LA GRANDE – Blake Asciutto threw four touchdown passes and Southern Oregon's defense blanked Eastern Oregon on seven consecutive drives in a 41-24 Frontier Conference victory Saturday at Community Stadium.

After falling behind 17-14 late in the second quarter, the Raiders strung together the game's next 27 points to improve to 5-4 overall and 4-3 in FC play. They've reached their highest win total in five years, have taken three road games for the first time since 2017, and will host No. 7 College of Idaho in next week's season finale with a chance to nail down a winning record and foil the Yotes' title hopes.

Asciutto completed 19-of-31 attempts for 238 yards, hitting Jackson Clemmer for his first two TDs on a pair of 20-yard connections. The second gave SOU a 14-10 lead with 10 minutes left in the second quarter, but the Mountaineers (2-7, 2-5) took it back on Waylon Riedel's dive into the end zone at the 1:22 mark.

The Raiders needed just 30 seconds to form a response. From their own 29-yard line, Asciutto completed a screen pass to Gunner Yates, who streaked to the sideline and down the field untouched. The Mountaineers then bungled their ensuing kickoff return, inadvertently downing it inside their own 1-yard line, and a quick three-and-out left SOU just enough time to set up a 35-yard Brian Batres field goal that made it 24-17 at halftime.

The defense dominated the second half, holding the Mountaineers without a first down on their first four possessions and getting an interception from Seth Miller on the fifth. The offense ate up eight minutes on a drive that ended with Avery McCuaig's conference-leading 13th rushing TD of the season, and a few minutes later Asciutto found Sawyer Cleveland for a 44-yard TD. Batres went on to add his second field goal, this one from 42 yards deep.

McCuaig, who has scored in eight consecutive games, rushed 25 times for 94 yards, and Yates netted 51 yards on nine carries. Cleveland pulled in six catches for 82 yards.

DeShawn Craig accounted for another SOU takeaway with an interception in the first half. Ty Glumbik led the team with eight tackles, while Adonis Jackson and Noah Turnbull both registered sacks.

EOU – which nearly upset College of Idaho in a 42-38 decision last week in Caldwell – has lost five of its last six games to SOU in La Grande. The matchup was the 83rd all-time between the teams, and the Raiders' 58th win in the series.

After being picked seventh in the Frontier preseason poll, SOU would finish tied for fourth with a win next week. Kickoff is 1 p.m. Saturday at Raider Stadium.