EWU Eagles get No. 2 seed in FCS playoffs

Once again, the road to Frisco will go through Cheney.

On Sunday morning, the entire Eastern Washington football team gathered to hear the news that they’ve earned the No. 2 seed in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

That means that as long as they keep winning, the Eagles will host through the semifinal round on Dec. 16-17. If they win that, Eastern would advance to the FCS title game in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 7.

“It’s great for the community and the incredible supporters we have here,” coach Beau Baldwin during the team gathering at Tawanka Hall on the Eastern campus.

“We believe we can go on the road and do well, but we also embrace that motto of protecting the red. We feel like it’s tough for an opponent to come in here and beat us,” Baldwin said.

Playing at home has become a habit for the Eagles, who haven’t faced a road playoff game since 2009. They swept three home playoff games en route to the national title in 2010, but lost in the semifinals at Roos Field in 2012 and 2013.

First up for the 10-1 Eagles is a bye week, which goes to the top eight seeds in the 24-team field. They will host Central Arkansas or Illinois State in a second-round game Dec. 3.

Baldwin appreciates the extra time, especially after wide receiver Cooper Kupp (shoulder) and linebacker Miquiyah Zamora (hamstring) went down to injury Friday night at Portland State.

Referring to Kupp, Baldwin said “Cooper’s a tough kid, and I expect he’ll be ready.”

Eastern has never faced Central Arkansas, but played Illinois State twice in quarterfinal games in the last five years. The Eagles beat the Redbirds 51-35 in 2012, but lost to ISU, 59-46, in 2014.

That was the most recent postseason appearance for the Eagles, who missed the playoffs last year. That fact wasn’t lost on Baldwin.

“Even if you’re just a sophomore, it doesn’t mean you’re going to get another shot at these,” Baldwin said. “To hear your name called in this, it’s special.”

Central Arkansas is 9-2 overall, but is coming off a 59-23 loss to Southland Conference champion Sam Houston State. Illinois State is only 6-5, but has won three straight and won 9-7 early this year at Northwestern of the Big Ten.

If Eastern advances, it could host Big Sky co-champion North Dakota in a quarterfinal game on Dec. 10. The Fighting Hawks will host Richmond or North Carolina A&T in the second round.

North Dakota State was the top overall seed, followed by EWU, Jacksonville State, James Madison, Sam Houston State, The Citadel, North Dakota and South Dakota State.

The Big Sky earned four spots. Cal Poly hosts San Diego and Weber State is at Chattanooga in the first round.

“It’s exciting to see four Big Sky teams,” Baldwin said. “I think that was very deserving.”