First conference home test is against defending champ EKU
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- It's time for the Tennessee Tech Golden
Eagle football team -- and Tech fans -- to TURN IT LOOSE. The
Golden Eagles return to Ohio Valley Conference action Saturday by
hosting the defending league champion Eastern Kentucky Colonels at
7 p.m. in Tucker Stadium.
The Golden Eagles are 2-0 at home this season, with wins over
Gardner-Webb and Cenral Methodist. A win over EKU would not only
allow coach Watson Brown's team to remain unbeaten at home, it
would also give Tech a 2-0 conference record.
The Golden Eagles have a enjoyed a couple of extra days off since
their last game, a 47-19 non-conference victory over Central
Methodist in Tucker Stadium last Thursday night (Sept. 25). It's
doubtful those extra days will allow Tech to get back some of the
injured players who have been on the sidelines, but it has given
the team a little break after a very busy, very difficult stretch
that included three games in 12 days.
The Golden Eagles come into the OVC contest against EKU with a 3-2
overall record, including a 1-0 record in league action - a
two-point win on the road at Southeast Missouri.
Eastern Kentucky, meanwhile, is 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the
conference after outlasting Austin Peay, 13-10, in overtime last
Saturday. The Colonels had a 10-7 lead before APSU kicked a field
goal with one second remaining in regulation to force the overtime.
The Colonels won on a 27-yard field goal by senior Taylor Long.
Tech returned from it's trip to Western Michigan - the team's
second game in three weeks against a Football Bowl Subdivision
(FBS) opponent - and hosted Central Methodist on only five days
preparation.
After falling behind 6-0 on a 61-yard interception return by the
Eagles, Tech recovered the score 34 unanswered points and take
control of the contest. CMU got another defensive touchdown, this
time a 41-yard interception return, to make it 34-13 at
halftime.
Tech's defense was sensational, limiting CMU to 177 yards of
offense, with 83 yards coming on the final drive of the game
against Tech's second defensive unit. The Eagles scored with 17
seconds remaining. Tech, displaying the sportsmanship that is a
hallmark of the OVC, didn't throw a pass in the fourth quarter
against the outmanned Eagles, simply settling for the victory
instead of running up gaudy statistics.
Senior Corey Reed led the defensive effort with a career-high 16
tackles. He was also in on one of Tech's five quarterback sacks.
Justin Vann, a freshman making the first start of his career,
intercepted two passes and returned one 28 yards for a touchdown.
Maurice Smith also picked off an Eagle toss, his eighth career
interception. Both Smith and Vann had eight tackles.
Freshman receiver Tim Benford continues to post strong numbers in
his debut season. He had four catches for 99 yards - his second
99-yard game -- including a 48-yard touchdown toss from Sweeney for
Tech's first score of the game. Benford has now caught at least
four passes in all five of his games as a Golden Eagle, and ranks
first on the team and high in the league, with 28 catches for 378
yards and three touchdowns.
Henry Sailes also had a stout effort against CMU, rushing for 86
yards on 10 attempts. He also caught four passes for 36 yards. He
leads Tech in rushing with 272 yards and four touchdowns in 44
attempts, an average of 6.2 per carry.
Josh Lowery replaced Sweeney late in the first half and went
5-for-5 passing for 62 yards as the Golden Eagles kept the ball on
the ground for most of the second half. Lowery has played in four
of Tech's five games, and led Tech on scoring drives in all four
contests. For the year, he has connected on 66.7 percent
(34-for-51) of his passes for 293 yards with two touchdowns and one
interception.
Sweeney finished the game against CMU 6-for-11 for 156 yards with
two touchdowns and two interceptions. He has connected on 62.2
percent of his passes, going 61-for-98 for 677 yards and three
scores. Sweeney is fourth all-time in total offense and third in
career passing yards. He has thrown 30 career touchdowns, inching
closer and closer to the school record of 38, held by Robert
Craft.
Tech and EKU appear to be pretty similar on paper. Each offense has
thrived by passing the ball. In five games, Tech has passed for 970
yards, and average of 194 per game. EKU has thrown for 1,050 yards,
an average of 210 per game.
While Tech has gotten it's yardage on the arms of Sweeney and
Lowery, the Colonels have worked behind quarterback Allan Holland.
He has completed just under 60 percent of his passes, throwing for
1,015 yards and three TDs. Another key weapon in the Colonel attack
is receiver Cody Watts, who has caught 13 passes for 223 yards and
two TDs. Against Austin Peay last week, it was Watts who threw the
team's lone TD pass, a 29-yard strike to Shannon Davis on EKU's
first play of the game. It came after a 61-yard kickoff return by
Josh Caldwell.
On the ground, Tech has averaged 108 yards per game while EKU has
averaged 53 yards per contest.
On defense, the passing game has also been each team's sore spot,
and they've each allowed more than 1,000 yards. Tech has given up
an average of 220.8 yards per contest and nine touchdowns. Eastern
Kentucky's defense has yielded 210 yards per game through the air
and 10 touchdown catches.
Tickets for the game are available from the Athletics Ticket Office
in Eblen Center or by calling (931) 372-3940. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.,
and the Regions Bank Tailgate Park opens at 4 p.m.
