Eastern brings December football back to Cheney

So, here we go again.

Eastern Washington University’s No.3 seed in the Football Championship Subdivision 24-team playoffs bodes well for a return trip to the national title game in Frisco, Texas if it weren’t for one thing.

We have to play other teams to get there.

Be that as it may, the Eagles have never let good competition get in their way of exciting post-season runs — even if the last four times have come up short of a trip to Texas. With a No. 3 seed, we avoid having a possible road go through Fargo, N.D.

But it could very well involve facing two familiar foes if Eastern survives it’s second-round match up with either Nicholls State or San Diego. I’m confident should that happen that head coach Aaron Best and company will relish another game with UC Davis and a chance at redemption with a game at Weber State, if both also survive and advance.

But with all the excitement of another playoff appearance, and a chance at revenge for being left out of last year’s field, you would have thought ESPN3 could have arranged for a live feed from the Eagles locker room on Selection Sunday. No such view, and in fact, no call to Best to ascertain how he and his “EKG’s” (Eagle Kind of Guys) felt about their position.

But maybe that’s a good thing. While it would have been nice as I was making pancakes and viewing the Selection Show to see our guys excitement, reports from the locker room tell me there wasn’t much more than a “yay” and then back to eating scrambled eggs.

Indeed, it sounded like for the Eagles, it was another day at the office. And maybe it is, and that could be a good thing.

Since being passed over in last year’s selection in favor of another 7-4 team, Northern Arizona, the Eagles have been on a singularly-focused mission. Their motto says it all, “Leave No Doubt.”

Leave no doubt as to being selected, yes. But perhaps, and most likely, leave no doubt as to the seriousness of their mission. This isn’t a solitary bowl game, after all, as that other school further down State Route 195 chases.

Sure, the Pullman folks believe they seek a national championship as well, but let’s be real. It will take mountains to crumble into dust — as in Clemson, Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma, etc. — for the eighth-ranked Cougars to reach the heights of the College Football Playoffs final four and the chance to hoist the FBS trophy.

But New Year’s Day glory certainly awaits them should they survive the Apple Cup’s hook up with Washington.

Eastern has a more tangible chance at national glory, but a difficult road to get there. That’s why it’s nice to hear that their focus the morning of Nov. 18 wasn’t where they would be seeded necessarily, but perhaps making that next step to get better in preparation for what’s to come.

In the past, there’s always been excitement in Cheney surrounding December football. This year, I’m hoping there is more preparedness from the guys in red and black.

I know I’m better prepared for those cold, December Saturday afternoons at the Inferno. My wife bought us battery-powered socks.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].