CHENEY, Wash. – Mike Jarrett’s 31-yard field with 4 seconds left helped Eastern Washington win in its first game on its new red turf, 36-27 over Montana on Saturday before a record crowd at newly named Roos Field.
In the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams, Taiwan Jones rushed for a career-best 221 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles (2-1), ranked No. 18 in the NCAA Division I-Football Championship Subdivision.
Chase Reynolds rushed for 114 yards for the sixth-ranked Grizzlies (1-2), who have won or shared the conference title every year since 1998.
After Jarrett’s field goal, Montana took the kickoff and attempted several laterals as time expired and Eastern Washington fans and band members began rushing the field. Eventually, the Eagles stopped the Grizzlies’ return attempt, but the fans on the field resulted in Eastern Washington being flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. After the field was cleared, Montana took possession at its own 40, but backup quarterback Justin Roper was sacked and fumbled. Eastern Washington’s Renard Williams scooped it up and rumbled 34 yards for a touchdown as fans stormed the field a second time.
Montana had tied the game moments earlier on Brody McKnight’s 22-yard field goal with 1:29 remaining. The Grizzlies had second-and-goal at the Eastern Washington 1, but couldn’t punch in the go-ahead touchdown.
Eastern Washington started its final possession on its own 31 and marched deep into Montana territory. A 7-yard run by Jones and a Montana facemask penalty pushed the ball to the Grizzlies’ 8-yard line with 14 seconds left. Eagles quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell took the snap and slid to the middle of the field, setting up the game-winning field goal.
Montana looked like it would run away with it early, grabbing a 14-0 lead in a span of 11 seconds midway through the first quarter. But Eastern Washington answered on its next possession and tied it midway through the second quarter on Jones’ 72-yard run.
Mitchell threw for 234 yards and Brandon Kaufman had 119 yards receiving for the Eagles, who played before a crowd of 11,702 at the field known as Woodward Field until this week. A year after retiring the No. 71 jersey of offensive lineman Michael Roos, who played at Eastern Washington from 2001-2004, the school renamed the field in honor of the All-Pro tackle for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. Roos contributed $500,000 toward the $825,000 final price tag for the red Sprinturf surface.
Andrew Selle completed 19-of-34 passes for 204 yards for Montana, which had won six straight in Cheney.