CHENEY, Wash. — The Eastern Washington Eagles (4-4, 3-1) are set to host the Sacramento State Hornets (4-4, 2-2) this Saturday on the red. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., and the game will air on SWX and SWXLocalSports.com.
The matchup marks the 27th all-time meeting between the two programs, with Eastern Washington holding a 20-6 advantage in the series. The Eagles are 7-5 at home and own a commanding 13-1 edge in Sacramento.
The teams last met in 2023, when EWU went on the road and upset the then-No. 18/20 Hornets 35-28. Sacramento State led 21-14 at halftime, but the Eagles stormed back with 21 straight points in the second half to take control. Eastern rushed for 286 yards and scored four touchdowns on the ground. Tuna Altahir led the way with 102 yards on 16 carries and one score, while Jared Taylor added 17 carries for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
The last time the teams met in Cheney was in 2022, when Sacramento State won 52-28 behind current New York Giant Cam Skattebo, who rushed 29 times for 201 yards.
The Eagles are coming off their best stretch of wins since 2021, beating Weber State, Idaho and Portland State in consecutive weeks. Eastern is also perfect this season when playing on the Inferno.
Last week, EWU earned its first road win of the season, defeating the Wildcats 23-20 behind running back Jared Taylor’s two rushing touchdowns and Nate Bell’s one passing touchdown, along with a stout defense that forced three turnovers. The game was Taylor’s first at running back after switching from quarterback.
The Hornets are coming off a 49-35 home loss to Montana. In the game, Sac State put up 478 yards but turned the ball over twice and couldn’t slow down the Grizzlies’ offense.
Sacramento State has been in the headlines all season long — and for all the wrong reasons. The Hornets’ president, Luke Wood, has hurt his team more than helped this season, making several outlandish comments about the FCS as a whole and specific teams in the Big Sky. It’s earned his team, which started ranked in the top 25, a 4-4 start to the season and, most recently, led to Sac State head coach Brennan Marion being fined $10,000 by the league for discussing how often his team has been penalized. Marion suggested it’s likely due to Wood’s comments, which he said don’t “represent his program.”
So not only have the players and coaches been focused on what’s happening on the field, but they’ve also had to deal with what the school’s leaders are saying on random podcasts and live game broadcasts.
The Hornets are sixth in the Big Sky standings, with the second-best offense, averaging 33.5 points per game, and the fifth-best defense, allowing 28.4 points per game.
EWU is fourth in the league standings, with the second-worst offense, scoring 22.9 points per game, and the eighth-best defense, allowing 31 points per game.
Eastern Washington vs. Sacramento State Betting Odds:
Early betting lines have Eastern Washington as a home underdog, with Sacramento State favored by 8.5 points. Sac State is -330 on the moneyline, while EWU is +240.
Saturday’s game is the kickoff of Native American Heritage Month. Eastern Washington will be wearing its custom helmet decal, which features the Salish phrase “uł pql̓qeyn” (pronounced oo-th p-kill-cane), meaning “group of eagles.” The decal was unveiled last season for the Eagles’ matchup against Montana State.