EKU FINDS FIRST VICTORY; BLUE RAIDERS STILL LOOKING (OVC NOTES)

As expected, Eastern Kentucky's football team got its first win of the season last weekend.

But now another perennial Ohio Valley Conference power remains winless.

Eastern Kentucky -- which had lost to three nationally-ranked teams to start the season -- broke out in a big way by hammering former OVC football member Austin Peay 56-3.

Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee dropped a 35-17 OVC home decision to Murray State as the Blue Raiders fell to 0-3 for their worst start since 1980.

Also last weekend, in conference matchups, Eastern Illinois held on for a 10-7 win at Tennessee Tech while Southeast Missouri State blasted host Tennessee-Martin 42-7.

Outside the league, in addition to Eastern Kentucky's rout of Austin Peay, Tennessee State suffered a 34-28 loss to South Carolina State in front of 41,293 fans at the Georgia Dome.

Tennessee State's setback was a particularly tough one. The Tigers gave up a pair of touchdowns in the final 45 seconds, including the winning score with no time on the clock after a `Hail Mary' pass was intercepted and returned 89 yards for a TD.

* Two-time defending OVC champion Murray State -- which has now won 18 straight league games -- and preseason favorite Eastern Illinois lead the conference right now with 2-0 records.

Tennessee State is 1-0, with Southeast Missouri 1-1. Eastern Kentucky has not yet played a league game while Tennessee Tech is 0-1 and Middle Tennessee and Tennessee-Martin are both 0-2.

Eastern Illinois (4-1) and Murray State (3-2) are the only OVC teams with winning overall records. The Panthers are rated 15th in this week's NCAA Division I-AA poll while the Racers are back in the rankings at No. 25.

* Two conference matchups will take place Saturday as Eastern Illinois visits Southeast Missouri and Murray State travels to Tennessee-Martin.

Outside the league, Tennessee Tech visits Austin Peay, Middle Tennessee hosts Jacksonville State and Tennessee State plays North Carolina A&T in Indianapolis.

* Murray State's standout wide receiver, Reginald Swinton, is apparently back in good graces with the Racers' coaching staff.

Swinton was held out of the previous week's game against Southeast Missouri because of disciplinary reasons and there had been some question whether he would play at all the rest of the season.

But Swinton was back on the field against Middle Tennessee and caught five passes for 84 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown reception that put the Racers ahead for good in the third quarter.

* Home was no place to be last weekend as all three of the conference games were won by the visiting team.

* Murray State tailback Anthony Downs and Tennessee Tech rover Josh Symonette earned the OVC's offensive and defensive player of the week honors.

Downs, who had missed the previous week's game against Southeast Missouri with an ankle injury, rushed for 147 yards and four touchdowns against Middle Tennessee.

Symonette had 14 tackles to lead a Tennessee Tech defensive effort that held Eastern Illinois' league-leading offense to 257 total yards.