EKU RECORD BETTER THAN IT LOOKS (OVC NOTES)

A lot of people who follow Ohio Valley Conference football might take a look at Eastern Kentucky's 0-3 record and think the Colonels are really down this year.

Think again.

Sure, the Colonels are winless so far. But one look at who they've played kind of explains their problem getting into the victory column.

EKU's 27-23 loss at Appalachian State last Saturday marked the Colonels' third consecutive setback to a team currently ranked among the nation's top 10 NCAA Division I-AA teams.

Appalachian State checks in this week at No. 6. EKU has also lost to third-ranked Western Kentucky (37-21) and seventh-ranked Troy State (21-12).

But good news should come for the Colonels soon. This Saturday, they host Austin Peay in what should turn out to be EKU's first victory of the season.

Austin Peay, previously a member of the OVC, dropped out of the conference for football only this year when it downgraded its football program to non-scholarship. Virtually all of the Governors' key players from last year left, so this game figures to be a mismatch.

* In the only league game involving OVC teams last weekend, Murray State beat Southeast Missouri State 17-3.

Other games featuring conference squads saw Eastern Illinois defeat Illinois State 25-14, Tennessee Tech down Samford 14-7 and Tennessee-Martin lose to Southwest Missouri State 27-14.

* Two-time defending champion Murray State, preseason favorite Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State are all 1-0 so far in league play while Southeast Missouri, Middle Tennessee State and Tennessee-Martin are all 0-1.

Tennessee Tech and Eastern Kentucky have yet to open their conference schedules.

* The heaviest load of conference games will take place this Saturday as three contests are slated.

Two particularly intriguing matchups are Eastern Illinois at Tennessee Tech and Murray State at Middle Tennessee.

Tennessee Tech has steadily improved in the last year or so and that improvement will be put to a test against the powerful Panthers.

Middle Tennessee, which has slumped in recent seasons, is trying to get back to being one of the OVC's better teams. The Raiders will certainly be able to gauge themselves against the Racers, who have won 17 straight league games.

Also, Southeast Missouri travels to Tennessee-Martin in a game pitting the two teams picked to finish at the bottom of the OVC in the preseason poll. The Indians were tabbed for seventh while the Skyhawks were selected eighth.

* Eastern Illinois quarterback Mike Simpson and Murray State linebacker Ronnie Merritt earned the OVC's top player of the week honors.

Simpson was named on offense after completing 20 of 31 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns against Illinois State.

Merritt got the nod on defense as he had six tackles, including two for loss, and two interceptions against Southeast Missouri. Merritt's 55-yard interception return for a touchdown in the closing seconds sealed the outcome.

Tennessee-Martin running back Darriel Ruffin was named newcomer of the week after rushing for a school-record 222 yards on 26 carries against Southwest Missouri.