Kansas State will host the Panther football team to fill one of the three open dates on Eastern’s 2002 schedule.

The agreement was reached between Eastern and Kansas State to play the game in Manhattan, Kan., on Sept. 14. The Big 12 Conference and nationally ranked team finished 6-6 in the 2001 season.

“They’re an awful good football program. There’s no question about that.” Director of Athletics Rich McDuffie said.

“Everyone tries to play a I-A game for a financial guarantee and this is also a chance for our kids to play against someone that good.”

This Division I-A team will be the second team in that division following a game at Hawaii Aug. 31.

While Hawaii will pay Eastern for that game, the gain is not as great for the athletic department, as the trip will take more money out of the budget than a mainland game would.

“Normally we would only play one I-A team, but we signed a contract with Hawaii in August,” McDuffie said.

“Since then, our finances in the athletic department have been a little tighter, so we decided to play another I-A game for a good deal of money.”

The scheduled road game to Kansas State would have left Eastern with just four home games, but a road game to Indiana State on Sept. 21 has now been changed to Eastern’s home opener in O’Brien Stadium.

“We have five home games now and six away, but if you look at I-AA games, which is what the playoff committee looks at, five of those are home and four are away,” McDuffie said.

Sam Houston State was also originally a potential team to add to the Panthers’ schedule, but while they fit into Eastern’s 2002 schedule, they could not schedule a game in 2003.

Eastern’s football schedule is now left with an open date Sept. 7, which gives the team time to readjust from the travel to Hawaii, and one more open date on Oct. 26.

The athletic department is satisfied with the 2002 schedule and will now move on to completing game dates in 2003, according to McDuffie.