If fans need to know the severity of Saturday's clash between No. 2 Carroll College and No. 23 Eastern Oregon University, Mountaineers head coach Tim Camp called the match-up, "The biggest game in EOU football history."

The Saints enter the game having already clinched the Frontier Conference title for the 10th straight season after beating Montana Western last week. But, Eastern still has a chance to grab an at-large position in the national championship tournament. A trip to the postseason would be the first in EOU's 80-year history of football.

Carroll needs little introduction. The Saints have won 32 consecutive conference games. The last league opponent to defeat CC was Montana State-Northern on Oct. 28, 2006, 10-3.

The Saints made their 61st consecutive appearance in the national top five, 112th straight appearance in the top 25, this week at No. 2. The Saints have sat at No. 2 since falling to the current No. 1 Sioux Falls University in last year's national championship game. Carroll has appeared in six of the last seven national title games, winning five.

Carroll has been dominant over Eastern this decade. The Saints are 11-0 against EOU since 2000 and 5-0 at Community Stadium. The Saints are a phenomenal 70-3 in their last 73 games.

The national tournament invites 16 teams, not necessarily the top 16 teams in the country, up to 11 automatic conference champions and the rest go to at-large berths. If Eastern Oregon wins Saturday, the Mountaineers can only then wait and see what happens around the country after the game. The national tournament pairings are not released until Sunday, Nov. 15, one week after the Frontier Conference schedule comes to an end.

Last Saturday the Mountaineers rallied from down 20-0 just into the second quarter to win for the first time in school history at Montana State-Northern, 37-20. The win moved EOU from No. 23 to No. 22. Carroll had little trouble on the road at Montana Western defeating the Bulldogs, 26-10. The Saints took an early 14-0 lead and coasted from there behind Gary Wagner's 215 passing yards. Wagner completed 21 of his 31 throws and was named the Frontier Conference Offensive Player of the Week. The Saints were very balanced carrying the ball for 215 yards.

The last time Carroll and Eastern Oregon met on Oct. 3, the game was dubbed the NAIA Game of the Week. The No. 19 Mountaineers struggled to stop the No. 2 Saints' ground attack that finished with 327 rushing yards. John Camino carried the ball 20 times for 190 yards with two touchdowns, and Gabe Le had 85 yards on 14 carries with a pair of scores. Carroll took a 3-0 lead into the second quarter before EOU's Chris Ware connected with Kirk Miller to put the Mountaineers ahead 7-3 just into the second quarter. The Saints took the lead back before halftime, 17-10, and would outscore the Mountaineers 34-3 after the Ware to Miller touchdown. Eastern closed the game with a score to make the final, 37-17.

Eastern Oregon's last win in Helena came in 1998, 26-7.Carroll has an 11-6 all-time advantage over Eastern with the series beginning in 1952. EOU last defeated the Saints in 1999 with a 28-21 win in La Grande.

After struggling early in the year Wagner has turned things around. The senior was replaced at the beginning of the season by Dane Broadhead, but Wagner has gone on a tear in recent games. Wagner has completed 66 percent of his passes, throwing just three interceptions to 19 touchdowns. His favorite target seems to Bubba Bartlett who leads the team with 62 receptions for 678 yards. Bartlett caught 10 passes for 97 yards against EOU. Camino and Le average 69 and 66 yards rushing per game respectively.

Last year Carroll defeated the Mountaineers, 48-10, in La Grande, on Oct. 4, 2008. EOU jumped ahead of Carroll 10-7 just into the second quarter, before the Saints added a touchdown right before halftime. CC outscored Eastern 20-0 in the third quarter. Carroll forced four EOU turnovers and totaled 477 yards in the win. The Saints got out to a 21-0 lead in Helena on Nov. 8, 2008 and raced to a 28-7 win. Both teams combined for 346 yards in the defensive battle. Ware was 7 for 17 with an interception and 74 yards passing.

Saturday's game marks the final regular season home game for 14 very talented Mountaineers. The group has seen EOU go 1-10 three years ago, to playing in national games of the week, and spent seven consecutive weeks in the top 25. They have been keys to the resurgence of Eastern Oregon University football.

Forecasts for Saturday's kickoff projects highs around 45 and lows around 33. There is a 30 percent chance of a wintry mix of precipitation. Pregame will begin locally on KCMB 104.7 FM at 11:40 a.m., and Senior Day festivities will begin at 11:45 a.m. inside Community Stadium. The game will be video streamed live on EOUSports.com beginning at 11:50 a.m.