VS. 
FBS Washington State Cougars (0-1, 0-0 PAC12) vs #9 Eastern Washington Eagles (1-0, 0-0 BSC)
Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012 • Noon Pacific
Martin Stadium (33,522) • Pullman, Wash.
TV: Pac-12 Network
The Eagles, ranked ninth in this week’s Sports Network NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Top 25 poll, is 1-0 after a 20-3 victory over Idaho last Thursday (Aug. 30) in Moscow, Idaho. The win snapped Eastern’s 10-game losing streak against NCAA Football Bowl Division foes, and EWU faces another this week in Pullman. The Cougars are 0-1 after a 30-6 loss at Brigham Young.
The radio broadcast of this week’s game, featuring Larry Weir, Paul Sorensen and Keith Osso, starts 1 1/2 hours prior to kickoff with the Eagle Tailgate Show. It may be heard on 700-AM ESPN, via the web at www.700espn.com and via iPhone application (search for “700 ESPN” and download the free app). The broadcast is also available via http://www.tunein.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and tunein’s mobile phone app.
Washington State was previously coached by Paul Wulff, who was 53-40 with three NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoff berths as Eastern’s head coach for eight seasons (2000-2007). But he was let go by WSU after compiling a 9-40 record in four seasons, including a 4-8 mark in 2011. Wulff spent a total of 15 seasons at EWU as a coach and is now with the San Francisco 49ers.
In his place, the Cougars hired Leach, who was a former head coach at Texas Tech University. Eastern played Leach to open the 2008 season – and the EWU coaching careers for Baldwin and Graham -- in Lubbock, Texas. With quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree operating with superb efficiency, the Red Raiders came away with a 49-24 victory, piling up 536 of its 639 yards of offense through the air.
That game was also the debut for sixth-year Eagle linebacker Zach Johnson, who finished with eight tackles and three passes broken up. His twin brother, current Dallas Cowboy Matt Johnson, had 10 tackles and the first of his 17 career interceptions.
In the last 15 seasons, only once has EWU given up that many passing yards (574 versus Northern Arizona in 2009) and only twice have the Eagles surrendered more yards of total offense (747 versus NAU in 2009 and 683 versus Montana State in 2004).
Beyond the pass-happy offense EWU must face, the Eagles will also play in front of a Martin Stadium crowd anxious to see Leach’s home opener as WSU’s head coach. Baldwin expects to face a hostile crowd, much like Eastern faced last week in Moscow in front of 11,136 fans in the Kibbie Dome.
“We’re going to be in a hostile environment and on the road against a Pac 12 opponent,” he said. “It’s going to be loud and we’re going to have to handle that environment again. Sometimes we just need to relax and make sure we’re focused in on what we’re doing.”
The Eagles are now 8-20 all-time versus members of FBS, with two victories in the last 14 tries – both coming against Idaho.
