Eastern Oregon University quarterback Kai Quinn hands off to Jordan Eggers during a game Sept. 25, 2021, against the College of Idaho. EOU lost 24-7. A 24-3 loss to Southern Oregon a week later has the Mountaineers at 3-2 headed into a home game Saturday, Oct. 9 against Rocky Mountain.

LA GRANDE — It’s homecoming week at Eastern Oregon University, but the football team is all business heading into a critical matchup with Rocky Mountain College.

Coming off two straight losses, the Mountaineers host a Rocky Mountain team that is at the top of the Frontier Conference with a 4-1 record. Eastern’s season is up in the air after a 3-0 start to the year, making this matchup a must-win for the Mountaineers.

“We’ve dropped two games in a row, but at the same time it doesn’t stop the direction we want to go,” head coach Tim Camp said.

The Mountaineers come into the contest off two straight rivalry losses, losing 24-7 against the College of Idaho on Sept. 25 and 24-3 at Southern Oregon on Oct. 2. Eastern’s offense has stalled after a strong start to the season, scoring just 20 points in the team’s last three contests.

The Battlin’ Bears come into the game ranked No. 23 in the NAIA, practically switching spots with the Mountaineers. Eastern has climbed to as high as No. 11 in the polls this season, but finds itself on the outside looking in this week.

“Rocky Mountain is a good football team. They have good skill players and good players in the box,” Camp said. “We just have to execute. It’s really been us beating us lately.”

A much-improved Eastern defense is allowing 21.4 points per game this year, but the offense’s recent stagnancy has been the team’s Achilles’ heel. The Mountaineers are averaging 16.2 points per game this season, which ranks 81st in the NAIA. Rocky Mountain’s average of 35.7 points per game is tops in the Frontier Conference and 27th in the NAIA. The Mountaineers will either need to match the offensive production of the Battlin’ Bears or hope that the defense can limit the opposing team’s points.

In Eastern’s most recent loss to Southern Oregon, the Mountaineers gained just 51 total rushing yards in what was quarterback Kai Quinn’s second straight game with 35 or more passing attempts. Quinn led the team with 23 net rushing yards and threw for 233 yards and two interceptions.

“The run game has been hit or miss, but more miss lately,” Camp said. “There’s plays out there to be made, we just have to make them.”

In two straight rivalry games, a higher-ranked Eastern team found itself outplayed in difficult losses. Now playing the role of the underdog, the Mountaineers will look to play a more balanced game on homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. at Community Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 9.