CHENEY, Wash. (AP) - Eric Barriere threw three touchdown passes and Gunner Talkington threw for two more in an unexpected start and Eastern Washington rolled to a 62-10 win over Cal Poly on Saturday.
The school never announced why Talkington, a sophomore, stepped in for All-America candidate Barriere. Talkington connected with Talolo Limu-Jones for a 71-yard gain that set up his 12-yard TD strike to Freddie Roberson on the game’s opening possession.
Barriere took over and had three TD passes, T amarick Pierce rushed for the first of his two TDs and Seth Harrison kicked a 55-yard field goal, third-longest in school history, to make it 45-7 at halftime. Mitchell Johnson also had a 34-yard interception return.
It was a school record for points and yards (447) in a half for the Eagles (3-1, 3-1 Big Sky Conference). They finished with 683 yards, 416 through the air, 284 for Barriere and 132 for Talkington, who closed the scoring with a TD pass. Limu-Jones matched his career high with 147 yards on seven receptions.
Cal Poly got a touchdown pass from Hunter Raquet to Lepi Lataimua in the first quarter. The Mustangs (0-3) had 238 yards.
Two former EWU head coaches and three ex-Eagles player are on the Cal Poly staff, led by head coach Beau Baldwin, who guided Eastern Washington to the 2010 national championship. He is assisted by his former boss at EWU, Paul Wulff, and three standout players, Erik Meyer, J.C. Sherritt and Nicholas Edwards.
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