BOZEMAN — Gage Gubrud threw for 311 yards and Eastern Washington scored four rushing touchdowns as the No. 5 Eagles downed Montana State 34-17 on Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Stadium.
Gubrud showcased Eastern Washington’s high-octane offense, which scored 70 points a week ago, completing 27 passes for 311 yards. Gubrud also added eight rushes for 34 yards and a score as the Eagles moved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Big Sky Conference play. MSU fell to 3-2, 1-1. Gubrud’s touchdown was the first of the game.
Montana State scored on its first possession, with Troy Andersen hitting Travis Jonsen on a 50-yard pass on the Bobcats’ first play. Andersen scored from 25 yards out on the next snap, tying the game at 7.
Andersen rushed for 94 yards and two scores, but threw two interceptions in the loss.
TURNING POINT: After a Greg Filer III interception gave Montana State the ball, down 17-10 in the second quarter, Andersen’s long pass to Lance McCutcheon was broken up by Eastern Washington’s Nzuzi Webster on second down. Andersen was sacked by Jay-Tee Tiuli on the following play, forcing MSU to punt. The Eagles capitalized four plays later on Pierce’s 12-yard touchdown run. Montana State trailed by double digits the remainder of the game.
STAT OF THE GAME: Eastern Washington piled up 490 total offensive yards, dominating Montana State’s defense. Five players combined to rush for 179 yards and the four scores, including senior Sam McPherson’s 74 yards on only nine rushes. McPherson scored a pair of touchdowns in the win.
GAME BALLS: Gubrud, McPherson, Ketner Kupp. The quarterback and running back sparked the offense, controlled the clock and helped EWU stack up the yardage. Kupp, younger brother of former Eagle and current Los Angeles Ram Cooper Kupp, had a team-high seven tackles, six solo, but added a pass breakup and tackle-for-loss in the win.
WHAT’S NEXT: Montana State enters its bye week before hosting Big Sky Conference newcomer Idaho on Oct. 13. It will be the Homecoming Game for the Bobcats.
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