Jackson, Wortham each run for TDs, Jackson adds pick-6 to help E. Washington beat UC Davis 27-24

Updated Sep. 24, 2023 3:09 a.m. ET

Associated Press

DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — Justice Jackson and Michael Wortham each ran for a touchdown and Marlon Jones Jr. returned an interception for a TD on Saturday night to help Eastern Washington beat UC Davis 27-24 in a Big Sky Conference opener.

The Eagles (2-2) are 11-0 all time against UC Davis, which went into the weekend ranked No. 15 in the FCS coaches poll. Eastern Washington, which beat then-No. 22 Southeastern Louisiana 40-29 last week, has back-to-back wins over ranked teams following losses at No. 2 North Dakota State and Fresno State, an FBS opponent, to open the season.

Wortham’s TD, from 10-yards out, gave Eastern Washington the lead for good with 13:08 to play and the Eagles defense forced a three-and-out and intercepted a pass before Isaiah Perez blocked a 31-yard field goal-attempt by UCD’s Hunter Ridley with 3:20 remaining.

Lan Larison led UC Davis (2-2) with 225 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Eastern Washington's Soren McKee kicked a 40-yard field goal to make it 3-3 with 3:19 left in the first quarter. About a minute later Jones' pick-6 — his second in the last two games — gave the Eagles the lead and Jackson made it 14-3 when he scored from 4-yard out early in the second quarter.

Larison answered with a 78-yard touchdown run 52 seconds later and Miles Hastings threw a 6-yard TD pass to Josh Gale with 6 seconds left in the half to make it 17-all.

McKee made a 24-yard field with 12:12 to go in the third quarter to give EWU but Miles Hastings threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Trent Thompkins that capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive and gave UC Davis (2-2), ranked No. 15 in the FCS coaches poll, its first lead at 24-20 with 6:35 left in the third quarter.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll