Getty EWU's Eric Barriere looks for another big performance on Saturday.
No. 4 Montana State and No. 5 Eastern Washington collide in a key heavyweight Big Sky Conference matchup on Saturday.
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The game (4 p.m. ET start time) will be televised locally on SWX, but if you live out of market or don’t have that channel, anyone in the US can watch Montana State vs Eastern Washington live on ESPN+:
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Montana State vs Eastern Washington Preview
Montana State and Eastern Washington come into Saturday’s game three points or less from being unbeaten. Both teams feature high-flying offenses, but if MSU’s defense can pass its biggest test of the season.
The Bobcats allowed more than 10 points in three of their first eight games, and no one has managed to hit the 20-point mark yet. MSU holds teams to 10.38 points per game and allows 277.1 yards per game with opponents playing from behind each week.
Daniel Hardy leads the Bobcats pass rush with eight sacks, and he has 39 tackles, three pass break ups, and a forced fumble this season. Ty Okada, Callahan O’Reilly, and Jeffrey Manning lead the secondary with two interceptions apiece.
They get to slow down an Eagles offense that piles on 51.5 points and 603.9 yards of total offense per game. No team has held EWU under 33 points in a game this season.
It starts with quarterback Eric Barriere, who has 3,312 yards passing, a 66.7% completion rate, 30 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Barriere also has three rushing touchdowns and 144 yards on the ground this season.
Barriere spreads the ball around to a wealth of talent. Four EWU receivers have 20 or more receptions, 300 or more yards, and two or more touchdowns this season.
EWU’s leading receiver Andrew Boston has 35 catches, 629 yards, and five touchdowns. Second-leading receiver Efton Chism III has 34 catches, 522 yards, and six touchdowns.
Dennis Merritt leads the EWU rushing attack with 692 yards and 13 touchdowns. Justice Jackson complements Merritt in the backfield with 6.3 yards per carry and three touchdowns.
MSU’s offense could keep up with the Eagles. The Bobcats average 33.5 points per game and average 422.3 yards per game.
Quarterback Matthew McKay leads the Bobcats offense with 1,556 yards passing, a 64.9% completion rate, 14 touchdowns, and only one interception. McKay also makes plays with his legs, averaging four yards per carry on 57 attempts.
Lance McCutcheon has been the go-to receiver for McKay with 39 catches for 663 yards and five touchdowns. Four other Bobcats receivers have 10 or more catches and 100 or more yards.
Isaiah Ifanse leads a potent Bobcats rushing attack with 907 yards and seven touchdowns. Elijah Elliott has 236 yards on a 5.2 yards per carry as the second back.
EWU gives up droves of points and yards defensively, but the Eagles have playmakers on that side of the ball, too. Joshua Jerome leads the pass rush with five sacks, and he has three forced fumbles and 38 tackles. Demetrius Crosby and Marlon Jones Jr. lead the secondary with two interceptions and three pass breakups apiece.