[5] Denied membership to the Big Sky Conference in May 1985,[6][7] Eastern was extended an invitation in December 1986 to join, starting in July 1987.

The offseason saw a highly publicized move to install a red turf playing surface, the first of its kind in the country.

Led by the head coach Beau Baldwin the Eagles defeated the Delaware Blue Hens 20–19 in Frisco, Texas to win the school's first national championship in football.

[14] The EWU football team plays at Roos Field, opened in 1967 and recently expanded and renovated in 2004 and 2010 to seat 11,702.

[15] On February 26, 2010, ESPN reported that Eastern Washington planned to remove the natural grass surface at Woodward Field and replace it with red SprinTurf, the first of its kind, at any level of American football.

[16] On May 20, 2010 the Eastern Washington Board of Trustees approved a name change to Roos Field, scheduled for the 2010 season, upon the successful completion of the project.

[17] Installation of the red synthetic turf was completed in September 2010, in time for the first home game of the 2010 season against Montana.

Inferno finished as the top choice and the nickname was revealed at the first home game with the new field on September 18, 2010.

The EWU–UM Governors Cup is the game against conference rival Montana, usually played in mid-season in October, alternating between Roos Field in Cheney and Washington–Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.

‡ The Dam Cup rivalry with Portland State was officially established in 2010, but both teams have played against each other since the date listed above.