By: Dave Collins
Sports Director
Sunshine and optimism were covering Elliott Field at Chadron State's first official spring football practice Monday afternoon. Over the next four weeks I'll have coverage of the team as the Eagles build off of last season's 8-4 playoff campaign.
To kickoff our spring football coverage let's take a look at the official fall game schedule, which was released with some kickoff times Monday afternoon.
The Eagles will kickoff the season on Thursday, August 27 in Aberdeen, South Dakota against the Northern State Wolves. It's the first of three straight night games for CSC, and it starts at 6:00 local time, 5:00 MT.
CSC's home opener is the following Thursday, September 3 in "The Good Life Trophy" game against rival Nebraska-Kearney. Kickoff will be at 6:00 PM at Don Beebe Stadium.
The Eagles will begin the conversation of "contender or pretender" status early this fall with three RMAC juggernauts in successive weeks, September 12-26. A trip to Western Colorado is set for game three and will be under the lights at the new Mountaineer Bowl (6:00 PM), then CSU-Pueblo and Colorado Mines visit Chadron on back-to-back weekends.
October opens with a trip to Grand Junction to face Colorado Mesa on the 3rd before the RMAC's new annual bye week (Week 6). When games return on October 17 the Eagles head south for another long trip to the Land of Enchantment and a match-up with New Mexico Highlands (12:00). Fans should choose their Halloween costumes with game day in mind as the Eagles close out the month on Halloween afternoon against Fort Lewis at Don Beebe Stadium.
The final two RMAC weeks in November are really exciting - both South Dakota rivals on back-to-back Saturday's with potential playoff and conference championship implications on the line. Chadron State travels to Black Hills State on November 7 and hosts South Dakota Mines the next Saturday to close the regular season.
All of CSC's home games will kickoff at 1:00 this fall with the exception of the UNK contest.