MOSES LAKE – It was a strong weekend for Washington college football teams across different levels. All four teams earned convincing wins in week nine. Teams like Eastern Washington now hold a strong record in the Big Sky conference. Meanwhile, the Huskies earned a statement win over Illinois and bounced back from a loss to Michigan.   

See below how your favorite teams fared last weekend and where they currently stand as we head into November.   

Eastern Washington (4-4) at Weber State  

The Eagles went on the road and defeated conference rival Weber State 23-20. The first half was a back-and-forth battle, according to a statement by EWU athletics. The Wildcats scored first, but the Eagles had a quick response. They forced a safety to take the lead, but Weber St. scored a touchdown in the second quarter to take the lead back. EWU then rattled off two touchdown drives in a row to take control of the game at halftime, 23-14.   

The second half was a slog as neither team found the endzone. The Wildcats converted two field goals but could not get any closer to the Eagles. Eastern's defense closed out the game with an interception. The defense held Weber to 345 total yards and forced two turnovers, adding another on special teams.   

“Three games in a row we have won on defense; it's an incredible feat,” head coach Aaron Best said. “It's the first road win of the year and these guys played out of this world. They don't just take our messages and run with them; they sprint with them. They're young and coachable. I'll run with this crew any week. We want to continue to win and play for bigger stakes next week.”  

This win is their third straight and puts them as the fourth-best team with a 3-1 record in the Big Sky conference. The University of Montana, UC Davis and Montana State are all still undefeated in conference play.   

The Eagles return to Cheney to host Sacramento State at 1 p.m. Nov. 1.  

BOX SCORE:  

EWU: 9-14-0-0: 23  

WBST: 7-7-3-3: 20  

Washington State (4-4) vs Toledo  

The Cougars bounced back from back-to-back losses with a 28-7 win at home over the Toledo Rockets. Head coach Jimmy Rogers said he was pleased with his team's production and how they made plays when it mattered most.   

“Excited about the win,” Rogers said. “Proud of our defense, they got put in some tough situations and responded constantly throughout the game. Offensively, we came out fast but kind of stalled in the second half. We got to find ways to get out of our own way at times.”   

After a scoreless first quarter, the Cougars erupted for 21 points in the second quarter. Quarterback Zevi Eckhaus opened the scoring with a seven-yard touchdown run to take the lead. WSU extended its lead on the next possession when Eckhaus connected with Tony Freeman for a 15-yard touchdown pass. The Cougars made it three straight scoring drives before halftime as Carter Pabst hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Eckhaus to push the lead to 21-0.  

In the second half, both teams went scoreless until the Cougars found the endzone in the fourth quarter to solidify their fourth win of the season. Eckhaus led the Cougars with 159 passing yards and two touchdowns while adding 74 yards and a score on the ground. The Cougar defense controlled the game throughout, holding Toledo to 61 rushing yards on 24 attempts while holding the Rockets to 299 yards of total offense, 157 yards below their season average.  

The Cougars hit the road on Nov. 1 to play Oregon State at 4:30 p.m.  

BOX SCORE:   

TLDO: 0-7-0-0: 7  

WSU: 0-21-0-7: 28  

Washington (6-2) vs Illinois   

The Huskies earned a statement conference win, defeating Illinois 42-25 on Saturday. Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch said he was excited to be bowl eligible after their win at home.   

“Always a great feeling to be able to play in the postseason,” Fisch said. “Our team came out ready to go today. They responded well from last week ... felt like all of the guys played really well. “  

Demond Williams Jr., who tossed four touchdown passes, threw a backward pass to Boston. The junior wideout threw the ball across the field to a wide-open Jonah Coleman for a trick play, allowing Washington to head into halftime with a 21-17 lead. Denzel Boston threw and caught a touchdown pass and finished with career highs of 10 catches and 153 receiving yards.  

The Huskies put up three more scores in the second half to seal their sixth win of the season. Coleman finished with 75 yards rushing and a touchdown, along with 32 yards receiving and a score through the air.   

The Huskies' defense stood out with two interceptions by Tacario Davis and Rahshawn Clark. They held Illinois to 337 yards of total offense.   

The Huskies have a bye this weekend but return to the gridiron Nov. 8 when they travel to Wisconsin to play the Badgers.   

BOX SCORE:   

ILLI: 3-14-0-8: 25  

UW: 14-7-7-14: 42  

Central Washington (7-1) at Midwestern State  

The Wildcats defeated Midwestern State 56-13 to remain undefeated in conference play. They had to navigate two weather delays and rain on their way to their seventh win of the season.   

“We are very proud of the way this team continues to handle adversity and travel; they are road warriors. We are excited to get home and celebrate senior week next week in a big game against Angelo (State),” head coach Chris Fisk said.   

Tied 7-7 after the first quarter, the Wildcats' offense exploded with 35 points in the second quarter to take a 42-13 lead at halftime. Quarterback Kennedy McGill began the third quarter with back-to-back connections, first to Logan Brady for nine yards, then to Camden Loidhamer for 21 yards and the first down.   

McGill then ran the ball for 19 yards to put the Wildcats deep in Mustang territory. Ryder Bumgarner took it from there, running in the final 24 yards for the touchdown. The Wildcats added one more score in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on their dominant win.   

McGill finished the game completing seven of nine passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns while leading the rushing attack with 174 yards and two more scores. Bumgarner and Ki’Marree Washington each had a rushing touchdown, with Bumgarner adding 64 yards and Washington adding 55. The Wildcats' defense had two sacks, three tackles for loss and a 90-yard pick-six.    

The Wildcats host Angelo State in their final home game of the season Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.   

BOX SCORE:   

CWU: 7-35-7-7: 56  

MWST: 7-6-0-0: 13 

    The Cougars defense piles on a Toledo ball carrier to make a group tackle. The Cougars dominated the Rockets 28-7 at home.
 WSU PHOTO SERVICES   

    Demond Williams Jr (2) and Denzel Boston (12) celebrate during the Huskies game against Illinois. The Huskies defeated Illinois 42-25 to become bowl eligible.
  

    Samaje Featherstone (19) celebrates as he heads to the sideline during Saturday’s game against Midwestern State. The Wildcats defeated MWST 56-13 on the road.