EKU’s football team has been apart of many thrilling finishes over the course of the last couple seasons. Whether those were come from behind wins or tough losses at the last second, the Colonels know what its like to win and lose in close ballgames.
Last Saturday, there were times when it looked dire for the Colonels. Down 17-0 in the first quarter and trailing by double digits in the 4th, EKU was able to come back and make the game close or competitive each time.
Quarterback Parker McKinney had a solid game, throwing for three touchdowns, 260 yards passing and 81 yards rushing. McKinney’s ability to scramble not only kept drives alive, but also opened up the offense to mix in the run and pass game equally.
Joshua Carter gained 69 yards on the ground while Braedon Slone netted 122 rushing yards.
Speaking of the rush, SEMO’s was nonexistent, combining for only 86 yards total as a team. This is a testament to the stout EKU defense who played a top notch ballgame.
Statistics aside, it was truly a team effort. Even with all sides of the ball doing their share, the game came down to the wire. SEMO lived up to their 16th place ranking for the FCS with their play. The Redhawks had moments where they almost pulled away with it.
Luckily, the Colonels defense got stops when needed and recovered a SEMO forced fumble with only a few seconds remaining and had kicker Patrick Nations set up to boot the game winning field goal as time expired.
With the hardest stretch of the schedule behind them, the Colonels sit at 1-3 with a win over a top 25 opponent, a great performance at UK and a last second loss against 8th ranked Western Carolina. Change a play or two there, and EKU is looking like one of the best FCS squads in the nation.
Now Eastern is preparing for its trip to North Alabama University on Saturday, where the Colonels will begin conference play. Winning the UAC this year is key for the Colonels, not only to live up to expectations, but to also solidify great seeding for the FCS playoffs.
The Colonels should be favorites at North Alabama. The fans are behind this team and know the talent and potential EKU has this season.
Now the teams mission is just to go win. Based on their recent performances, those W’s could start to pile up during a favorable conference schedule.
