CALDWELL, Idaho – Jace Billingsley recorded 294 yards of total offense and three touchdowns, leading No. 21 Eastern Oregon to a 45-21 victory over the College of Idaho at Simplot Stadium.
The junior rushed for 138 yards and two scores, adding nine receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown, helping the Mountaineers (7-3, 6-3 Frontier) keep their NAIA Football Championship Series hopes alive.
A fake punt midway through the first quarter led to EOU's first score, as rushed for 28 yards on the drive, plowing in from two yards out for the early 7-0 lead. The Yotes (4-6, 4-5) answered back early in the second quarter, as a 15-yard Teejay Gordon pass to Marcus Lenhardt set up a Zach Garzoli one-yard scoring run.
Billingsley gave Eastern the lead for good on the Mounties next possession, breaking through the line on a 67-yard scoring run. Billingsley added a 22-yard touchdown reception from Zach Bartlow and following a long Calvin Connors punt return late in the quarter, Bartlow scored on a 27-yard option run to give EOU a 28-7 lead at the break.
C of I would not go away, scoring on their first possession of the second half as Gordon and Lenhardt hooked up from 23 yards out to cut the deficit to 28-14. After a Marc David field goal extended the lead to 31-14, the Yotes drove to the Mountaineers 35, before Tucker Stanley recovered a fumble for EOU – with the visitors turning the miscue into points, as T.J. Esekielu capping a six-play drive with a six-yard touchdown run.
Bartlow was 21-of-34 for 324 yards in the victory, adding 50 yards on the ground. Calvin Connors made five receptions for 48 yards for the Mountaineers.
Gordon was 9-of-19 for 119 yards and two interceptions, adding 63 yards on the ground. Lenhardt made five receptions for 88 yards – moving into the No. 2 spot on C of I's single-season receptions list. Ryan Texeira had 72 yards rushing on 14 carries, with Zach Cooper recording three catches for 34 yards.
C of I closes out the season next weekend with a noon kickoff at No. 2 ranked Carroll College.
