FCS Playoffs Odds: UNI Travels To Eastern Washington As ‘Last Team In’

Based on Sunday’s FCS Playoffs selections, it pays to be in the Big Sky or Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Look no further than Northern Iowa. The UNI Panthers squeezed into the 24-team field as the only five-loss team. They’ll travel to Cheney, WA, for a 3 p.m. game Saturday, Nov. 27, on the red turf at Eastern Washington.

Sportsbooks in Iowa remain focused on the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) for this week’s spreads, moneylines and totals. That’s a great way for fans in the state to bet on the Iowa Hawkeyes or make an Iowa State Cyclones bet.

But with the FCS Playoffs set, futures bets are becoming more widely available for the smaller-school contenders including Northern Iowa.

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How to watch UNI at Eastern Washington in the FCS Playoffs

• What: Northern Iowa (6-5) at Eastern Washington (9-2)
• When: 3 p.m. Saturday
• Where: Roos Field in Cheney, WA
• TV: ESPN+ subscription streaming service

The UNI-Eastern Washington winner travels to No. 6 seed Montana for an 8 p.m. game Friday, Dec. 3 in the round of 16. The Grizzlies earned a bye and a home game as a top-eight seed.

The FCS Playoffs Selection Committee awards 11 spots to conference champions. The Missouri Valley and Big Sky conferences received nine of the 13 at-large spots.

A 6-5 record typically leaves an FCS program out of the playoff bracket, but FCS Committee Chair Thorr Bjorn told ESPN’s Matt Schick the Panthers got in because of three wins over other teams in the playoff field. One of UNI’s five losses came at Iowa State as well.

“When you lined them up next to each other we really felt good that they deserved to be in and they’re good enough to win a lot of games in the championship.”

Mercer (7-3), Eastern Kentucky (7-4) and Rhode Island (7-4) were the first three teams left out of the field. Southern Illinois (7-4) joined UNI as the last two teams in.

FCS Playoffs odds and pairings

• Nov. 27 games will trim the FCS Playoffs from 24 to 16 teams.
• Six of the eight second round games take place Saturday, Dec. 4.
• Quarterfinals take place Dec. 10-11.
• Semifinals are Dec. 17-18.
• The FCS Championship game is 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX.

Quarterfinal One

• Sam Houston (10-0) is the No. 1 seed.
  • Stephen F. Austin (8-3) at Incarnate Word (9-2)
• Montana State (9-2) is the No. 8 seed
  • UT-Martin (9-2) at Missouri State (8-3)

Quarterfinal Two

• Sacramento State (9-2) is the No. 4 seed
  • UC Davis (8-3) at South Dakota State (8-3)
• Villanova (9-2) is the No. 5 seed
  • Sacred Heart (8-3) at Holy Cross (9-2)

Quarterfinal Three

• North Dakota State (10-1) is the No. 2 seed
  • Southern Illinois (7-4) at South Dakota (7-4)
• East Tennessee State (10-1) is the No. 7 seed
  • Davidson (8-2) at Kennesaw State (10-1)

Quarterfinal Four

• James Madison (10-1) is the No. 3 seed
  • Florida A&M (9-2) at SE Louisiana (8-3)
• Montana (9-2) is the No. 6 seed
  • Northern Iowa (6-5) at  Eastern Washington (9-2)

This is UNI’s 22nd trip to the FCS Playoffs. Only Montana (25) has more appearances. The Panthers are 6-1 against Eastern Washington, including a 3-0 record in the postseason.