7:54 PM EST - That will do it for me, Matthew Dixon, as we wrap up this opening weekend of college football. Be sure to join us next weekend, and every weekend of the season!! Thank you and take care.
End of the Game - Eastern Washington will face Montana-Western at home next week while Sam Houston State will face Alabama State.
End of the Game - Sam Houston's Jared Johnson had a solid game despite the loss. He threw for 318 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He and the receivers will become more in sync as the season goes on. Johnson will also need to work on his touch, as he overthrew several passes.
End of the Game - In addition to Adams' performance, EWU running back Quincy Forte also had a solid game. Forte finished with 152 yards rushing on 23 carries. He also had 1 catch for 16 yards.
End of the Game - Here are the final stats for the game.
End of the Game - Despite the interception, Adams played a wonderful game. His stat line was 26 of 48 for 302 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. He also had 12 rushes for 61 yards.
End of the Game - EWU takes a knee and the game has ended! Eastern Washington wins over Sam Houston State by a final score of 56-35.
4th Quarter, 0:07 left - Johnson's pass is well over his receiver head and is intercepted by Isaiah Jenkins.
4th Quarter, 0:13 left - Johnson swings the pass out to Donavan Williams, who gets down to the EWU 26.
4th Quarter, 0:22 left - Johnson finds Jalen Overstreet for a nice pick up of 20 yards.
4th Quarter, 0:29 left - A squib kick will give SHSU the ball at EWU's 48 yard line.
4th Quarter, 0:31 left - Eastern Washington extends their lead to 56-35. It has been a wonderful offensive display by the Eagles, especially in the 2nd half.
4th Quarter, 0:31 left - Despite having a large lead and being able to run the clock out, EWU adds another TOUCHDOWN!!! Moore finishes off this drive with a 1-yard score.
4th Quarter, 0:53 left - Moore makes some nifty moves and is probably marked an inch shy of the touchdown.
4th Quarter, 1:03 left - Moore gets another handoff, but this time only gets 3 yards. SHSU calls a timeout and have just 1 remaining.
4th Quarter, 1:37 left - Moore goes up the middle again, this time for 17 yards. He nearly fumbled, but he held on, as EWU gets down to the SHSU 19.
4th Quarter, 2:20 left - Jalen Moore takes the handoff and runs for 12 yards to give EWU another set of downs.
4th Quarter, 2:25 left - Johnson survived a sack and then took a hit after he released the ball, which was knocked down. EWU has effectively won this game.
4th Quarter, 2:36 left - A deep bomb by Johnson was well out-of-bounds and leaves SHSU with a 4th and 6 to continue on in this game.
4th Quarter, 2:42 left - Johnson finds Griffin for a 4 yard gain, which causes the Bearkats to use a timeout. 3rd and 6 coming up for SHSU.
4th Quarter, 3:02 left - Johnson finds LaDarius Brown for a 30 yard gain and then throws an incompletion on the next play.
4th Quarter, 3:09 left - The drive will be even longer after a false start penalty.
4th Quarter, 3:09 left - SHSU will have to go over 80 yards to score a touchdown after Demartie Allen brings the ball out to the 19 yard line.
4th Quarter, 3:13 left - That is Bourne's 2nd receiving touchdown on the day and Adams' 4th touchdown pass of the game. The drive took 4 plays, 75 yards, and 2:01 off the clock.
4th Quarter, 3:13 left - In typical EWU fashion, they throw for it on 3rd and short and it ends with a TOUCHDOWN!!!! Adams found Bourne on a wheel route to restore EWU's lead to 14 points at 49-35.
4th Quarter, 3:21 left - Not surprisingly, EWU has called their 2nd timeout of the half. A big 3rd and 4 play is coming up for the Eagles.
4th Quarter, 3:59 left - Adams got 3 yards on a rush, but the big play was by Forte who leveled the blitzing defender.
4th Quarter, 4:34 left - Quincy Forte made a 3 yard gain look phenomenal as he needed to keep his balance a couple of times.
4th Quarter, 4:59 left - EWU gets a BIG GAINER!!!! Despite leading by a touchdown, EWU lets Adams throw and he finds Shaq Hill who take it 56 yards to the Sam Houston 19 yard line.
4th Quarter, 5:14 left - EWU will start from their own 25 yard line after taking a touchback.
4th Quarter, 5:14 left - Jared Johnson finds Young for a TOUCHDOWN!!! SHSU has cut the lead to 42-35 with just over 5 minutes remaining. Now, SHSU needs a big stop to have a chance of sending this game to overtime.
4th Quarter, 5:40 left - Williams ran for 9 yards, which was followed up by another 9 yard run by Keshawn Hill to the 5 yard line. Hill had two more attempts and got to the 1 yard line.
4th Quarter, 7:19 left - Williams rushes for no gain and then SHSU is called for a false start. Johnson then finds Shane Young for 18 yards and a first down to the EWU 23 yard line.
4th Quarter, 7:48 left - Johnson checks down to Donavan Williams who makes a few moves and picks up their third first down in a row.
4th Quarter, 8:23 left - Johnson finds Louis for a short throw, but Louis is able to make some moves to get another first down.
4th Quarter, 8:38 left - Johnson finds Griffin for a first down off the touchback.
4th Quarter, 8:44 left - SHSU will take the touchback and start from their own 25 yard line.
4th Quarter, 8:44 left - Interesting playcall there for EWU. It will give opponents something to think about in the future, especially if West can drop a dime like that more often than not. The score is now 42-28 and SHSU needs to come up with a stop on defense if they want to have a chance to tie the game.
4th Quarter, 8:44 left - EWU burns a timeout and Vernon Adams is not in the game! But it does not matter as Jordan West finds Cooper Kupp for a touchdown pass!!
4th Quarter, 9:23 left - Jalen Moore picks up three yards to reach the 5 yard line. 2nd and goal coming up for the Eagles.
4th Quarter, 9:46 left - Adams runs for a short gain, but another personal foul penalty against SHSU (facemask) give EWU another first down.
4th Quarter, 10:21 left - Forte picks up two yards in the red zone on the first down carry.
4th Quarter, 10:40 left - Adams makes another GREAT PLAY!!! He runs for the first down after escaping pressure, then picks up another 20 yards. SHSU is called for a facemask at the end of the play. EWU is all the way down to the SHSU 15 yard line.
4th Quarter, 11:15 left - Adams checks the ball down for 7 yard completion to Shaq Hill to make it 3rd and 9.
4th Quarter, 11:58 left - Adams has nowhere to go and is sacked for a loss of 6 yards. Dwight Jackson was there for the sack. 2nd and 13 for the Eagles.
4th Quarter, 12:14 left - Adams and EWU go straight for the deep ball and it leads to a pass interference. EWU goes to the 40 yard line.
4th Quarter, 12:21 left - EWU will start from their own 25 yard line, protecting a 7 point lead in the final quarter.
4th Quarter, 12:25 left - 3rd and 3 for SHSU and it goes for a TOUCHDOWN!!!! Edwards catches the wonderful pass on the fade to make it a one possession game again. Edwards made a wonderful one-handed catch!! 35-28 with 12:21 left in the game.
4th Quarter, 13:17 left - What a play for SHSU!! Johnson's pass to Lewis was too high, but it was reeled in by Derreck Edwards who broke a tackle. Edwards was on his way to the end zone, but tripped over his feet and fell at the 13 yard line.
4th Quarter, 13:53 left - Hill gets the pitch from Johnson and picks up 8 solid yards. That is followed up by a swing pass to Louis who gets enough for a first down.
4th Quarter, 14:20 left - Johnson completes two passes to get the chains moving.
4th Quarter, 14:40 left - A wonderful return by SHSU's Demartie Allen is wiped out due to a holding penalty. SHSU will now start at their own 23 yard line. That is followed up by a delay of game against SHSU. Now it is 1st and 15 from the 18 yard line.
4th Quarter, 14:54 left - TOUCHDOWN EWU!!!! Zach Wimberly got the carry and bulled his way in to make it a two possession game for the Eagles. 35-21 left and SHSU will need some more big plays to get back into the game.
4th Quarter - SHSU has 9 penalties for 100 yards, while EWU has no penalties. Certainly, that is hurting SHSU, but so is the lack of possession and the most recent interception by Tevin McDonald.
End of the 3rd Quarter - Below are the stats through the first 45 minutes.
End of the 3rd Quarter - EWU does not get another play off in the 3rd quarter. EWU is leading 28-21 with 15 minutes left. They will have a 3rd and goal from the 1 yard line on the first play of the final quarter.
3rd Quarter, 0:31 left - Brown gets the carry again, is hit, and tries to dive forward for a touchdown, but is about 6 inches short.
3rd Quarter, 0:53 left - Mario Brown is stuffed for no gain on 1st and goal.
3rd Quarter, 1:13 left - Adams rifles the ball into Cory Mitchell to set up a first and goal from the 3 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 1:21 left - Adams tries to find Kupp and Kupp had a step on the corner, but the ball was too long in the end zone.
3rd Quarter, 1:48 left - Mario Brown can only manage 1 yard on his carry.
3rd Quarter, 1:57 left - INTERCEPTION!!!! What a marvelous play by Tevin McDonald!!! Not only did he tip the ball out of Jared Johnson's hand, but he also caught the ball after it hit off an SHSU player!! EWU starts on the Bearkats' 20 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 2:28 left - Keshawn Hill can only get 1 yard on the first down carry for SHSU.
3rd Quarter, 2:34 left - The punt goes out of the end zone for a touchback and SHSU will take over at their own 25 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 2:41 left - SHSU stands tall on 3rd and long by knocking the ball down. They get the ball back down 28-21.
3rd Quarter, 2:47 left - Adams' pass is batted down and EWU is facing a 3rd and 10 in order to keep possession.
3rd Quarter, 2:51 left - Adams throws up a prayer to Cory Mitchell, but it is out of his range. 2nd and 10 coming up from their own 45 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 3:44 left - Forte carries for 3 yards to the EWU 40 yard line. 3rd and 2 is then converted by Adams finding Shaq Hill right past the marker.
3rd Quarter, 4:09 left - Adams find Terry Jackson for a first down and then Adams keeps the ball for a 5 yard gain.
3rd Quarter, 4:58 left - Forte carries the ball for a 4 yard gain. Forte has totaled 140 yards thus far today on the ground.
3rd Quarter, 5:06 left - Bomber calls for another fair catch and EWU looks to pad their lead starting from their own 13.
3rd Quarter, 6:00 left - A couple of short passes leaves SHSU with a third and short, but Goldwire tackles Ridgeway Frank to make it 4th and 3.
3rd Quarter, 6:46 left - Johnson finds Louis for a first down and SHSU converts their second 3rd and long on this drive.
3rd Quarter, 7:05 left - Back-to-back good plays from the EWU defense leaves SHSU with a 3rd and 13.
3rd Quarter, 8:04 left - SHSU called for another hold by a receiver and it is 1st and 12 from their own 36 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 8:22 left - Johnson buys time and finds Derreck Edwards for a first down!
3rd Quarter, 9:00 left - Johnson could not find an open receiver and is taken down for no gain. 3rd and very long for SHSU.
3rd Quarter, 9:12 left - Johnson fires high and the ball falls incomplete.
3rd Quarter, 9:15 left - SHSU is called for holding and will start even farther back. 1st and 17 is up for SHSU.
3rd Quarter, 9:23 left - SHSU will start from their own 28 yard line after a 20 yard return by De'Chaar Greer.
3rd Quarter, 9:28 left - EWU now leads 28-21. That drive took 11 plays, 72 yards, and 3:45 to punch in the end zone. Bomber ended up atoning for his dropped pass from earlier on the drive.
3rd Quarter, 9:28 left - Nice catch by Blair Bomber for his second of the day. The ball looked as if it was going to be knocked down, but the defender was a step slow. Bomber and Adams now have TWO 3-yard touchdown passes and catches on the day.
3rd Quarter, 9:32 left - Adams looks for Mitchell, but the ball is too high.
3rd Quarter, 9:50 left - EWU goes back to Forte, but he loses a yard to the 3. 2nd and goal for EWU next.
3rd Quarter, 10:18 left - What a run by Quincy Forte!! Forte slips through the line, makes a cut, and avoids two tacklers to get down inside the 5 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 11:00 left - Adams tried to get the first down on a QB draw, but he only gets 2 yards. 3rd and 2 for EWU.
3rd Quarter, 11:08 left - Kupp gets about 6 yards on the catch as EWU will have 2nd and 4 from the SHSU 43.
3rd Quarter, 11:30 left - Bomber atones for his drop by catching a first down pass at midfield.
3rd Quarter, 11:34 left - OH!!!! Blair Bomber looked to have a sure touchdown, but he flat out dropped the ball as he got behind the secondary.
3rd Quarter, 12:10 left - Forte picks up 3 yards to the EWU 41 yard line. 2nd and 7 on deck for the Eagles.
3rd Quarter, 12:30 left - SHSU brings the blitz, as Adams drops far back and finds Kupp. Kupp made a wonderful catch and run to pick up the first down.
3rd Quarter, 13:13 left - EWU will start at their own 28 after a fair catch by Blair Bomber. EWU did not gain any yards on their first down.
3rd Quarter, 13:50 left - EWU brings the heat and Johnson gets taken down by Samson Ebukam on a sack. EWU will get the ball back.
3rd Quarter, 13:55 left - Keshawn Hill got 3 yards before an incompletion by Johnson. A false start will make it 3rd and 12 from their own 34 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 14:28 left - Johnson finds tight end Shane Young for a 14 yard gain to the 36 yard line.
3rd Quarter, 14:56 left - We are underway as SHSU will start at their own 19 yard line.
Halftime - One thing the Bearkats must work on controlling the ball. EWU had the ball almost two times longer than SHSU, which could wear the defensive down as the game goes into the 4th quarter.
Halftime - Yes, if it were not for 3 big plays by the Bearkats, they would not be in this game, but Eastern Washington has struggled defensively. They have given up 190 yards rushing and have looked incredibly vulnerable in the secondary. If Jared Johnson connected on a few of his passes, it might be Sam Houston State that would be up 14 points.
Halftime - Here are the stats from the first two quarters of action:
Halftime - The first half ends with Johnson taking a knee. We are tied at 21-21 between Sam Houston State and Eastern Washington.
2nd Quarter, 0:10 left - Johnson throws two straight incompletions and they are looking at 3rd and 10.
2nd Quarter, 0:25 left - Johnson takes two carries to the left out to the SHSU 25 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 0:54 left - Jake Miller punts the ball 53 yards, as Orr is only able to get 3 yards on the return. SHSU starts on their own 14 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 1:06 left - Adams tried to set up the screen, but it was knocked down and EWU will punt away.
2nd Quarter, 1:40 left - Adams only picks up 3 on 2nd down. 3rd and 7 from their own 36 to convert.
2nd Quarter, 1:51 left - Adams had all day to throw on 1st and 10, but it was knocked down.
2nd Quarter, 1:57 left - Johnson tried to find Kiante' Griffin on a deep fade, but it fell incomplete. EWU gets the ball back on their own 34 yard line after a good return from Bomber.
2nd Quarter, 2:40 left - Johnson fires high and wide of Thomas on 1st and 10. Then, he goes for 5 yards to the SHSU 28 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 2:59 left - Johnson finds Louis to get away from the end zone and out to the 23 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 3:05 left - Trenier Orr lets the ball roll down to the 2 yard line and SHSU will have to go 97 yards for a TD.
2nd Quarter, 3:18 left - Adams' throw towards Shaq Hill was too far for him as he was under pressure. SHSU will get the ball back with over 3 minutes left in the first half.
2nd Quarter, 4:00 left - Bomber cannot handle the pass and Forte runs for two yards to set up a 3rd and 8.
2nd Quarter, 4:18 left - Forte gets two yards on 2nd and 10 and then Adams finds Cory Mitchell for 17 yards and a first down at the EWU 31.
2nd Quarter, 5:07 left - Adams' throw is slightly behind Kupp and it is knocked down.
2nd Quarter, 5:12 left - Johnson throws off his back foot on 3rd and 6, which causes the pass to fall incomplete. EWU gets the ball back at their own 11 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 5:41 left - LaDarius Brown got behind the safeties, but Johnson fires well past him on 1st and 10.
2nd Quarter, 6:11 left - Hill picks up two yards and 3rd and 1 is coming up, which is converted by SHSU.
2nd Quarter, 6:24 left - Johnson finds Louis, but the ball was high and may have cause Louis to not get the first down.
2nd Quarter, 6:30 left - The refs call personal fouls on both teams, which are off-setting. SHSU will start on their own 26 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 6:30 left - Tempers flaring now between the two teams. Flags are out and the officials are discussing the incidents.
2nd Quarter, 6:33 left - That drive took the Eagles 7 plays, 88 yards, and 2:17 to complete.
2nd Quarter, 6:33 left - TOUCHDOWN EAGLES!!! Great blocks by the linemen and some good vision by Jalen Moore allows him to score from 34 yards out. We are tied again, this time at 21.
2nd Quarter, 7:03 left - Adams avoids more hits and sacks as he gains 6 yards. 2nd and 4 from the SHSU 34 up next.
2nd Quarter, 7:20 left - 12 yard gain by Quincy Forte is followed by another 20 yards on the next ply by him as well.
2nd Quarter, 7:51 left - Cory Mitchell gets open on the sideline for a first down.
2nd Quarter, 7:58 left - Adams went up top for Kupp but the ball fell incomplete. 3rd and long for EWU.
2nd Quarter, 8:05 left - Jalen Moore runs for two yards and EWU burns their last time out of the first half with a 2nd and 8 on tap.
2nd Quarter, 8:50 left - Blair Bomber fair catches and EWU starts at their own 12 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 8:57 left - Jared Johnson missed yet another wide open receiver and that would have gone for a TD had they been in sync. The 3rd down pass was poor as well and EWU will get the ball back.
2nd Quarter, 9:25 left - Hill is stopped after getting back to the line scrimmage. 2nd and 10 for SHSU.
2nd Quarter, 9:30 left - The Bearkats will start on their own 37 yard line after a 34 yard punt by Jake Miller.
2nd Quarter, 9:38 left - Adams got away from the pressure and threw the ball just a bit too high for Cory Mitchell. EWU punting again.
2nd Quarter, 10:10 left - Adams could not get away as he lost 1 yard. 3rd and 5 from the 29 yard line for EWU.
2nd Quarter, 10:38 left - Mario Brown gets the hand off and gets 6 yards on first down.
2nd Quarter, 10:45 left - EWU will start on their own 24 yard line after Shaq Hill returned the ball 19 yards.
2nd Quarter, 10:53 left - This is starting to feel like 2013 when Sam Houston State ran for 450 yards en route to a 49-34 victory on September 28.
2nd Quarter, 10:53 left - Jared Johnson strolls away from the EWU defense for a 53 yard touchdown run!! Sam Houston State goes up 21-14. It was a great block by LaDarius Brown to keep the corner from getting to him.
2nd Quarter, 11:13 left - Johnson with another overthrow of a wide open receiver. This time, it could have gone for a touchdown.
2nd Quarter, 11:32 left - Johnson gained 8 yards on the ground and Louis caught another pass to get the first down.
2nd Quarter, 11:51 left - Jared Johnson overthrows a wide open Louis, which would have resulted in a nice 20 yard gain.
2nd Quarter, 11:57 left - SHSU will start on their own 20 yard line after a holding penalty on the kickoff.
2nd Quarter, 12:04 left - Wonderful response from the Eagles, as they went 74 yards in 7 plays in only 2:30 to tie the game.
2nd Quarter, 12:04 left - TOUCHDOWN EWU!! Another breakdown in the defense leads to an easy throw and catch for a touchdown. Adams finds a WIDE OPEN Kendrick Bourne for a 13 yard touchdown pass. We are tied at 14.
2nd Quarter, 12:30 left - Forte gets the ball down to 13 yard line for a 4 yard gain on first down.
2nd Quarter, 12:57 left - Forte gets the screen pass and takes it to the SHSU 32 yard line. SHSU commits another unnecessary roughing penalty and now EWU is at the 17 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 13:25 left - Slbendorio catches another pass, this time into SHSU territory.
2nd Quarter, 13:41 left - Adams finds Sblendorio for another first down, as SHSU defender Michael Wade goes down with an injury.
2nd Quarter, 13:50 left - Adams finds Cory Mitchell on a slant to give the Eagles a first down.
2nd Quarter, 14:19 left - Quincy Forte picks up 3 yards on 1st down for EWU.
2nd Quarter, 14:29 left - Shaq Hill returns the kickoff 22 yards to the 25 yard line. Another chance for EWU to try and stem the momentum built up by SHSU.
2nd Quarter, 14:34 left - What a turn of events for both teams. Sam Houston State needed only three plays from scrimmage to go from losing 7-0 to winning 14-7.
2nd Quarter, 14:34 left - PICK SIX!!!!! Adams tries to set up a screen pass, but Orr read it perfectly and took it back for a 57 yard touchdown. SHSU up 14-7.
2nd Quarter, 14:44 left - Quincy Forte runs for a huge 18 yard gain and SHSU adds 15 more to that for an unnecessary roughness. Just like that, EWU is into SHSU territory at the 41 yard line.
2nd Quarter, 14:51 left - SHSU kicks off and it goes for a touchback. Time for Vernon Adams and EWU to come up with a response.
2nd Quarter, 14:51 left - That is the threat of Sam Houston State. They had not been threatening at any point yet, but Hill changes the entire game with his speed.
2nd Quarter, 14:51 left - TOUCHDOWN SAM HOUSTON STATE!!! Keshawn Hill got a huge hole and takes it the house!!! 79 yards to the end zone to tie the game at 7.
End of the 1st Quarter - Here are the stats from the 1st quarter of play, courtesy of ESPN.
End of the 1st Quarter - Tevin McDonald, former UCLA player, made a wonderful play to tip the ball on 1st down. Hill picks up 8 yards on 2nd down to close out the first quarter.
1st Quarter, 0:08 left - Adams completes the pass to Kupp, but it is two yards short of a first down. EWU punts away to SHSU, who can only manage a 2 yard return.
1st Quarter, 0:54 left - EWU takes their second time out and we are still in the 1st quarter. Will be interesting to see if it comes back to hurt them at the end of the 1st half.
1st Quarter, 0:54 left - Shaq Hill was WIDE OPEN and Adams missed him completely. Yet another touchdown that goes begging for EWU.
1st Quarter, 1:39 left - Adams throws the ball to Kupp who gets just past the first down marker for the first down.
1st Quarter, 2:15 left - Good read by Adams as he give the ball off to his back, Forte, for a 6 yard gain.
1st Quarter, 2:21 left - Adams tried to squeeze ball into Cory Mitchell, but it was broken up. 2nd and 10 coming up.
1st Quarter, 2:25 left - Kupp takes the punt, but is quickly smothered from getting any sort of return. EWU takes over at their own 30.
1st Quarter, 2:33 left - Two small gains by SHSU leaves them with 3rd and 15. Johnson had trouble with the snap on third down and SHSU will be giving the ball back to EWU.
1st Quarter, 3:34 left - SHSU is called for a chop-block after a 9 yard run by Jared Johnson.
1st Quarter, 3:40 left - The Bearkats stand tall by making sure Adams did not get away and will get the ball back on their own 33 yard line.
1st Quarter, 3:46 left - What a chance for EWU!! Adams overthrew his receiver, Cooper Kupp, and they are going to go for it from the 27 yard line. Sam Houston takes a timeout.
1st Quarter, 4:10 left - Mitchell gets another 4 yard pass to make it 3rd and 3.
1st Quarter, 4:45 left - Mario Brown gets 3 yards on his 1st down run.
1st Quarter, 5:09 left - Adams avoids the sack and hits Cory Mitchell for a 14 yard gain for a first down.
1st Quarter, 5:15 left - After an incompletion, Adams takes a timeout as EWU is looking at a 3rd and 10 on the SHSU 48 yard line.
1st Quarter, 5:25 left - Shaq Hill has another pass go off his fingertips and he would have been in for a touchdown again.
1st Quarter, 5:36 left - Trenier Orr is called for pass interference and there is another flag thrown called on the next play.
1st Quarter, 5:41 left - Vernon Adams is cramping on the sideline for the Eagles, due to his sickle cell trait. He has experienced this issue in the past, but has been able to overcome it.
1st Quarter, 5:41 left - EWU will get the ball back at their own 27 yard line after Kupp fair catches the ball.
1st Quarter, 6:00 left - After an incompletion on 2nd down, a short screen play to Keshawn Hill only gets 6 yards. SHSU will give the ball right back to EWU.
1st Quarter, 6:20 left - Huge stop by Dylan Zylstra for EWU. He stuffed Keshawn Hill for a 3 yard loss.
1st Quarter, 6:30 left - SHSU will start at their own 29 yard line after a 28 yard return by Cory Idlebird.
1st Quarter, 6:35 left - TOUCHDOWN EAGLES!! Adams finds a wide open Blair Bomber after a mix up in the SHSU defense. Adams threw a 3 yard touchdown strike to Bomber and the Eagles lead 7-0.
1st Quarter, 6:40 left - Adams throws to Zach Wimberly in the end zone, but Wimberly cannot hang onto the pass. 3rd and goal coming up.
1st Quarter, 7:00 left - Vernon Adams takes a late hit on a read, but there is no flag.
1st Quarter, 7:45 left - 1st and goal for EWU!! Cooper Kupp runs across the field and gets the pass down to the 5 yard line. 22 yard pass and catch.
1st Quarter, 8:20 left - Mario Brown picks up the first down with a 7 yard burst to the SHSU 27 yard line.
1st Quarter, 8:40 left - Terry Jackson II catches a 6 yard pass and then Forte gets 3 yards to make it 3rd and 1.
1st Quarter, 9:00 left - Quincy Forte got a nice hole to run through and gains 17 yards to the SHSU 43 yard line.
1st Quarter, 9:25 left - Shaq Hill runs a slant route and gets out to the 40 yard line.
1st Quarter, 9:55 left - Adams makes another electrifying run as he gets a bunch of open space out to the EWU 26 yard line. Forte gets a 5 yard run on the next play.
1st Quarter, 10:09 left - So far, both teams are running at a high-tempo, but neither has cracked the opposing defense.
1st Quarter, 10:09 left - Cooper Kupp makes a slipping fair catch on his own 12 yard line, which will bring out Vernon Adams for his second drive.
1st Quarter, 10:50 left - On 3rd and 2, Keshawn Hill only got 1 yard and SHSU elects to punt the ball away.
1st Quarter, 11:20 left - Johnson completes back-to-back passes to Yedidah Louis as the Bearkats get close to midfield.
1st Quarter, 11:55 left - Jared Johnson got around the outside for a small gain. 3rd and 3, which is converted by Johnson again with his feet, as he got out to the 36 yard line.
1st Quarter, 12:30 left - Keshawn Hill gets the hand off for a 2 yard gain.
1st Quarter, 12:43 left - Cooper Kupp gets the dump pass, but he ends up about 2 yards shy of a first down. EWU punts the ball away and it goes out of the end zone for a touchback.
1st Quarter, 13:25 left - On 2nd and 9, Adams put up a perfect throw to Shaq Hill, but Hill could not catch the ball, which would have gone for a sure touchdown.
1st Quarter, 14:30 left - Adams made some nifty moves and broke some tackles on 2nd and 7 to get out to the 42 yard line.
1st Quarter, 14:54 left - EWU will start on their own 25 yard line.
3:35 PM EST - Sam Houston State will be kicking off to Eastern Washington, as we get the season underway!!
3:33 PM EST - Eastern Washington will be decked out in all black uniforms. Sam Houston State will be in all white uniforms.
3:25 PM EST - Currently, there is not a cloud in the sky. Jared Johnson will be making the start at quarterback for Sam Houston State. Johnson threw for 82 yards in backup action last season. He also ran for 132 yards on the ground. He is inexperienced, but coach Keeler thinks highly enough of him to get the start on the road against a top team.
3:20 PM EST - Just 15 minutes until the start of the 2014 college football season!!
3:15 PM EST - Of course, this game will be quite the stern test for Sam Houston State with the losses they suffered on both offense and defense.
3:10 PM EST - Meanwhile, Sam Houston State also plays in a very good conference with #3 Southeastern Louisiana and #8 McNeese State. The Bearkats are fortunate as they only have to play McNeese State and that game is at home.
3:02 PM EST - While there are high expectations for EWU, they also play in a deep and talented conference in the Big Sky. #5 Montana, #18 Montana State, and #23 Northern Arizona are all in the conference and EWU has to play all three of those teams in 2014.
2:56 PM EST - It is clear that there are extremely high expectations for Eastern Washington in 2014.
2:51 PM EST - The Coaches Poll looks similar at the top with North Dakota State at #1, Eastern Washington at #2, Southeastern Louisiana at #3, New Hampshire at #4, and Montana at #5.
2:48 PM EST - The top five, again in descending order, is #5 Montana, #4 New Hampshire, #3 Southeastern Louisiana, #2 North Dakota State, and #1 Eastern Washington.
2:43 PM EST - South Dakota State, Northern Iowa, McNeese State, Coastal Carolina, and Jacksonville are at #10, #9, #8, #7, and #6, respectively.
2:38 PM EST - Tennessee State, Chattanooga, Towson, Villanova, and Fordham come in at #15, #14, #13, #12, and #11, respectively.
2:33 PM EST - Richmond, William & Mary, Montana State, Sam Houston State, and Eastern Illinois are at #20, #19, #18, #17, and #16, respectively.
2:30 PM EST - Coming in at #25 is Maine with Youngstown State, Northern Arizona, Bethune Cookman, and Furman at #24, #23, #22, and #21, respectively.
2:25 PM EST - Let's take a look at the other teams ranked in the Top 25 of the FCS, according to The Sports Network. The list will be done in descending order.
2:15 PM EST - It is expected to be a beautiful day, weather-wise. The forecast calls for a high of 75 degrees with mostly sunny skies. There is no rain on the horizon for today's game.
2:10 PM EST - This game will be very important for both teams. Both teams have winnable games on August 30. EWU faces Montana Western and Sam Houston State takes on Alabama State.
1:50 PM EST - Hill has done well for the Bearkats with a total of 1,396 rushing yards and 2,312 all-purpose yards when his returns are totaled in.
1:44 PM EST - Sam Houston State returns just 7 starters from last year. Gone is quarterback Timothy Flanders, as is running back Brian Bell. Replacing them will be Jared Johnson and Keshawn Hill.
1:37 PM EST - For the entire 2013 season, Adams threw for 4,994 yards (65.9%), 55 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He also ran for 605 yards and 4 touchdowns. The numbers include stats from the three playoff games that Eastern Washington played.
1:33 PM EST - 2013 was the breakout year for Adams. His coming out game was against #25 Oregon State on August 31 in the season opener. In that game, Adams threw for 411 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also added 107 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground.
1:25 PM EST - The Eastern Washington Eagles will be led on the field by quarterback Vernon Adams. For those who have not seen him play, he is very exciting. Adams started his career with a redshirt year in 2011. He split time at quarterback in 2012 with Kyle Padron. For 2012, Adams finished with 131 completions from 215 attempts (60.9%) with 1,961 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He also ran for 342 yards (5.3 average) and 1 touchdown.
1:20 PM EST - Eastern Washington is the #1 team in the nation, while Sam Houston State is ranked at #17.
1:15 PM EST - For the 2013, Eastern Washington finished with a record of 12-3, while Sam Houston State ended at 9-5.
1:11 PM EST - Baldwin moved over to Eastern Washington for the 2008 season. In his first 6 seasons, he has gone 66 and 25 with the aforementioned 2010 FCS Championship.
1:08 PM EST - Eastern Washington's coach is Beau Baldwin. He spent 1 season at Division II Central Washington, finishing 10-3 and making an appearance in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
1:06 PM EST - In 11 seasons at Delaware, Keeler only made the playoffs 4 times. He finished his time there with a record of 86 wins and 52 losses. He was fired after the 2012 season when the Hens finished 5-6.
1:03 PM EST - Keeler then moved on to FCS Delaware for the 2002 season and spent a total of 11 seasons there. It did not take long for Keeler to make his mark, as he won the 2003 FCS Championship in his second season. He would also lead Delaware to the 2007 and 2010 FCS Championships, but lost both of those games.
1:00 PM EST - Keeler spent 9 years at Division II Rowan and he did very well. He made the playoffs in 7 years and went to the Division II Championship game 5 times. Unfortunately, he lost all 5 times in those games by an average score of 42 to 18. At Rowan, Keeler compiled a record of 88-21-1.
12:56 PM EST - After the 2013 season, head coach Willie Fritz left Sam Houston State for Georgia Southern. Taking his place was K.C. Keeler who has previously coached at Division II Rowan and FCS Delaware.
12:53 PM EST - 2013 was a poor finish, given their Championship appearances in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, the Bearkats won their opening game against Southern Utah 51-20, but lost 30-29 in the second round at Southeastern Louisiana.
12:50 PM EST - Overall, Sam Houston State has done wonderfully in the FCS playoffs in the past three years. In 2011 and 2012, they made the FCS Championship twice. Unfortunately, they lost to North Dakota State both times, as their offense was shut down by the stingy Bison defense.
12:47 PM EST - 2013 marked the second straight year Eastern Washington made the FCS semifinals, but once again the Eagles could not make the Championship. They lost in another close game, this time it was by a score of 35-31 to Towson.
12:45 PM EST - The Eagles missed the 2011 FCS Playoffs, but came back in 2012 to make the FCS semifinals. They lost in a thriller to today's opponent, Sam Houston State. The final score was 45-42.
12:42 PM EST - Eastern Washington won the 2010 FCS Championship after defeating Southeast Missouri State, North Dakota State, Villanova, and Delaware.
12:40 PM EST - For those who have not see Roos Field, it is pictured above. Yes, it is actually red and is nicknamed "The Inferno."
12:35 PM EST - Game time for this matchup is at 3:30 PM Eastern Time with the game being played at Roos Field in Cheney, Washington.
12:33 PM EST - Both Sam Houston State and Eastern Washington play in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of college football and have been powerhouses in recent years.
12:30 PM EST - Welcome to VAVEL USA's live coverage of the opening game of the college football season between the Sam Houston State Bearkats and the Eastern Washington Eagles.