Eastern Illinois, Northern Colorado Add Future FBS Foes

A pair of FCS teams added an FBS opponent at the end of the decade, starting with the Eastern Illinois Panthers (OVC-Big South). EIU will play at the Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten) on Saturday, September 8, 2029, according to FBSchedules. The Panthers will receive $550,000 for the matchup.

EIU and Indiana have met once before in 2019, where the Hoosiers won 52-0 at home. EIU now has an FBS opponent lined up for the next five seasons: Alabama (SEC) in 2025, Minnesota (Big Ten) in 2026, Illinois (Big Ten) in 2027, Kentucky (SEC) in 2028, and Indiana in 2029. Indiana has future games against Indiana State scheduled for 2025 and 2027.

The other matchup will be the Northern Colorado Bears (Big Sky) at the Wyoming Cowboys (Mountain West) on Saturday, August 31, 2030, per FBSchedules. UNC and Wyoming are also scheduled to meet on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The Bears will receive $400,000 for the 2026 matchup and $425,000 for the 2030 game.

The Bears and Cowboys have played 27 previous times, with the first matchup occurring in 1895. Wyoming holds a 19-5-3 lead in the series, which includes the current 9-game winning streak. The most recent matchup was in 2022, with Wyoming winning 33-10 at home in Laramie.

Northern Colorado is slated to play against Colorado State (Mountain West) in 2025, Wyoming in 2026 and 2030, New Mexico (Mountain West) in 2027, and Colorado (Big 12) in 2028 and 2031. Wyoming will play against Northern Iowa (MVFC) in 2025, Northern Colorado in 2026 and 2030, Southern Utah (Big Sky) in 2027, Idaho State (Big Sky) in 2028, and Cal Poly (Big Sky) in 2032.

Photo Credit to Indiana University Athletics