Eastern Washington Eagles | |||
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First season | 1901 | ||
Head coach |
Aaron Best 1 year, 0–0 (–) |
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Stadium | Roos Field | ||
Field | The Inferno | ||
Year built | 1967 | ||
Seating capacity | 8,600 | ||
Field surface | Red SprinTurf | ||
Location | Cheney, Washington | ||
NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
Conference | Big Sky Conference | ||
All-time record | 534–412–23 (.563) | ||
Playoff appearances | 12 | ||
Playoff record | 16–11 | ||
Claimed nat'l titles | Div. I FCS: 1 (2010) | ||
Conference titles | 25 | ||
Colors | Red and White |
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Fight song | Go, Eagles, Go | ||
Mascot | Swoop | ||
Marching band | Eagles Marching Band | ||
Outfitter | Adidas | ||
Rivals |
Montana Grizzlies Portland State Vikings |
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Website | GoEags.com |
Independent | 1901–19 |
Tri-Normal League | 1920–37 |
Independent | 1938 |
Washington Intercollegiate Conference | 1939–47 |
Evergreen Conference | 1948–79 |
Div. II Independent | 1980–83 |
Div. I-AA Independent | 1984–86 |
Big Sky Conference | 1987–present |
The Eastern Washington Eagles football team represents Eastern Washington University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The Eastern Eagles are members of the Big Sky Conference and play at Roos Field, which is known for being the only stadium in college football with a red playing surface.
Eastern Washington University began fielding a football team in 1901, when the school was known at the time as the 'State Normal School' and the team mascot was the 'Savages'. Eastern's first national affiliation came with joining the NAIA.
Eastern competed in the NAIA until 1977, along the way advancing to the NAIA Football National Championship finals in 1967, losing to Fairmont State 28-21. This marked Eastern Washington's first appearance in a national championship game at any level of competition.
During this time period, the school would undergo numerous changes to its identity. The school name would change in 1937 to the 'Eastern Washington College of Education', then again shortly after World War II to the 'Eastern Washington State College'. The final change to the school name came in 1977 when the school was renamed 'Eastern Washington University'.
In 1973, the student body voted to make Eastern’s mascot the 'Eagles'. Shortly before that, the Eastern Board of Trustees declared 'Savages', its mascot through its first 92 years, no longer acceptable. Eagles are native to eastern Washington and thus a logical choice for a replacement.
Eastern joined the NCAA in 1978, and participated at the Division II level as an independent until 1984, when they moved up to Division I-AA (now FCS), also as an independent.
Denied membership to the Big Sky Conference in May 1985, Eastern was extended an invitation in December 1986 to join, starting in July 1987. Eastern continues to participate in the Big Sky to this day and is now the sixth-most tenured member of the conference.