CHENEY, Wash. -- No. 6/7 Eastern Washington used a big second quarter to post a 54-3 Homecoming victory over North Dakota on Saturday at Roos Field in Big Sky play.

UND's defense held EWU's potent offense in check for the opening stanza, allowing only 74 yards of total offense and a 3-yard touchdown run by Quincy Forte, but that unit led by back-up quarterback Jordan West picked up 214 yards and three touchdowns in that explosive second quarter that saw the Eagles (8-2, 5-1 BSC) put the game out of reach.

“Eastern Washington is a good offensive football team. They have a lot of explosive players and a lot of players that can make plays. As a defense, you have to go downhill and you cannot play on your heels and that was an issue for us today,” UND head coach Bubba Schweigert said. “Offensively, we just could not get anything going there in the second quarter to keep our defense off the field.”

West finished with 314 yards and two touchdowns in what was his fourth start replacing All-American Vernon Adams in the starting lineup.

EWU was also apt at picking up key conversions, going 6-for-11 on third down and converting a fourth down on three of its four offensive touchdown drives in the first half. Meanwhile, UND (3-6, 1-4 BSC) converted only one third down in the game (12 attempts) as it never got on track, finishing with 157 yards of total offense.

The Eagles' defense accounted for the other touchdown in the 31-point second stanza as Moe Roberts returned an interception 26 yards to put the home team up 31-0.

True freshman quarterback Keaton Studsrud started and made his debut for UND after its top two quarterbacks were injured in last week's loss at Southern Utah. He led the offense to a pair of first downs on the opening drive, but the Eagles' defense would allow only two more the rest of the half.

Those both came on UND's lone scoring drive, which Reid Taubenheim ended with a 38-yard field goal. The true freshman's seventh field goal of the season was set up thanks to a career-long 25-yard carry by Jer Garman and a 19-yard rush on a fly sweep by Josh Seibel.

Garman finished with 18 carries for 92 yards in his second-straight productive game in the starting role. Unfortunately, West and company had just enough time to tack on the team's fifth touchdown of the opening half with three seconds left in the half after Shaq Hill caught an underneath screen pass and found the end zone from 15 yards out.

On their opening drive, the Eagles converted a pair of third-downs and added a fourth-down conversion as Forte capped that 15-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown scamper. The drive took the opening seven minute and 12 seconds off the clock and set the tone for the rest of the game.

Studsrud completed his first collegiate pass to Seibel for nine yards and moved the ball into EWU territory on the opening possession, but the team was forced to punt. He finished 5-for-19 in his collegiate debut for 37 yards.

Forte had 14 carries for 55 yards and two touchdowns in the opening half and All-American wide receiver Cooper Kupp added six catches for 64 yards and his 12th receiving touchdown of the season. The prolific sophomore finished with his 12th 100-yard receiving game, leading all receivers with nine catches for 111 yards.

UND returns home for its next two Big Sky games, starting next Saturday with its first-ever game against Weber State. Kickoff with the Wildcats is set for Noon CT at the Alerus Center.

GAME NOTES: Game captains for today's game were seniors Dwayne Pecosky and Alex Tillman along with juniors Brandon Anderson and Will Ratelle … True freshman Brandon Dranka had his third consecutive game with a sack … Sophomore Maverick Edmunds made a career-high six tackles with several of those coming on special teams … Edmunds also saw time at cornerback for the first time this season … True freshman Keaton Studsrud was the third freshman to start for UND over the past two seasons … Both Joe Mollberg and Ryan Bartels started multiple games a season ago, but were both sidelined with injuries for this one … Redshirt freshman Jake Disterhaupt had a team-high three tackles for loss to the help the defense rack up 14 total for the game … The 51-point loss is the worse in the Division I era (2008-present) for the UND football team and equals the worst loss since a 51-0 loss at Minnesota in 1926.

-- UND --