To tailgate or not

I was at the EWU home opener on Saturday and what a tale of two halves. Eastern was behind 24-7 at halftime to Northern Iowa and it really didn’t look good for the hometown boys.

The fans were a bit antsy to say the least. Most everyone wondered what happened to the team that beat WSU and took top rated North Dakota State to overtime on the road. All-American Cooper Kupp suited up but didn’t play because of a sprained shoulder that he injured in the NDS game.

Coach Baldwin didn’t play Kupp knowing that his talents were needed in conference play and not in a nonleague contest, even though the outcome would be important for both teams.

The Panthers of Northern Iowa moved the ball very well on their first drive. But the Eagles put up a great goal line stand keeping the big boys from the Midwest out of the end zone.

On fourth down the Panther QB showed off some athleticism by leaping over the pile and just getting the football to cross the goal line.

Eastern trailed by 10 before they broke through with a TD pass. Something didn’t seem right on this day as Gage Gubrud had trouble hitting open receivers and throwing a couple of interceptions. The defense spent too much of the first half on the field and it really didn’t look good as the first half came to an end.

I’m not sure what was said at halftime or if the real Eagles found their uniforms and took the field instead of the imposters. Whatever it was couldn’t have come at a better time.

True freshman running back Antoine Custer Jr. would take the second half kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.

The energy returned to Roos Field followed by a bunch of fans that had left for their trailers and motor homes for a bite and a brew I’m sure at halftime.

A very entertaining second half replaced an ugly first half.

The wind played a role in this game as the Eagles fought back to take a 28-24 lead with Reilly Hennessey taking over for a struggling Gage Gubrud. Hennessey put Kendrick Bourne to work and it was fun to see the short passing game work to perfection.

With the wind to their backs in the fourth quarter Northern Iowa came back to life with a couple of good drives. When it mattered most the Eagle D made huge stops on fourth down plays to force two field goals. The second one gave the Panthers a 30-28 lead.

The Eagles had one big drive left in them and were on the verge of setting up for a winning field goal. A penalty would cost the Eagles important field position and on fourth down they would set up for what would be a 40-yard field goal try into a stiff wind.

I was not comfortable with seeing this play out because the kick had to be true and the wind was whipping. As I have seen the last few years, Coach Beau Baldwin called for a fake field goal and Hennessey threw a 23-yard TD pass to fourth string tight end Beau Byus. EWU would hold on for the huge come from behind win.

This was the first time in seven tries that Eastern has beaten Northern Iowa. It was also the first time the Panthers came to Cheney for the game. Home field is important.

I enjoy going to the EWU games but I’m not a tailgating kind of guy. I have my routine. Get to Cheney about an hour before kickoff and find a parking place. Then I walk over to Roos Field. On Saturday I got to my seat about 38 minutes before kickoff.

I watch the teams warm up and do drills watching the linemen, QBs and receivers and DBs. After the teams depart the field and just before the National Anthem Eastern introduces three service veterans that are former students, present day students or are employed by the school.

These intros bring a rousing round of applause.

Then the EWU ROTC brings the flags out to the middle of the field and usually someone sings the Star-Spangled Banner. I always remain standing until the colors depart the field. Then it is time for the coin flip and intros on the big screen on the south end of the field.

Now it is time for the kickoff and that is about the time the tailgaters make their way to their seats. These tailgaters usually stay and watch the game until there are two minutes left in the half.

These people have missed so many big plays by EWU in those last two minutes it’s ridiculous. The same thing happens at the end of the game. I’ve seen some huge comebacks and big plays and I haven’t left the stadium early in a long time.

I purchased my ticket to watch the game and then some. I usually visit at halftime or at the end of the game when I can breathe again.

It doesn’t bother me that the people around me miss those big plays.

Tailgating is fine for some but not for me.