The Eastern Washington Eagles are inching closer to a trip to the FCS Championship. After three quarters, Eastern leads Villanova in Spokane, 27-24. The third quarter started slow, but both offenses came alive late in the quarter, each scoring a touchdown in the final four minutes.
There’s something about the red turf in Spokane that brings out the worst and Villanova is feeling the effects. The Wildcats have turned the ball over four times, each coming on fumbles. The most costly came just two minutes into the fourth quarter. Angelo Babbaro fumbled deep in his own territory, only to see Eastern’s Tyler Washburn scoop the ball up and rumble 15 yards for the touchdown to give the Eagles a 10 point lead.
Bo Levi Mitchell came up big as the Eastern offense was stuttering in the third, airing it out and finding Brandon Kaufman for 76 yards and the touchdown as Kaufman outran the defense. Villanova answered the bell again, driving 50 yards in six plays, capped with a one-yard touchdown run by Chris Whitney.
The Eagles have a 10-point lead and are just 12 minutes away from a trip to the FCS finals.