Eastern Washington Eagles vs Washington State Cougars Match Player Stats On Sep 03, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Sep 4, 2016

Sophomore quarterback Gage Gubrud threw five touchdowns in his first career start and wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught three TD passes to become the all-time FCS leader as Eastern Washington upset Washington State 45-42 on Saturday in Pullman, Wash.

Gubrud was 34 of 40 for 474 yards and added the clinching score on a 30-yard touchdown run with 1:39 left while Kupp caught 12 passes for 206 yards. Gubrud added 77 rushing yards and wide receiver Shaq Hill recorded seven receptions for 119 yards for the Eagles (1-0).

Quarterback Luke Falk, who was fifth in the nation with 4,561 yards passing as a sophomore in 2015, was 41 of 51 for 418 yards with four touchdowns and an interception as the Cougars (0-1) fell to 0-5 in openers under coach Mike Leach. Washington State wide receiver Gabe Marks caught 10 passes for 108 yards and two scores before leaving with an apparent leg injury.

Falk connected with Marks, who caught a school-record 15 touchdown passes last season, for a 53-yard score and the game's first points. Marks recorded his second TD when he fought off defensive back D'londo Tucker in the corner of the end zone to haul in a 2-yard score and give the Cougars a 21-14 lead.

Kupp, the reigning FCS Offensive Player of the Year, tied the game at 21 when he caught a pass over the middle and turned it into a 75-yard touchdown after breaking a tackle. Gubrud found Kupp inexplicably wide open in the end zone for a 26-yard score and a 31-28 lead early in the third quarter.

Kupp recorded his 59th career TD catch, breaking the old record set by New Hampshire's David Ball from 2003-06, with a one-handed grab in the back corner of the end zone for a 7-yard score to extend Eastern Washington's lead to 38-28 in the third quarter. Kupp caught at least two TDs in all four of his games against the Pac-12.

Falk's 9-yard touchdown pass to running back Gerard Wicks with 4:42 left got Washington State within a field goal before Gubrud put it away with his burst up the middle.

This was the second time in four years the Cougars defeated a Pac-12 team to open a season. They defeated No. 25 Oregon State 49-46 in 2013.