EKU returns home Saturday to open Ohio Valley Play as Southeast Missouri comes to town coming off a nice win over Southern Illinois last week. Colonels (1-2) are coming off a strong showing against Bowling Green University last week but they came up a touchdown short falling 42-35. Eastern had a couple of passes to the end zone but neither could find their target. While it’s true there are no moral victories as a Colonel fan you have to be optimistic about the team through the first three games. Back to back tough losses to FBS teams have the team at a game under .500 but now that league play is upon us it’s time to take back the valley!
Last week the Colonels rushed for 389 yards and 5 touchdowns led by Darryl McClesky who had 168 and three scores. Dakota Allen passed for 109 yards and added 63 rushing yards. LJ Scott added 50 yards on the ground. Sophomore Jaelin Carter had two catches for 67 yards in the loss last week. The Colonels had 3 turnovers, all fumbles, and forced just 1.
On the season Colonels have rushed for 932 yards and 11 touchdowns. That is the best in the OVC and 7th best in the country. EKU has used three different quarterbacks this season but Dakota Allen appears to be the front-runner at the position. Allen on the year is 20-38 for 240 yards and has thrown for a touchdown. He is third on the team in rushing with 110 yards behind McClesky (311 yds), and Scott (171). Carter now leads the team in receptions after his pair last week with 6 for 81 yards. Jackson Beerman has 5 catches and Dan Paul has 4 and has caught both touchdowns thrown by Colonels quarterbacks. Sam Haysworth is a perfect 11-11 on extra points and is 3-5 on field goals with a long of 38. Defensively Eastern has forced 9 turnovers on the season and are led by Aaron Patrick who has 15 tackles and 3.5 sacks through 3 games. Patrick is tied for 10th place on the Colonels list for all time sacks with 13.5. Just think if he hadn’t missed a season. He also has 5 quarterback hurries on the year. Ben Bascom leads the Colonels with 25 total tackles.
The Redhawks enter this week coming off a solid win over Southern Illinois on the road 48-44. Marquis Terry set a OVC record with 311 rushing yards and 438 all-purpose yards in the game, he also scored 4 touchdowns. SEMO is second in the OVC scoring 36 points a game. Terry has rushed for 590 yards and 6 TDS on the season. SEMO is number 1 in the OVC in turnover margin at a +8. They also the conference with 6 interceptions and that is good for 2nd best in all of FCS. Redhawks have 5 plays of over 50 yards this season and are looking for their first 3 game winning streak in 4 seasons.
In the past 5 seasons SEMO is 4-21 on the road. EKU leads the all time series 24-4 but Southeast Missouri won the last meeting 29-10 in Cape Girardeau. It is family weekend and the Colonels will be honoring its 2007 and 2008 OVC Championship teams at the game. The 2007 OVC Champions finished 9-3 overall and were a perfect 8-0 against league teams. The 2008 OVC Champions went 8-4 overall and 7-1 against conference teams. After dropping its first conference game of the season, Eastern rolled off seven straight wins to capture the title.
The game can be heard live on the flagship station of Colonel Athletics WCYO 100.7 FM The Coyote with the tailgate show starting at 2:30. Come join our own Michael Watkins and Donald Foster in the alumni lot as they get you ready for the game and at 3:30 we go to the stadium and the voice of Colonel football Greg Stotelmyer, Jim Tirey, and Wes Chandler as they get you ready for the 4:00 kickoff. Go Colonels beat the Redhawks!
