Gage Gubrud throws five touchdown pass and Nsimba Webster catches 10 passes for a career-best 212 yards and two scores for the Eagles.
Gage Gubrud threw for five touchdowns, Nsimba Webster and Sam McPherson had career days and Eastern Washington opened the season on Saturday with a 58-13 win over visiting Central Washington.
Gubrud finished 19 of 23 for 337 yards, his 17th 300-yard game, with Webster catching 10 passes for a career-high 212 yards, ninth-best in school history, and two scores. McPherson had 15 carries for 185 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles had 677 yards of total offense, fifth-most in school history.
Calin Criner returned the opening kickoff 20 yards to midfield and on the first snap of the season, Gubrud connected with Webster for a 50-yard touchdown.
Reilly Hennessey, who started his career at Eastern before transferring to Division II Central after Gubrud won the starting job in 2016, threw for one touchdown and ran for another.
“We got a lot of juice off the first offensive play in this setting – your first game, your first game at home and the Reilly versus his former team setting,” Eastern coach Aaron Best said.
The Pirates kept the Leopards out of the end zone for the second straight season, following a 53-0 win last year. Leif Ericksen was 16 of 25 for 239 yards with two touchdowns.
Nick Bernhardt threw for three touchdowns and Alvin Johnson had 12 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns for the Loggers (1-0).