Eastern Oregon was never able to find its footing in its season opener, while College of Idaho looked every bit the part of the Frontier Conference favorite and No. 15 team in the nation.

The Coyotes scored the game’s first 27 points, then added on late to roll to a 48-12 victory over Eastern Oregon Saturday in Caldwell, Idaho, in the season opening game for both teams.

The Yotes scored on a game-opening nine-play, 82-yard drive that ended in a Nick Calzaretta 15-yard run for a 7-0 lead just five minutes into the game.

It only got worse from there for the visiting Mountaineers. The Yotes added a Keegan Crafton 11-yard touchdown reception and two Kyle Mitchell field goals to jump to a 20-0 halftime lead.

Eastern, meanwhile, struggled to get its offense going in the first half. The Mountaineers had just 126 yards at the break, and Kai Quinn saw two passes intercepted by the Yotes’ defense.

The deficit grew to 27-0 before EOU finally got on the board when Quinn scored from a yard out to finish a 68-yard drive and make it 27-6. Kaler Moore scored on a 3-yard touchdown rush to cut the margin to 27-12 after three quarters.

But C of I put the game away in the fourth with three touchdowns, capping it off with a 73-yard score by Ed Osterberger with 4:08 to play for the final margin.

It’s the second time in a row College of Idaho has scored 48 points over the Mountaineers, and the Yotes have won four of the last five games in the series. It’s also the third time in four games dating to last season that Eastern has surrendered 48 points.

The Yotes won primarily by dominating the ground game, rolling up 377 yards and averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Calzaretta rushed for 124 yards, and quarterback D.J. Peterson added 114. In all, C of I had 477 yards compared to just 284 for EOU.

Quinn went 17-for-35 for 184 yards and two picks for EOU. He also rushed for 31 yards. Victor Dias had 32 yards on the ground for Eastern. Isaiah Thomas added 62 yards receiving and Saige Wilkerson had 60.

The Mountaineers (0-1 overall, 0-1 Frontier) look to regroup next Saturday at No. 20 Southern Oregon.