More road games ‘on the table’ for Eastern Washington football

Will Eastern Washington play just four home football games this year?

A once-unthinkable idea gained more credibility Tuesday, as two more EWU insiders confirmed that the Eagles might play a guaranteed-money game on Sept. 1 instead of at home.

Depending on the host, a “money game” could mean several hundred thousand dollars in additional revenue for an athletic department that has a cumulative budget deficit of $5.8 million.

In response, the university administration has encouraged cost-cutting and revenue-generating measures, including guarantee games for all sports.

“Everything is still on the table,” one source said, which means the Eagles could play a home game against a lower-division opponent.

Another possibility is a road game against an FCS school, which would offer less money but better chances for a win.

Another possibility: playing just a 10-game schedule.

As it stands, Eastern is scheduled to play nonconference games on Sept. 8 at Northern Arizona (in a special home-and-away arrangement with the Big Sky Conference rival Lumberjacks) and Sept. 15 at Washington State.

The Eagles have Big Sky home games against Cal Poly on Sept. 26, Southern Utah on Oct. 6, Big Sky newcomer Idaho on Oct. 27 and UC Davis on Nov. 10.

The Eagles also have an open date on Oct. 20.

A four-game home schedule is almost unprecedented. It’s happened just once, in 2011 – the year after Eastern won the FCS national title.

The Eagles still have two open dates in their 2019 schedule, a 12-game slate, with four Big Sky home games, four on the road and away games with Washington and Jacksonville State.