SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In an exciting matchup on Saturday night, Eastern Washington triumphed over Sacramento State with a final score of 35-28. The Eagles displayed their offensive prowess by scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half, propelled by standout performances from key players.

Kekoa Visperas shone in the game, completing 15 of 17 passes for a total of 141 yards and also contributing significantly on the ground with 45 rushing yards on 14 attempts. Adding to the offensive display, Jared Taylor garnered 98 rushing yards and secured two touchdowns. Tuna Altahir was another offensive highlight for Eastern Washington, rushing for 102 yards and scoring on both a 25-yard touchdown run and a 4-yard touchdown reception.

Taylor’s decisive 14-yard touchdown run in the third quarter shifted the momentum and gave the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish, bringing the score to 28-21. Later, he capped off a remarkable 10-play, 99-yard drive with a 23-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 14 points with just 2:46 remaining in the game.

Sacramento State’s Carson Conklin attempted to rally his team, completing 21 of 35 passes for 238 yards and tossing four touchdown passes. His efforts included setting up a score with a 37-yard completion to Jared Gipson and a 30-yard catch by Elijah Tau-Tolliver, ultimately concluding with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Danny Scudero. This narrowed the Eagles’ lead to 35-28 with 1:53 left on the clock. However, Eastern Washington successfully burned out the remaining time to secure their victory.

In addition to Conklin’s contributions, Tau-Tolliver added a notable 94 rushing yards on 18 carries for the Hornets, though it was not enough to overcome the Eagles. This win improves Eastern Washington’s record to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in the Big Sky Conference, while Sacramento State now holds a record of 2-4 and is 0-2 in conference play.