The sixth-ranked Eastern Washington University football team heads to Grand Forks, N.D. for the first time in school history this Saturday (Oct. 12) when the Eagles play North Dakota in a Big Sky Conference game. Kickoff indoors in the 12,283-seat Alerus Center is 12:35 p.m. Pacific time in a game produced by the Midco Sports Network and televised live in the Eastern Washington region by SWX.
A year ago, in the first-ever meeting between the two schools, the Eagles handed the Big Sky newcomer a 55-17 pasting. The 38-point margin was Eastern’s best against a NCAA Football Championship Subdivision opponent in eight years, as the Eagles scored 34 first-half points en route to the rout.
But EWU head coach Beau Baldwin knows last year’s game was an anomaly in the Big Sky Conference. His team is currently 1-0 in the league and 3-2 overall after last week’s 41-19 home win over Weber State, and UND is now 1-1 in the Big Sky and 2-3 on the season after edging Idaho State 28-25.
“The conference is tough from top to bottom,” Baldwin said. “If you get yourself to 1-0 you are really in (a good position). It is a long haul anyway you look at it, but to get it to 1-0 is huge.”
North Dakota opened the year with a 59-point victory at home over Valparaiso (69-10), but also fell at home to a trio of nationally-ranked FCS opponents – South Dakota State (35-28), Montana (55-17) and Montana State (63-20).
“They only have one less victory than us,” said Baldwin, who made the trip to Grand Forks previously as a coach at Central Washington. “At this point in the season, we are all just battling in the Big Sky Conference. We are all still in the hunt for the Big Sky title and they are right there in that hunt as well. They’ve lost to some really good football teams and they play better at home. There is a sense of pride in that dome and it’s a special arena. It’s not an easy place to go play.”
