ELLENSBURG, Wash.—Five home games, a contest with Eastern Washington, and a continuation of the partnership with the Lone Star Conference highlight Central Washington's 2021 football schedule, which was announced on Thursday.
 
The Wildcats will spend the first three weeks of the new season on the road, before opening their home slate. Head coach Chris Fisk feels good about the schedule.  
 
"It's a challenging schedule both competitively and from a travel standpoint," Fisk said. "We're really excited to be able to have a full 10-game schedule for 2021."
 
The loss of Azusa Pacific from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference slate left a hole in the Wildcats' schedule for this season, until Fisk and the administration were able to secure a 10^th game -- with first-year program Lincoln (Calif.) -- just a couple of weeks ago.
 
"I'm really thankful for all of the behind-the-scenes work that went into creating a full schedule," Fisk said. "We're grateful we were able to get it done."
 
The Wildcats open the season with three straight road games before finishing with five of their final seven games at home in Tomlinson Stadium. Fisk says that's by design.
 
"With our academic quarter system, we believe it's always a good thing to start the year on the road before the students arrive on campus. We get excited about coming home and playing for the home crowd, especially when the students are there."
 
After playing just one game during the 2020-21 academic year, the Wildcats return to a full-season schedule when they open the 2021 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 2 at LSC member Eastern New Mexico in Portales, N.M.
 
CWU returns to The Evergreen State for a clash at FCS member and 2020-21 Big Sky Conference runner-up Eastern Washington on Saturday, Sept. 11, in Cheney.
 
The Wildcats begin GNAC contest play when they visit Simon Fraser on Sept. 18.
 
The Wildcats are slated to make their first appearance at Tomlinson Stadium in 686 days when they host Angelo State on Saturday, Sept. 25.
 
"It's going to be amazing," Fisk said of returning to play in Tomlinson. "It feels like all we've done for the last 18 months is practice and train at home and on that day, we get to strap it up and enjoy one of the best game-day experiences in the country."
 
Another home game, this time with Midwestern (Texas) State, comes on Oct. 2, before the Wildcats return to GNAC play with consecutive games against conference rival Western Oregon: on the road on Oct. 9, and at home on Oct. 23.
 
CWU closes out October when they welcome first year Division II program Lincoln (Calif.) to Tomlinson Stadium on Oct. 30.
 
November begins at Western New Mexico on Nov. 6, and the Wildcats finish out the regular season on Nov. 13 at home against GNAC foe Simon Fraser.
 
For ticket information, contact the Central Washington Ticket Office at (509) 963-1429 or wildcattickets@cwu.edu.
 
Schedule Notes

• CWU played one game during the pandemic-plagued 2020-21 academic year, a 59-3 loss at Montana on April 10
• The Wildcats last played at home on Nov. 9, 2019, when they defeated Southwest Baptist, 72-17
• Of their Division II non-conference opponents, both Angelo State and Midwestern State spent time in the Top 25 in 2019. There were no Division II polls for 2020.
• CWU's 2021 opponents posted a combined .545 winning percentage in their previous seasons. Several teams – Eastern Washington (5-2), Angelo State (2-2), Midwestern State (1-2), Western New Mexico (0-1) – competed in a limited schedule during the spring.
• Eastern Washington qualified for the FCS Playoffs this past spring, losing to North Dakota State in the first round
• The GNAC is fielding just three teams for the 2020 football season after Azusa Pacific announced earlier in the year it was eliminating its football program
• Lincoln (Calif.) is in Oakland. Not only is Lincoln starting a football team from scratch, but an entire athletic department as well.