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TJ Hancock
Ronald Bond
21
College of Idaho CI 0-1 , 0-1
24
Winner Eastern Oregon EOU 1-0 , 1-0
College of Idaho CI
0-1 , 0-1
21
Final
24
Eastern Oregon EOU
1-0 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CI College of Idaho 0 7 7 7 21
EOU Eastern Oregon 7 0 10 7 24

Game Recap: Football | | Spencer Jones, EOU Sports Information Assistant

Mountaineers Win Thrilling Home Opener 24-21 Over C of I

LA GRANDE, Ore. – On a night that started with a ribbon cutting ceremony to signify the first football game on the new artificial turf at Community Stadium, the Eastern Oregon football team defeated rival College of Idaho 24-21.

"This is what we have been working for since last year," said head coach Tim Camp. "I am very proud of the coaches who work extremely hard and who love this great university. The players believed and we were able to fight back and make plays when we needed it."

This game had it all. Big plays from both sides on special teams, offense, and defense sparked an entertaining matchup to open up the Mounties 2018 campaign.

"There was no other option but to win," said Camp. "The administration and this community has done so much for our program with the best field in the Pacific Northwest and we wanted to thank them with a win and show all the fans that we are resilient as a program."

The Mountaineers struck first with a one-yard touchdown run by running back Victor Dias. The drive started on the College of Idaho's 40-yard line after a punt was partially blocked by the special teams unit.

College of Idaho responded with a TD drive of their own, which would ultimately account for all scoring in the first half that featured two stout defenses.

The second half started fast with an electric drive by EOU ending in six points. Dias recorded his second TD of the game with a 22-yard sprint up the middle of the field. Quarterback Kai Quinn continued to work efficiently, hitting his targets on multiple plays to set up the Dias run.

On the next drive, a key roughing the passer penalty erased what would have been a third down stop for the EOU defense, and C of I capitalized with a TD a few plays later to tie the game at 14-14.

The Mountaineers offense was clicking all night, and they orchestrated a field goal drive at the end of the 3rd quarter highlighted by an incredible one-handed catch by wide receiver TJ Hancock that took them to the red zone. Soon after, Quinn produced a gritty TD run, absorbing and fighting through contact on third and goal on the three-yard line, putting the score at 24-14.

With the Mounties up by 10 and about six minutes left in the game, C of I's Bell Russo blocked Nathan Harden's punt, and the Coyotes recovered it and returned it for a TD to make it a three-point game.

C of I got the ball back with two minutes left after Harden pinned them deep on their own nine-yard line. The Yotes connected on a few passes downfield, however the drive ended in a turnover on downs at the EOU 43-yard line. One QB kneel from Quinn iced it.

This game was characterized by momentum changes and big plays, but the third down defense of the Mountaineers shined brightest, holding the Coyotes' offense to 5-14, or about a 35% conversion rate.

Another bright spot came from defensive back Zackary Jacobs, who picked off two passes in the game, both coming within about three minutes from each other. Linebacker Gunnar Blix also impressed, leading the game with 10 tackles.

Penalties hurt the defensive unit, but other than that it was an impressive performance holding the Coyote offense to 14 points, with seven coming from the punt block return. The Coyote TD in the third quarter happened due to a roughing the passer penalty on third down extending the drive.

Quinn had a great showing going 26-for-47 for 326 yards, leading the EOU attack that totaled 452 yards of offense. The ground game finished with 126 yards and all 3 TDs. The unit as a whole tallied 157 more yards than C of I, and went 9-for-18 on third down.

The team will look to clean up some of their small mistakes and build off their strong performance next Saturday at 1 PM in La Grande against Southern Oregon, ranked no. 4 in the country coming into this week.

For more information on Eastern Oregon football, follow @EOUAthletics or visit eousports.com.
 
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Contact: Iain Dexter; 541-962-3946; idexter@eou.edu
 
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