ESPN Eying SHSU-EWU for Nat'l TV Broadcast on Aug 23

[TexasTerror]

Get it done, guys!

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Many FCS programs have been announcing their 2014 schedules recently, but Eastern Washington and Sam Houston State are lagging behind - which is not necessarily a bad fact.


ESPN's desire to have a Saturday devoted to FCS coverage prior to the start of FBS action has zeroed in on this year's Sam Houston State-Eastern Washington matchup on the red turf in Cheney.


It may be the only FCS game in the potential spotlight on Aug. 23 - five days prior to the usual Thursday night openers across the nation - but at least it would be a start for what was dubbed the "FCS Football Challenge," and isn't ready to become that quite yet.

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4661847

[bluehenbillk]

Man, no sooner did they hire KC and now ESPN comes calling...xnodx

[CFBfan]

what a hideous field that is!!!

[Bisonator]

what a hideous field that is!!!

This. Hopefully ESPN can change the red to a less retina burning pink! xlolx

[centennial]

NDSU refused to play Montana early. I am glad they get to showcase the FCS, hopefully they can pick up another game or 2.

[CFBfan]

This. Hopefully ESPN can change the red to a less retina burning pink! xlolx

throw a little shsu orange into the mix and it's really bad!!!
the last game ewu was televised (playoffs) i turned off because i just could not enjoy watching a game on a freakin red rug!!!!!

[Bisonator]

NDSU refused to play Montana early. I am glad they get to showcase the FCS, hopefully they can pick up another game or 2.

Where'd you hear that?

[centennial]

Where'd you hear that?

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4661847


NDSU, which in 2014 will pursue a record fourth straight FCS national title, has made the difficult choice not to pursue playing Montana on Aug. 23 because it would mean first-year head coach Chris Klieman would open with that matchup and then come back with a trip to Iowa State one week later. NDSU wants to spread out those two games, so Montana's visit to the Fargodome is expected to remain on Sept. 20.

[Bisonator]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4661847
[/SIZE]

Thanks. I hadn't heard that but makes sense I suppose. Hard to turn down the exposure though.

[centennial]

Thanks. I hadn't heard that but makes sense I suppose. Hard to turn down the exposure though.
I don't understand it personally since we would have been the only football on TV. However, I can see why we did it. Our priority is to win MVFC and make the playoffs. Montana and Iowa State back to back with a new team and coaches are probably not ideal. I still feel even back to back both those games are winnable.

[Professor Chaos]

Good for them and good for ESPN to recognize the FCS a little bit, hopefully it happens. I was hoping that it would be a full day of FCS football with 2-3 games but this is better than nothing.

[Bisonoline]

I don't understand it personally since we would have been the only football on TV. However, I can see why we did it. Our priority is to win MVFC and make the playoffs. Montana and Iowa State back to back with a new team and coaches are probably not ideal. I still feel even back to back both those games are winnable.
It would also left us with 2 open dates in a row.

[Hammerhead]

Or it could be that the Fargodome is already booked for a Katy Perry concert on Aug 23rd.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/5869782/katy-perry-announces-prismatic-north-american-tour-dates


http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/news/news.aspx?id=4661847
[/SIZE]

[Red & Black]

throw a little shsu orange into the mix and it's really bad!!!
the last game ewu was televised (playoffs) i turned off because i just could not enjoy watching a game on a freakin red rug!!!!!

Well isn't that special?

<Break>

This would be great, if true.

[Vitojr130]

Or it could be that the Fargodome is already booked for a Katy Perry concert on Aug 23rd.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/5869782/katy-perry-announces-prismatic-north-american-tour-dates


The decision to not play Montana on Aug. 23rd for ESPN was made almost immediately after announcing Klieman as HC. The Katy Perry concert wasn't even announced until earlier this month, so it was probably just getting in the works around the Klieman announcement.

[CFBfan]

Well isn't that special?

<Break>

This would be great, if true.

perhaps you blocked this out beacause you LOST 35 - 31 to TOWSON??



Sat, Dec 21
NCAA FCS Playoffs - Semi-finals at Eastern Washington
5
3
TBA
2:00 p.m.
35 - 31 (W) (http://www.anygivensaturday.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=12497&DB_OEM_ID=21300&ATCLID=209347063)
STATS (http://www.towsontigers.com/ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=21300&CONTENT_ID=849954)

[catamount man]

Hopefully they will have ESPN Gameday as well. Show all the teams that play FCS football w/some little quip about them, etc. I wish they would add a separate ESPN FCS channel only, but that is some major wishful thinking.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

perhaps you blocked this out beacause you LOST 35 - 31 to TOWSON??



Sat, Dec 21
NCAA FCS Playoffs - Semi-finals at Eastern Washington
5
3
TBA
2:00 p.m.
35 - 31 (W) (http://www.anygivensaturday.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=12497&DB_OEM_ID=21300&ATCLID=209347063)
STATS (http://www.towsontigers.com/ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=21300&CONTENT_ID=849954)





WTF does this have to do with anything?

Hope this gets done it should be a good one to have on.

The red field is their thing and it really is tough to sit and watcha a game on TV normally on that field however the ones I've seen ESPN do are better (toned down) than the usual ones.

I'd be watching this one whether I like the way it looks or not so good luck on getting it together.xthumbsupx

[ursus arctos horribilis]

This could just be an early attempt to putting the FCS Challenge that was being described a while back together. It would be easier to work with setting up a few more teams for next year and the year after etc.

[Red & Black]

perhaps you blocked this out beacause you LOST 35 - 31 to TOWSON??



Sat, Dec 21

NCAA FCS Playoffs - Semi-finals at Eastern Washington

5

3

TBA

2:00 p.m.

35 - 31 (W) (http://www.anygivensaturday.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=12497&DB_OEM_ID=21300&ATCLID=209347063)
STATS (http://www.towsontigers.com/ViewContent.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=21300&CONTENT_ID=849954)






??

Not sure I'm following you. What does that have to do with anything?

*Hint - It was a rhetorical question.

[Bronco]

If the cameras do show up for this please have them set up on the visitor side so it will look like people are actually at the game
Have them face the good side of the stadium that looks nice...thanks

[CFBfan]

WTF does this have to do with anything?

Hope this gets done it should be a good one to have on.

The red field is their thing and it really is tough to sit and watcha a game on TV normally on that field however the ones I've seen ESPN do are better (toned down) than the usual ones.

I'd be watching this one whether I like the way it looks or not so good luck on getting it together.xthumbsupx

It has to do with the response he had to my comment on the red field bone head....read the thread next time before you WTF

[ursus arctos horribilis]

It has to do with the response he had to my comment on the red field bone head....read the thread next time before you WTF

Sorry Ralph, it doesn't have anything to do with anything on this thread.

[SUPharmacist]

More FCS exposure should only be a good thing. Although, since I am too cheap for cable or satellite I prefer when games are just online.

[Bisonoline]

The decision to not play Montana on Aug. 23rd for ESPN was made almost immediately after announcing Klieman as HC. The Katy Perry concert wasn't even announced until earlier this month, so it was probably just getting in the works around the Klieman announcement.

It has more to do with the gaps in the schedule if we would have played on that date.

[IBleedYellow]

It has more to do with the gaps in the schedule if we would have played on that date.

The fact that Bison fans are blaming Katy Perry concert is laughable. Gene Taylor announced very quickly after the KC hire that we probably wouldn't be doing this. We ALSO have heard rumors about this (UM vs NDSU game) since the week that Gameday showed up, long before the damn concert was announced.

[TILIS-BisonFan]

It has more to do with the gaps in the schedule if we would have played on that date. yep


The fact that Bison fans are blaming Katy Perry concert is laughable. Gene Taylor announced very quickly after the KC hire that we probably wouldn't be doing this. We ALSO have heard rumors about this (UM vs NDSU game) since the week that Gameday showed up, long before the damn concert was announced. if anyone is blaming the concert its laughable also laughable you react with such hostility.

[IBleedYellow]

yep

if anyone is blaming the concert its laughable also laughable you react with such hostility.

Go read Bisonville, you'll be in for a laugh. ;) I've heard enough people blame that concert already.
Also, if you think that what I am saying is hostility, you ain't seen nothing yet.

[Nickels]

If the cameras do show up for this please have them set up on the visitor side so it will look like people are actually at the game
Have them face the good side of the stadium that looks nice...thanks
KatFans.com is trying to put together 140+ people for Cheney, so we'll likely have a decent showing considering it's such a long trip. Much more then EWU brought to Bowers at least.

[centennial]

KatFans.com is trying to put together 140+ people for Cheney, so we'll likely have a decent showing considering it's such a long trip. Much more then EWU brought to Bowers at least.
140? For something on national TV as the first college football game of the year. Hope its a packed game and EWU shows up.

[IBleedYellow]

140? For something on national TV as the first college football game of the year. Hope its a packed game and EWU shows up.

Remember how many they brought to Frisco the first two Title games. 140 actually surprises me, considering how much further Cheney is from them.

[Bisonoline]

140? For something on national TV as the first college football game of the year. Hope its a packed game and EWU shows up.

Why would playing on tv matter?

[IBleedYellow]

Why would playing on tv matter?

You want to show that you have a good following? Remember NDSU fans when we were at K State? They talked about how many fans we brought down.

Same thing for this game. You want to show that you have a rabid fan base.

[Bisonoline]

You want to show that you have a good following? Remember NDSU fans when we were at K State? They talked about how many fans we brought down.

Same thing for this game. You want to show that you have a rabid fan base.


LOL its an FCS game. Nobody give a ratts butt except for that schools fans.

[Nickels]

Hey dicks, that's just one group with a fairly small number of fans. Either way, it will be way more than the pathetic showing EWU brought last year.

[Twentysix]

LOL its an FCS game. Nobody give a ratts butt except for that schools fans.

This is pretty much true for all of college football, with very few exceptions, and those exception schools rotate on a yearly basis.

[Red & Black]

Hey dicks, that's just one group with a fairly small number of fans. Either way, it will be way more than the pathetic showing EWU brought last year.

This coming from a fan of a school that was out-drawn by 3:1 for a championship game that was played in your own state - twice. xlolx

Sorry that our fans weren't excited about showing up for a game played in a monsoon in a prison town in the middle of BFE.

[fmrbearkat]

This coming from a fan of a school that was out-drawn by 3:1 for a championship game that was played in your own state - twice. xlolx

Sorry that our fans weren't excited about showing up for a game played in a monsoon in a prison town in the middle of BFE.

Thats because NDSU fans were a bit more confident than SHSU fans and bought tickets way ahead of knowing they were actually going to the game. The first year wasn't 3 to 1. It was more 60/40 and the second year was probably 70/30 because even more bison fans bought tickets early. We had fans that wanted to go but couldn't get a ticket. If it was a 70k steat stadium with plenty of excess tickets your post would hold alot more water.

[Nickels]

This coming from a fan of a school that was out-drawn by 3:1 for a championship game that was played in your own state - twice. xlolx

Sorry that our fans weren't excited about showing up for a game played in a monsoon in a prison town in the middle of BFE.
Your team didn't show up either.

What is your excuse for the empty stadium during a home semi? PATHETIC
Your team played in a half empty stadium for a NC and you want to give Sam fans crap when they actually had competition for tickets? HILARIOUS

Point is, if there is one fan base that can't say a damn thing about another's attendance, it's EWUs.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Last couple pages are all just smack back & forth so I'll just move it over there?

[Red & Black]

Your team didn't show up either.

What is your excuse for the empty stadium during a home semi? PATHETIC
Your team played in a half empty stadium for a NC and you want to give Sam fans crap when they actually had competition for tickets? HILARIOUS

Point is, if there is one fan base that can't say a damn thing about another's attendance, it's EWUs.

Yeah, well regular season attendance stats don't back up your claim. So, there's that.

[TexasTerror]

Sounds like we should know soon...


We expect official word in next few days regarding #ESPN (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ESPN&src=hash) televising #SHSU (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SHSU&src=hash) v #EWU (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23EWU&src=hash) football on Aug 23. 1st D1 game of year #SouthlandStrong (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23SouthlandStrong&src=hash)

https://twitter.com/KatFansDotCom/status/436513401250918400

[TexasTerror]

OFFICIAL...

In the 2013 college football season, FCS programs set a record by beating FBS teams a record 16 times. In 2014, they will beat them to the season's starting line.

ESPN is set to announce that the 2014 college football season will begin at its earliest point in 11 years, with Sam Houston State playing at Eastern Washington at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 23 in an event dubbed the "FCS Kickoff".

"We saw the opportunity, saw the need and desire from a programming perspective, and we feel like we can get a significant audience for this game," said Brent Colborne, ESPN's Director of Programming for NCAA championships. "Come August 23, right before Labor Day, people are starving for college football. People are ready for football. This is a really cool opportunity to serve those fans."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/02/20/college-football-season-kickoff-espn/5640283/?sf23044057=1

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Hell yeah!

[kdinva]

Kirk Herbstreit will show up and say "I love FCS Football"xbandwagonxxliarx

[Professor Chaos]

Great to hear! Should be a packed house in Cheney (at least I sure hope so). At least most people will still have their summer shades handy for that turf.

In all honesty though every fan of an FCS football program should be excited about this and do everyting we can to promote it because if it's successful you better believe that ESPN will want to continue it and possibly even expand it to multiple games in the future. And as an ancillary benefit it'll encourage the more prestigious FCS programs to schedule each other in hopes of getting that national spotlight.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Great to hear! Should be a packed house in Cheney (at least I sure hope so). At least most people will still have their summer shades handy for that turf.

In all honesty though every fan of an FCS football program should be excited about this and do everyting we can to promote it because if it's successful you better believe that ESPN will want to continue it and possibly even expand it to multiple games in the future. And as an ancillary benefit it'll encourage the more prestigious FCS programs to schedule each other in hopes of getting that national spotlight.

Good points. I'd be surprised if they didn't, but EWU administration better take full advantage of this opportunity and promote the hell out of this. I will be there, and bringing as many people as I can.

[dudeitsaid]

What is nice is that we should be able to shake that Bearkat off our back! On National TV! That will offset our three losses, as all the country will only remember is how badly we beat SHSU in this game! xnodx

In all seriousness, I don't think SHSU will take as big of a step backward as some people think. And being on this stage will definitely add some adrenaline to this game. I think it will be a tough match-up, and one that has continuously given us problems. It will be interesting to see how things change under Keeler. Overall, I truly hope for a close, exciting, and well played game by both teams that shows the world how exciting and how high the quality FCS football really is...of course with the Eagles coming out on top! :D

[Southern Bison]

What is nice is that we should be able to shake that Bearkat off our back! On National TV! That will offset our three losses, as all the country will only remember is how badly we beat SHSU in this game! xnodx

In all seriousness, I don't think SHSU will take as big of a step backward as some people think. And being on this stage will definitely add some adrenaline to this game. I think it will be a tough match-up, and one that has continuously given us problems. It will be interesting to see how things change under Keeler. Overall, I truly hope for a close, exciting, and well played game by both teams that shows the world how exciting and how high the quality FCS football really is...of course with the Eagles coming out on top! :D

That will be Ewww's biggest problem. No game film to view of Keeler's gameplan. SHSU will have 3 years of wins & experience against the same ol' same ol' from the iggles.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

That will be Ewww's biggest problem. No game film to view of Keeler's gameplan. SHSU will have 3 years of wins & experience against the same ol' same ol' from the iggles.
Yeah, but SHSU will be without Flanders, Sincere, and Bell, and Keeler's teams fold late 3rd/4th quarters.

[Nickels]

Yeah, but SHSU will be without Flanders, Sincere, and Bell, and Keeler's teams fold late 3rd/4th quarters.
The SHSU OL will be back. The same OL that gutted EWU for 450 yards and 8.3 per rush. EWWs defense cant stop a decent rushing attack. Even if its against a .500 SLC team. We'll see more of the same come August.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Great exposure for the FCS!

I'm sure SHSU is going to try and run the ball and run some more.

[eagle1]

EWU will throw all over the weak SHSU secondary.

[Nickels]

EWU will throw all over the weak SHSU secondary.
SHSU's secondary was weak the last year. "Choke" and "Flop" still couldn't get it done. EWU cant stop the rush, even if they know its coming. We've seen it time and time again with that "D". EWU has thrown for 500 yards on SHSU's secondary...and still lost. How much EWW throws on SHSU will be irrelevant in the end. They'll still lose.

The last two games against the Eagles; Less than 200 passing yards for Sammy but 94 points. SHSU will embarrass EWW's ****ty D once again.

edit- I would also like to note that I'm looking forward to visiting North West Bowers Stadium and Little Amsterdam.http://static.tumblr.com/bf53a5d0ce6582a046592a8064feb42d/rexulom/BZCmsox37/tumblr_static_smiley_emoticons_joint.gif Spokane seems pretty badass.

[Red & Black]

SHSU's secondary was weak the last year. "Choke" and "Flop" still couldn't get it done. EWU cant stop the rush, even if they know its coming. We've seen it time and time again with that "D". EWU has thrown for 500 yards on SHSU's secondary...and still lost. How much EWW throws on SHSU will be irrelevant in the end. They'll still lose.

The last two games against the Eagles; Less than 200 passing yards for Sammy but 94 points. SHSU will embarrass EWW's ****ty D once again.

edit- I would also like to note that I'm looking forward to visiting North West Bowers Stadium and Little Amsterdam.http://static.tumblr.com/bf53a5d0ce6582a046592a8064feb42d/rexulom/BZCmsox37/tumblr_static_smiley_emoticons_joint.gif Spokane seems pretty badass.

Avatar bet? SHSU is going to get lit up in this one. xnodx

[Red & Black]

That will be Ewww's biggest problem. No game film to view of Keeler's gameplan. SHSU will have 3 years of wins & experience against the same ol' same ol' from the iggles.

xlolx

[Nickels]

Avatar bet? SHSU is going to get lit up in this one. xnodx
I'm game.

We got lit up the last two times but it wont matter if your D cant stop the Kats from running 8-9 yards per rush.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll have a different avatar by then and if that's ok with you, then the bet is on.

[Red & Black]

I'm game.

We got lit up the last two times but it wont matter if your D cant stop the Kats from running 8-9 yards per rush.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll have a different avatar by then and if that's ok with you, then the bet is on.

Right on, you're on. Your Avatar of choice, and vice-versa.

I'd put money on SHSU not rushing for those kind of yards without Flanders, Bell, Sincere, etc. Plus, Keeler most likely changes that offense...it's the hybrid option that EWU struggles with.