Eastern Washington west-siders 'a little more excited' for game against Washington

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Sep. 16—As a general rule, Eastern Washington football players are each allotted two tickets for road games.

Many weeks, if someone wants more, it's pretty easy for them to ask the team's group chat, and someone is willing to give theirs up. Last week, for example, when Eastern Washington played at South Dakota, only a handful of EWU players' families made the trip to Vermillion for the game.

But leading up to this Saturday's game between Eastern Washington and the University of Washington at Husky Stadium, the competition for tickets has been much more frenzied.

"It's been a battle for tickets," redshirt junior Jaylon Jenkins said. "Everybody is asking the group chat. Nobody's getting a response."

It highlights that while the adage about being "just another game" is true this week from a football aspect, for the families of Eagles players, this one sure means a whole lot. And in that way, it does mean a little bit more to the players.

"It makes me a little more excited because I get to play in front of family and friends," EWU sophomore center Dylan Scott said. "We get to go out and show people we're not just an FCS team. We're going to show that we're still something."

Scott said he has occasionally seen some tickets pop up on the group chat. But they've gone so fast it's understandable Jenkins might have missed them.

"It's a competition," Scott said. "(They go to) whoever responds first, and it takes maybe 30 seconds. I'll see it, and in half a second I'll go to type, and two or three people will already have responded."

About a third of the players on Eastern Washington's roster are from Western Washington, including Scott (Arlington) and Jenkins (Federal Way), and for some of them this may be the only road game their families and friends attend this season.

Scott estimated he would have 20 to 30 people there; Jenkins said he'll have many, too.

"I think it's going to be fun to go play in front of all my family," Jenkins said. "It's going to be nice."

Playing FBS teams has long been an annual tradition for Eastern Washington and many other FCS teams. They draw significant revenue — Washington is paying Eastern Washington $575,000 to play this game — and have other benefits, such as the one Scott and Jenkins are talking about: It's often a regional game that more family and friends can attend.

That's partly why Eastern has played its FBS games against Oregon, Fresno State, Nevada and Boise State over the last five seasons. Next year, the Eagles are scheduled to play at Oregon again; in 2028 they are slated to play at Washington again; Washington State is on their schedule in 2030.

All-time, Eastern is 11-29 against FBS programs, including recent victories over UNLV (2021), Washington State (2016) and Oregon State (2013).

Jenkins said getting hyped up to play these games is easy.

"Sometimes it is tough coming out. You had a hard week of practice, and it's hard to get going in some games," Jenkins said. "(In big stadiums) you don't need to search for energy. You're going to have it all four quarters of the game."

EWU defensive coordinator Zach Bruce, who played in those Eagles victories over Washington State and Oregon State, said his message this week is for the Eagles to focus on themselves and to not make this game more than what it is.

Bruce also pointed out that many players on both teams faced each other at some point in high school. Thus, he said, the logos on the helmets might be different, but the players wearing them are still familiar.

It's just another way Eastern's coaches are reminding their players that while the crowd may be louder, and there will be a larger section of red than there normally is at road games, the preparation and practice they do this week will remain the same.

"We have to put a full game together and then let the cards fall where they may," Bruce said. "Let's go put our best football out there, and let's see what happens."

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