Eastern Illinois stands in path of EKU's title bid

Two of the conference's three unbeaten teams play each other this week.

After Eastern Kentucky won at two-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State on Oct. 1, many people around the OVC already were handing the title to the Colonels -- even though they had played just two league games.

But if you're Eastern Illinois, you're probably thinking "not so fast."

The Panthers (3-2, 2-0) host the Colonels (3-3, 3-0) this week in a battle between two of the three teams to have not yet suffered a conference loss.

Eastern Illinois coach Bob Spoo said during Tuesday's weekly OVC coaches teleconference that his players are ready to take their shot.

"I think they understand the importance of this game," he said, "and I think they'll respond accordingly."

Spoo hopes the Panthers fare better against the Colonels than the past two years, when they were soundly thrashed both times.

"Eastern Kentucky is a very fine football team, no question about that. We have our work cut out for us," Spoo said. "It's good to be at home, but two years ago they came in here and it didn't seem to make a difference.

"We just have to play good, solid football."

Eastern Kentucky coach Danny Hope has said all along -- even after the Colonels upended Jacksonville State 31-14 -- that it was much too early to anoint his squad as the odds-on OVC favorite.

And Hope is especially wary of the Panthers.

"I think they're a heck of a football team," he said. "I think they're playing really well. We're going to have to play our 'A' game."

Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky set up the showdown with easy victories Saturday.

The Panthers, predicted to finish fourth among nine teams in the OVC's preseason poll, rolled up a 48-10 lead and crushed host Southeast Missouri State 48-24.

The Colonels, No. 2 in the OVC's preseason poll after finishing second behind Jacksonville State the past two years, blasted visiting Samford 38-6.

Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky have breezed through their conference schedules so far. The Panthers also blitzed Samford 43-14, while the Colonels' other win was 52-3 over Tennessee Tech.

UT-Martin keeps rolling

While the Panthers and Colonels are slugging things out in Charleston, Ill., Tennessee-Martin will face its first OVC road test as the Skyhawks attempt to continue their turnaround.

The Skyhawks (4-1, 2-0), the third team without a conference loss, scored 40 consecutive second-half points Saturday to erase a 9-6 halftime deficit and rip Tennessee Tech 46-16.

These are heady days for the Skyhawks, who have finished either last or tied for last in the OVC the past nine seasons, during which time they had posted a 3-61 league record.

Prior to this year, Tennessee-Martin had not won more than two games in a season since 1995, when they were 5-6 and had a conference record of 4-4. The Skyhawks' last winning record was a 6-5 mark in 1993.

But this week the Skyhawks will face their toughest test to date when they visit Jacksonville State.

Jacksonville State (2-4, 2-1), the OVC's preseason favorite, kept its hopes of winning a third straight league title intact by squeezing out a 28-23 victory at Murray State on Saturday.

Considering that 1962 is the last time a team has won or shared the OVC championship with as many as two losses, Tennessee Tech (2-4, 1-2), Samford (2-4, 1-2), Murray State (1-4, 0-2) and Southeast Missouri State (0-6, 0-3) probably no longer have realistic title hopes.

Tennessee State (1-4, 0-1), which had an open date Saturday, also is not regarded as a legitimate contender for the crown.

Players of the week

Murray State junior running back Chad Cook is the OVC offensive player of the week after rushing for a career-high 213 yards on 21 carries against Jacksonville State. He had two runs of more than 50 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown.

Tennessee-Martin junior linebacker David Gilmore earned the defensive award. He 10 tackles and forced two fumbles against Tennessee Tech.

Also honored were Tennessee-Martin senior kicker Taylor Brown (special teams) and Tennessee-Martin freshman cornerback Dante Harold (newcomer).

Brown accounted for 14 points against Tennessee Tech, going 3-for-3 on field goals -- with a long of 46 -- and 5-for-5 on PATs.

Harold, making his first career start against Tennessee Tech, returned his first career interception 85 yards for a touchdown. He also had four tackles, broke up a pass and recovered a fumble.