Stop the presses! The Eastern Washington Eagles lurched to life with their backs against the wall, finally putting together a scoring drive in the third quarter. Down 19-0 to the Delaware Blue Hens in the FCS Championship, Eastern came roaring back, putting together a “where have you been all day” drive, capped with an acrobatic 22-yard touchdown catch by Brandon Kaufman.
The drive was just what the doctor ordered for an Eagle offense that struggled to move the ball against a stout Delaware defense. The Eagles used the quick strike, driving 80 yards in just five plays to get on the board. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was 3-4 on the drive, throwing for 79 of Eastern’s 80 yards. Kaufman was the favorite target, catching two passes for 46 yards, including an impressive catch and run to find the end zone. Kaufman broke a tackle, went airborne and dove into the end zone, barely breaking the plane. The two-point conversion failed.
With just one quarter to go, the Eagles are alive, but just barely. Delaware holds a 19-6 advantage heading into the final frame in Frisco, Texas.