This story was originally posted on Sept. 22, 2016 and dives into the relationship between quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell and Matt Nichols. The two former Eastern Washington pivots will go head-to-head in the Western Final this Sunday, their first ever CFL playoff match-up.

It was back in 2008 that Bo Levi Mitchell and Matt Nichols first crossed paths.

A high school senior at the time, Mitchell was on a recruiting trip and Eastern Washington was among his visits. Nichols, the school’s quarterback, was his host for the weekend.

“Matt was a huge reason I went to Eastern Washington,” says Mitchell, whose Calgary Stampeders face Nichols’ Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday at McMahon Stadium. “He was my host. He, Greg Peach, JC (Sherritt) were guys that showed me all around.”

The Katy, Tex., native opted to go to SMU in his home state instead.

Meanwhile Nichols lit it up at Eastern during his four-year career, breaking 14 school records including six that topped the Big Sky Conference.

Two years after his initial visit to Eastern, Mitchell was looking to transfer schools and found himself back in Cheney, Wash. Nichols had just graduated and the Eagles’ starting quarterback position was up for grabs.

“He ended up going to SMU first but then when that didn’t work out, he was looking for somewhere to go and he remembered his time at Eastern,” says Nichols. “I think he made a great decision to go there and play football at a very high level and did a great job there.”

Mitchell led the Eagles to their first-ever national championship in his first season in 2010 and set four school records of his own over his two seasons.

Former Eastern Washington QBs Bo Levi Mitchell, Erik Meyer and Matt Nichols

Mitchell credits Nichols – and the quarterback before him, Erik Meyer – for laying the groundwork and establishing a winning culture at Eastern. He says Nichols did a good job of leading the team and making the players around him better.

“It gave me that feeling again of guys who want to play football to play football,” says Mitchell. “They weren’t there to get paid, they weren’t there for the big recognition. They wanted to play football and win football games and I kind of got back into that winning culture. I just kind of went there and picked up right where Matt left off. And ever since then, we’ve always kept in touch, we’ve always been friends.”

Although they’ve never actually played on the same team, the two quarterbacks have become close over the years and root for each other to do well. They hang out with each other’s families and sometimes train together in the off-season. They both talk about the close-knit atmosphere at EWU and how they are welcomed back with open arms when they go back to visit.

“Anyone who played at Eastern is family,” says Nichols. “(With Bo) it’s just nice to have someone that’s in the same position as you playing this crazy position of quarterback. I mean, no one really can quite understand it I don’t think unless you’ve stood back there with live bullets flying around and it’s just nice to have a guy like that that you can always talk to about it or bounce ideas off of.“

A lot has changed since these two teams met twice earlier this season, with the Stamps coming out on top both times. After a slow start to the season with a 1-4 record, the Bombers haven’t lost a game since Nichols became the starting quarterback in Week 6, leading the team to seven straight victories.

“I see a different team,” says Mitchell about the Blue and Gold. “I see a team that’s playing with confidence, they’re playing with speed. They’re playing behind Matt and they have trust and confidence in him that he’ll put up points.”

Former Eastern Washington players Shea Emry, JC Sherritt, Matt Nichols and Bo Levi Mitchell reunite at the 2014 CFL Player Awards

The Stamps, on the other hand, are undefeated since losing their Week 1 contest in BC and are sporting a league-best 10-1-1 record. On a nine-game winning streak of their own, it’s the first time in CFL history that two teams on winning streaks of at least seven games will meet up in the regular season.

Add in the fact that the Stamps are unbeaten at home this season (6-0) and the Bombers have the league’s best road record (5-1) and Saturday at McMahon is a can’t-miss matchup between the CFL’s hottest teams.

“It’s two very good football teams playing against each other and I think both teams have a lot of respect for each other and we know it’s going to be a battle,” says Nichols. “It’s going to be one of those games that probably comes down to the wire and, I can speak for our team, we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

It’s a challenge both quarterbacks are up for. And it’s a safe bet many of their former coaches and teammates at Eastern will be tuning in to.

Off the field, they are friends. On the field? Not so much.

“I want (Matt) to do well on the field when I’m not playing against him but when I am playing against him, I want him to ball out but lose the game,” laughs Mitchell. “It’s going to be great for fans and everybody else out there. It’s obviously great for both teams to be on the winning streaks that we’re on but at the end of the day, someone’s winning streak is going to be up.”