Eastern Washington got its reward for a job well done the past 12 weeks last Sunday morning in the NCAA playoff selection show.
The 10-1 Eagles and 2016 Big Sky Conference co-champions, earned a No. 2 seeding and home games at Roos Field as long as they keep winning in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
In other words, once again the return road to Frisco, Texas and the Saturday, Jan. 7 national championship game runs through the red turf at Roos Field.
"It's exciting, and there are a lot of people before us that helped get that going," EWU head coach Beau Baldwin said of his team's return to the playoffs after missing them in 2015. "It's exciting to add the 2016 team to that list."
While they know when their first game will be played, Saturday, Dec. 3 at 1 p.m., who No. 3 Eastern will play depends on whether 9-2 Central Arkansas or Illinois State (6-5) emerge from a Saturday, Nov. 26 contest in Conway, Ark.
Eastern has never played Central Arkansas before, but is very familiar with Illinios State as the Redbirds knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs in the 2014 quarterfinals, 59-46. The teams have met three times with Eastern dropping a 1987 nonleague contest, 31-14, but winning a quarterfinal round game, 51-35 in 2012 in Cheney.
Eastern wrapped up its ninth Big Sky Conference title and extended its winning streak to nine games with a 35-28 victory over Portland State last Friday, Nov. 18 at Providence Park in Portland.
Eastern joins co-champ, the University of North Dakota, Weber State (7-4) and Cal Poly (7-4) in the 24-team playoff. North Dakota (9-2), the No. 7 seed, could face Eastern in a quarterfinal round game if both win their openers. Cal Poly hosts the University of San Diego (9-1) while Weber travels to Chattanooga (8-3).
Available tickets, following sales to season ticket holders, went on sale to the general public Nov. 22 with information available at goeags.com.
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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