Roos Field in Cheney, Washington, will be filled to capacity when Sam Houston takes on No. 1 ranked Eastern Washington in the FCS Kickoff Classic Saturday, Aug. 23.

The Eagles announced Wednesday that tickets for the game are sold out. The stadium will be filled with 8,600 fans when the game kicks off at 2:35 p.m. Central time.

The contest is being telecast nationally by ESPN and is the only college game that day and the first NCAA football game of the 2014 season.

For the fourth time in the two program's football histories, Sam Houston State and Eastern Washington meet as nationally ranked opponents. Eastern Washington stands atop The Sports Network preseason FCS poll and is No. 2 in the NCAA Coaches' Poll. The Bearkats are rated No. 14  by the coaches and 17 by Sports Network.

The contest represents the earliest start date in the Bearkats' football history. Sam Houston opened the 2008 season on August 28 with a 58-14 victory over East Central Oklahoma in Huntsville.

Three of the last four years, either Sam Houston or Eastern Washington has been a participant in the NCAA Division I Championship Finals in Frisco, Texas. EWU won the national championship in 2011 while Sam Houston was a finalist in both 2012 and 2013. The Southland Conference has hosted the National Championship Game each of the past four seasons.

Sam Houston is one of only three teams to earn FCS post-season playoff berths each of the past three seasons (joining North Dakota State and New Hampshire). Eastern Washington has earned FCS berths four of the past five years (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013). The two teams have combined for 17 FCS playoff appearances.

KSAM 101.7 FM will air the game live in the Walker County area. Fans also may listen via the internet on www.gobearkats.com .