Future Schedules

[ewueagle2010]

To start the season we play a Pac 12 school, #1 and #4 ranked teams in our level.
Bring it on!!

We also play 3 other ranked teams in conference, two of them on the road...so out of our 11 games this year, we get 5 ranked FCS teams including #1 and #4, and a top 25 caliber FBS team.

We probably have the absolute toughest road schedule of any FCS team in the country this year.

Playoffs will be earned this year....and if they make it, watch out!

 

[LDopaPDX]

To start the season we play a Pac 12 school, #1 and #4 ranked teams in our level.
Bring it on!!

We also play 3 other ranked teams in conference, two of them on the road...so out of our 11 games this year, we get 5 ranked FCS teams including #1 and #4, and a top 25 caliber FBS team.

We probably have the absolute toughest road schedule of any FCS team in the country this year.

Playoffs will be earned this year....and if they make it, watch out!

Yeah, the problem is that we could be a really good team and still miss the playoffs due to a poorly put-together schedule. With an FBS game and a very tough conference slate on the road this year, it would have been prudent to play teams like St Francis and Duquesne instead of North Dakota State and Northern Iowa (and it's not like were going to make a lot of money off those games anyway...) Of course, our AD doesn't think that way, so it's probably pissing into the wind to wish for something else.

The really scary part is that if we don't come out of the blocks firing on all cylinders, we could conceivably be out of the playoffs by the end of September. And if that happens, forcing the team to go through the motions out of pride with no carrot at the end of the stick might make for a rotten record.

 

[clawman1]

XM radio has been playing, playing, and replaying again their coverage of SEC media days. It is amazing to hear there were over 12,000 members of the media there. One thing in common was the schedules.
Not one coach said they wished they has a cupcake schedule!
Every coach felt a tough schedule made them better, and if you are going to lose, lose early.
https://www.seccountry.com/sec/2016-sec-media-days-scheduled-announced

 

[Obzerver]

Clawman is right on...I've never heard a coach say they want a cupcake schedule. In the SEC coaches may be thinking in private, since they have multi-million dollar contracts, I need wins period to keep my job.

I see where Alabama has a tough OOC schedule (to make them better)...powerhouses Western Kentucky, Chattanoga and Kent State all at home. Hmmmmm... comparing OOC schedules, I may trade ours (WSU, NDSU, UNI) for theirs!!

 

[LDopaPDX]

Clawman is right on...I've never heard a coach say they want a cupcake schedule. In the SEC coaches may be thinking in private, since they have multi-million dollar contracts, I need wins period to keep my job.

I see where Alabama has a tough OOC schedule (to make them better)...powerhouses Western Kentucky, Chattanoga and Kent State all at home. Hmmmmm... comparing OOC schedules, I may trade ours (WSU, NDSU, UNI) for theirs!!

You might be correct in saying not one of those games is as tough as a single one of ours. Maybe WKU is a little better than UNI, but it's debatable.

Here's a few other SEC schedules:

South Carolina- East Carolina, UMass, Western Carolina, Clemson
LSU- Wisconsin, Jacksonville State, South Alabama, Southern Miss
Ole Miss- Wofford, Memphis, Georgia Southern, Florida State
Florida- UMass, North Texas, Presbyterian, Florida State
Tennessee- App State, Virginia Tech, Ohio, Tennessee Tech

It's pretty safe to say the SEC has a formula and it works. One tough marquee game and a bunch of powderpuffs. This includes the fact they never have a play-up game. It would be akin to us playing UNI, Duquesne, Morehead State, and Whitworth.

If you wanted to demonstrate our schedule to an SEC team, it would be something like this as an out of conference schedule:

Settle Seahawks
Ohio State
Oregon
+1 additional league opponent

I can guarantee you no SEC coach or AD would sign off on that type of scheduling.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Coincidentally, as I mentioned North Texas in the previous post... Here is some North Texas awesomeness:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=north+texas+coffee+mug&view=detailv2&&id=C23B525BB270F28935B5424582E28586FDD86BA6&selectedIndex=2&ccid=VFV0oq83&simid=294250092146&thid=OIF.%2fOfr7e3UPsfa%2bo6AFys%2b0w&ajaxhist=0

 

[clawman1]

Florida Gators 2020
http://www.goeags.com/news/2016/9/7/football-eagles-will-play-at-florida-in-2020-in-ewus-first-meeting-versus-the-sec.aspx

 

[dudeitsaid]

Florida Gators 2020
http://www.goeags.com/news/2016/9/7/football-eagles-will-play-at-florida-in-2020-in-ewus-first-meeting-versus-the-sec.aspx

I was wondering when this would happen with McElwain taking the reigns there. That will be an incredible experience for our players!

 

[Rontheoldwiseeagle]

The check won't hurt either.

 

[Palm Springs Eag]

Any whispers about the third non conference game in 2017? Eags are @ TX Tech and home vs NDSU is what I gather. Home and home vs MFVC? Home and home vs Southland? 2nd BCS? Big Sky non conference? Treat us fans to 6 home games? Forgive me if I missed something.

 

[clawman1]

I hope it is Air Force, Navy, or Army

 

[marceagfan5]

Any whispers about the third non conference game in 2017? Eags are @ TX Tech and home vs NDSU is what I gather. Home and home vs MFVC? Home and home vs Southland? 2nd BCS? Big Sky non conference? Treat us fans to 6 home games? Forgive me if I missed something.

My guess is a D2 since nothing has been announced to date, which wouldn't be too bad considering the other 2 games we have on the schedule. Would be nice to see another FCS team come to Cheney though

 

[marceagfan5]

I hope it is Air Force, Navy, or Army

These teams would be great, but not in the same year we already have another FBS team on the schedule...

 

[dudeitsaid]

I hope it is Air Force, Navy, or Army

These teams would be great, but not in the same year we already have another FBS team on the schedule...

Agree with this. Hope its an FCS, rather than a D2. That being said, I think with the current youth of our team, EWU should be very strong for the next couple of years, minimum, and should be able to be in position for a seed even with a D2.

 

[clawman1]

No D2!!! I liked this schedule from the get go and as it turned out it has been great for the Eagles.
If you never take a risk you will never reap rewards.
I would expect another MVFC, maybe one of the South Dakota schools.

 

[ewueagle2010]

No D2!!! I liked this schedule from the get go and as it turned out it has been great for the Eagles.
If you never take a risk you will never reap rewards.
I would expect another MVFC, maybe one of the South Dakota schools.

South Dakota certainly owes us a return trip!

 

[360Eag]

Well it was released that the Big Sky will be moving to a 9 game conference schedule starting in 2020.

 

[bertram]

A Sept 16th trip to NY Vs. Fordham added to complete the 2017 season. Game bumps the NDSU match-up to Sept 9th.

 

[dudeitsaid]

There are a lot of valid points regarding our scheduling challenges. And after the gauntlet of this season, it would've been nice to have an easier road next year (which I do think Fordham should be a win). But, do you think the Griz game would've been closer and tougher if they tested themselves a little harder with their OOC games? They had UNI, but St Francis and MVST, coupled with a mediocre conference schedule showed they weren't ready. They've been beat by all three good teams they've played. I wonder how much of it was them being lulled into a false sense of confidence.

Along those lines, it's funny to hear how often their D was touted as so strong. Of course they were...against lackluster competition.

 

[EdubU10]

A Sept 16th trip to NY Vs. Fordham added to complete the 2017 season. Game bumps the NDSU match-up to Sept 9th.

Good excuse to go to NYC. Trying to convince the better half on making the trip.