Ewu Earns Third Seed For Playoffs Eastern, Northwestern State Meet Saturday In First Round
Eastern Washington, riding a six-game winning streak and the wave of respect normally afforded the Big Sky Conference champion, has earned the No. 3 seed into the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs - along with a first-round home game against 14th-seeded Northwestern State, from Natchitoches, La.
The NCAA selection committee announced Sunday that the Eagles (10-1) will entertain the Demons (8-3) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Spokane’s Albi Stadium.
General admission tickets, priced at $8 for adults ($7 for groups of 20 or more) and $5 for EWU students and children of high school age and younger, are on sale at G&B Select a-Seat outlets and the Eastern athletic ticket office. They can be obtained by calling 325-SEAT, 359-4339 or 1-800-648-7697.
“I’m pleasantly surprised and happy,” Eagles coach Mike Kramer said of his team’s seeding and first-round opponent.
“Northwestern State is an excellent draw for us,” he said. “They don’t appear to be a great offensive firepower in terms of putting the ball up on every down.
“Even as good as we are defensively, we don’t have a solid handle on the wide-open passing game.”
The Demons, who shared the regular-season Southland Conference title with McNeese State, average 341.5 yards per game, but only 154.1 through the air. Their strength, Kramer said, is a defense that gives up just 260.5 yards per game.
That should be tested by an EWU offense averaging 505.6 yards per game - the most of any I-AA team in the country.
Northwestern State missed out on an automatic playoff berth because of a 50-7 loss to McNeese early in the year. The Demons, who also lost to Division-I Northeastern Louisiana, have won their last six games and knocked off Stephen F. Austin 38-24 last Saturday to earn an at-large berth.
The highest seeded team in each playoff matchup has the option of serving as the host. By earning the third seed behind top-seeded Villanova (11-0) and second-seeded Western Illinois (10-1), Eastern assured itself of at least two home playoff games, provided it keeps winning.
According to EWU officials, host teams must cover the expenses and guarantee the NCAA $30,000 for first-round games, $40,000 for second-round games and $40,000 for semifinals matchups.
The championship game will be played Dec. 20 at Chattanooga, Tenn.
“In the last two years, there have only been two road-win breakthroughs in the playoffs,” Kramer noted. “So, if you have the opportunity to host, you’re insane not to go as far in debt as you need to in order to promote your program and give your team the best chance to win.”
Montana, which lost to Marshall in last year’s title game, was the only other Big Sky Conference team to make this year’s field. The Grizzlies (8-3), seeded 11th, will play on the road Saturday against No. 6 McNeese State (10-1).
, DataTimes