring EOU 14-0 in the second half en route to pulling away with a 20-7 upset in La Grande.
 
Senior quarterback Zach Bartlow completed 13 passes for 190 yards and one passing touchdown, while senior running back Alfred Gross posted a career-best 150 yards on 27 carries. Leading EOU's air attack, senior wide receiver TJ Esekielu added 80 yards on four receptions.
 
Defensively, junior linebacker Michal Arenas and senior linebacker Tucker Stanley paced the Mountaineers with 14 (seven solo) and 11 (six solo) tackles, respectively, and senior defensive back Kalliy Ceesay added four tackles and two pass breakups.
 
THE RUNDOWN
After Bartlow's touchdown pass to Williams put seven on the board for EOU with 12:25 left in the opening quarter, both squads traded defensive stops before the Yotes notched a 20-yard touchdown reception to make it a 7-6 contest.
 
The Mountaineers (2-1, 2-1 Frontier) almost added another six in the second stanza, as the Blue and Gold went for it on fourth down at College of Idaho's 3-yard line, but the Yotes came away with a huge defensive stop to keep it a one-point contest into the locker room.
 
In the third quarter, College of Idaho (2-1, 1-1 Frontier) reached EOU's 32 before senior defensive back John Payne picked off Tyler Cox's pass to maintain the edge. But a quick 3-and-out kept EOU at bay on the offensive end, and the Yotes capitalized with a 9-play, 29-yard drive into the end zone to take their first lead (12-7) with 8:37 left in the third quarter.
 
The fourth frame saw the two Frontier Conference foes trade interceptions before College of Idaho utilized the turnover with a rushing touchdown, and the Yotes found themselves with a 13-point (20-7) edge after the two-point conversion.
 
The Mountaineers got inside College of Idaho's 28 twice in the final 6:06, but the Blue and Gold couldn't get over the hump, yielding two turnovers on downs.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
150 – Rushing yards for Gross, a game- and career-high effort.
11-27-1 – EOU's all-time record vs. College of Idaho.
 
UP NEXT
EOU hosts No. 13 Montana Tech on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
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