Eastern, North Dakota State to play in 2016, 2017
After four years, the two most successful teams in the Football Championship Subdivision are guaranteed to meet again.
Eastern Washington and North Dakota State – the only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision teams to win a national title since 2009 – will play a home-and-home series with each other starting in 2016, the two schools mutually announced Friday.
The Bison and Eagles will play in Fargo on Sept. 10, 2016, then play at "The Inferno" in Cheney, Wash., on Sept. 16, 2017. Eastern won the 2010 title, including an overtime victory over the Bison in the quarterfinals, but NDSU has won every playoff game since en route to titles in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
The dream matchup that hasn't taken place the last three years will occur in 2016 and 2017.
Although the Eagles have advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, they've fallen short of facing the Bison in the title tilt.
"We are extremely excited to schedule a home and home with North Dakota State," Eastern athletic director Bill Chaves said. "We have such tremendous respect for what the Bison have accomplished over the past several seasons. By playing a series like this, we hope that it can help to continue to elevate the FCS brand throughout the country."
