Published: November 07, 2009 01:07 am      

After almost knocking off Indiana, Colonels know they face a much more daunting task against Kentucky

RICHMOND — Just two months ago, the Colonels were just one play away from pulling off a major upset on the road against a school from a high-profile, big-money BCS conference.

In the closing seconds of the season opener at Indiana, EKU had the ball and shot at a potential game-winning touchdown.

Ultimately, the Hoosiers were able to hang on for a very uncomfortable 19-13 win in front of a crowd of more than 35,000.

The Colonels (5-3, 5-2 OVC) certainly would be thrilled to find themselves in similar position late in the game today against the University of Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium.

“To go to Indiana and play well, that should give us some confidence,” Eastern Kentucky University coach Dean Hood said. “But, at the same time our guys should realize that game has nothing to do with this game. The SEC is a totally different animal then the Big Ten. That’s something everyone needs to keep in mind.”

EKU’s success against the Hoosiers was indeed impressive.

However, the Colonels will face a much more daunting task today (1 p.m.) in Lexington.

Kentucky (4-4) has won three-straight bowl games and is a rising power in the Southeastern Conference — a league which has won each of the past three BCS National Championships.

Indiana (4-5) has appeared in just one bowl game since 1994.

“When you play an SEC team, it’s like playing an NFL (team),” Hood said. “That’s the best conference in college football. There is talent at every position.”

Even though the campuses are roughly just 30 miles apart, today’s game will mark just the third meeting between UK and EKU.

The Wildcats rolled to easy wins in the other two games — 52-7 in 1998 and 50-10 in 2007.

The Colonels have not defeated an FBS school since 1985 (Louisville) and are just 4-14 all-time against teams from the highest level of college football.

Still, after putting a big scare into the Hoosiers, the Colonels say they won’t be intimated by their competition or playing in front of a huge crowd.

“There’s going to be a lot of emotion,” EKU linebacker Jordan Dalrymple said. “It’s just going to be fun to go into Commonwealth Stadium and play football.”

The in-state showdown could have important implications for both teams.

Kentucky desperately needs a win to keep its chances at another bowl appearance alive.

The Colonels could greatly improve their possibility of gaining an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs with a win over an SEC team.

EKU is currently in second place in the OVC, one game behind Eastern Illinois (7-2, 5-1 OVC). Only the league champion receives an automatic bid to the 16-team postseason tournament.

“They are a team that is definitely dangerous, and I’m sure that they are looking forward to this opportunity to come into Commonwealth Stadium and make it their year,” Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said.

After putting together three-straight wins, the Colonels have had some up-and-down results in the past month.

EKU lost at home to Tennessee State and then fell on the road to Austin Peay.

Still, the Colonels kept themselves in the running for a third-straight OVC title with a 20-6 win last week at Roy Kidd Stadium over Southeast Missouri State.

“It’s inconsistency,” Hood said. “We’ve got to get that corrected. It’s not one guy and it’s not one thing. It’s a breakdown here or there. You can’t put your finger on one thing.”

The offense has been particularly inconsistent.

The Colonels rank near the middle of the OVC in most offensive statistics, including points per game (22.1 — fifth) and total offense (353.9 — third).

Louisville native T.J. Pryor has been one of the bright spots. The redshirt freshman quarterback is third in the league in passing yards a game (198.8) and pass efficiency (133.7).

EKU’s rush defense still ranks among the FCS national leaders, but injuries are starting to hurt a defense unit that lacks real depth.

Sophomore defensive back Jeremy Caldwell suffered a head injury on the opening kickoff last week against SEMO and will probably not play against Kentucky. The defensive back leads the nation (FCS) with seven interceptions.

Defensive backs Justin Bell and Andre Evans have both missed games recently, but should be able in the lineup today.

“Our defensive guys are banged up and bruised,” Dalrymple said. “But, that’s just football. We will be all right.”

Senior running back C.J. Walker and senior All-American offensive lineman Derek Hardman were also injured last week, but the coaching staff is hopefully they will not miss today’s game.

The Colonels have 29 players on their roster from Kentucky, including wide receiver Garnett Phelps, offensive lineman Paul Henry and linebacker Nick Vicini.