Bronx, N.Y. – The 2017 Fordham University football schedule will be highlighted by a visit from Eastern Washington University on September 16, it was announced today.
 
"We are excited to be able to bring in a team of the caliber of Eastern Washington to Jack Coffey Field," said Fordham head coach Andrew Breiner. "They will be one of the highest-ranked opponents to ever to play at Rose Hill and I think our fans will enjoy seeing a game between two highly-rated NCAA FCS teams. We look forward to the challenge of playing Eastern Washington."
 
Eastern Washington, currently 6-1 on the year and ranked third in both the STATS and NCAA FCS Coaches poll, will be making only its seventh trip east of the Mississippi River, the last coming in 2013 when the Eagles played at Toledo.
 
The game will be Fordham's first against a team from the Big Sky conference and the first time the Rams will play an opponent from west of the Mississippi River since they hosted the University of San Francisco at Triboro Stadium in 1951.
 
Fordham is 5-2 this season, and has advanced to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs in each of the last three seasons and five times overall (2002-07-13-14-15).
 
The Eagles have been to eleven NCAA FCS Championships, most recently in 2014. Eastern Washington won the NCAA FCS title in 2010.
 
Eastern Washington has never played Fordham, let alone any current member of the Patriot League. In fact, Eastern has only played seven games all-time east of the Mississippi River. The last time came in 2013 in Ohio when Eastern fell at Toledo 33-21. That was only EWU's fourth game ever in the Eastern time zone.
 
Fordham's non-league schedule for 2017 also includes a visit from Yale as well as trips to Army West Point (to open the season), Central Connecticut and Bryant. 
 
2017
Sept. 1  at Army
Sept. 9  at Central Connecticut State
Sept. 16  EASTERN WASHINGTON
Sept. 23  at Bryant
Sept. 30  YALE
Oct. 7  at Lafayette*
Oct. 14  at Colgate*
Oct. 21  at Georgetown*
Oct. 28  LEHIGH* (FW)
Nov. 4  HOLY CROSS* (HC)
Nov. 11  Open
Nov. 18  BUCKNELL*
 
* – Patriot League games