WESTERN KENTUCKY MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT AFTER 18-YEAR ABSNECE FROM OVC

After an 18-year absence from the league, Western Kentucky University's football team is making plenty of early noise during its return season in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Hilltoppers remained on top of the OVC standings last Saturday as they picked up a big 21-15 victory over rival Murray State in the "Battle for the Red Belt."

Western Kentucky, which had previously beaten OVC foes Tennessee-Martin and Southeast Missouri, improved to 3-0 in league play and 4-1 overall.

The Hilltoppers are hoping their 3-0 start is a good omen. The last two times Western Kentucky began OVC play with three straight wins -- in 1979 and 1980 -- it went on to capture the league title.

Murray State, which fell to 1-1 in the league and 1-3 overall, had been picked second in the OVC's preseason poll of the conference's head football coaches and sports information directors. The Hilltoppers were picked to finish fifth in the eight-team league.

Three other OVC teams are tied with Western Kentucky in the loss column, although Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois -- all 1-0 -- have played two fewer league games than the Hilltoppers.

Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech both opened OVC play with wins last Saturday, the Colonels holding off Southeast Missouri 37-28 and the Eagles routing Tennessee-Martin 45-9 as they posted their highest point total against an OVC foe since 1994.

* Tennessee State, the only OVC team that has not yet played a league game, continued to roll as the Tigers beat Alabama State 36-15.

The Tigers, the nation's fifth-ranked NCAA Division I-AA team, are 4-0 for the first time since 1986.

* It was a day for punt returners around the OVC last Saturday.

Three players returned punts for touchdowns: Tennessee State's Patrick Jenkins had an 82-yarder against Alabama A&M; Eastern Illinois' Frank Cutolo had an 80-yarder in a 31-21 loss to Central Florida; and Eastern Kentucky's Nick Towns had a 61-yarder against Southeast Missouri.

* Eastern Illinois must be relieved that it is finally going to play primarily OVC games the rest of the way.

The Panthers have lost to three Division I-A teams so far, the latest being Central Florida. Eastern Illinois has also been beaten by Central Michigan and Hawaii.

* All four games involving OVC teams this weekend are conference affairs, with a couple of interesting matchups on tap.

Eastern Illinois visits Tennessee State as the Tigers open their league season while Western Kentucky travels to Eastern Kentucky in a rivalry battle feature undefeated OVC squads.

Also, Southeast Missouri entertains Tennessee Tech in the Indians' homecoming and Murray State plays host to Tennessee-Martin.

* Tennessee Tech wide receiver Walter Hill and Western Kentucky cornerback Mel Mitchell have earned the OVC's offensive and defensive player of the week honors.

Hill had seven receptions for a career-high 141 yards and scored two touchdowns during the Eagles' romp past Tennessee-Martin.

Mitchell registered a career-high nine tackles, including three for loss, during the Hilltoppers big win over Murray State.