Published: November 18, 2008 02:25 am         

Colonels still fighting for respect

The Colonels are just one win away from a second-straight Ohio Valley Conference championship, but they still aren’t getting much respect in either of the Football Championship Subdivision polls.

Eastern Kentucky University (7-3, 6-1 OVC) received just 174 votes in this week’s Sports Network Poll and only 18 votes in the FCS Coaches Poll, leaving the school outside the Top 25 in both once again.

The Colonels have not been ranked in either poll since starting the season with back-to-back losses to FBS opponents Cincinnati and Western Kentucky.

“It gets aggravating sometimes that (we) are not in the Top 25, but at the same time we’ve just kind of been under (the radar) just pushing away,” EKU senior quarterback Allan Holland said on Monday. “Teams don’t know much about us and we are not getting a lot of respect from anyone, but that just gives us another reason to go out there and work a little harder.”

The Colonels have won six-straight games and will take on UT Martin (8-3, 6-1 OVC) Saturday on the road in the regular-season finale. The winner of that game will get the league’s automatic bid the FCS Playoffs, regardless of the ratings or polls.

UT Martin (18th) is one of three OVC teams ranked in this week’s TSN poll. Tennessee State is 25th and Jacksonville State, a team which EKU beat earlier this season, is 24th.

In the FCS Coaches Poll, UT Martin is 18th, Jacksonville State is 21st and Tennessee State is 25th.

Still, with a title on the line this weekend, those polls don’t seem to matter much to the Colonels at this point.

“I actually like not being ranked. It gives you a chip on your shoulder,” EKU senior defensive lineman Chris Coy said. “(It gives you a reason) to go out there and prove yourself. The only thing we need to take care of is what happens on the field.”



At-large bid for the OVC

In each of the past two seasons, the OVC has received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs.

But, with one week left in the regular season, it’s very difficult to speculate whether the league will get two postseason berths this year.

“I’m probably the worst person to ask, because I couldn’t tell you who is ranked,” EKU coach Dean Hood said on Monday. “I don’t have a clue. I know there is one team getting in and that is whoever wins that game this Saturday. That’s all I know.”

The winner of the UT Martin-EKU game will get the automatic bid and that could possibly leave three teams tied for second place with two OVC losses — Jacksonville State (8-3, 6-2), Tennessee State (8-3, 5-2) and UTM/EKU.

That would force the NCAA selection committee to make a tough decision, if the OVC is rewarded with an at-large bid.

The conference has not won a playoff game since 2000.

The 16-team FCS Playoff field will be announced on Sunday afternoon.



Anxious moments

The Colonels walked off the field Saturday at Roy Kidd Stadium not knowing yet if they would get the chance to play for a championship this weekend.

By the time they had wrapped up a 34-7 win over Murray State, the showdown between Jacksonville State and Tennessee State was still in the first half.

EKU players, coaches and supporters anxiously awaited the result from Alabama as they tried to get information about the game in any way possible.

“There were a few of us over at the hotel after the game with family and they had it pulled up on the computer,” Holland said. “We were trying to check (the score) and my phone froze up with 28 seconds left, but we knew they had scored because another computer said that. Then the main computer at seven seconds froze up and wouldn’t give us a score and (my phone) finally updated and said (Jacksonville State) had won.”

Jacksonville State’s Calvin Middleton scored on a 3-yard run with 13 seconds left to wrap up a 26-21 come-from-behind win.

The loss dropped Tennessee State out of contention for the title and also improved the Gamecocks’ shot at an at-large playoff bid.

     

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