Golden Eagles to take on nationally ranked Eastern Illinois on Saturday in Charleston
Coming off back-to-back victories against in-state foes Austin Peay and UT Martin, the Tennessee Tech football team will take its game north this weekend when it travels to face No. 25 Eastern Illinois in an Ohio Valley Conference showdown on Oct. 17.
Weekly game notes (PDF)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Coming off back-to-back victories against
in-state foes Austin Peay and UT Martin, the Tennessee Tech
football team will take its game north this weekend when it travels
to face No. 25 Eastern Illinois in an Ohio Valley Conference
showdown on Oct. 17.
"It's a tough place to go play. Not many people have gone in there
and won, it doesn't happen very often," Tennessee Tech head coach
Watson Brown said. "We've got to play well, and get it the fourth
quarter with a chance to win, that's the way we play, that's our
style. The three games we've played in the league so far we've been
right there at the end, and we've won two and lost one."
The Golden Eagles are 3-2 overall and 2-1 in OVC play, and are in
a tie with EIU for third place in the conference standings.
"I don't look at the standings much, there's too far to go to be
doing that," Brown said. "Coaches go from game-to-game, but at the
same time I'd rather be 2-1 than 0-3."
Much of the Golden Eagles' success has come from taking care of
the football. Tech is plus-three in turnover ratio this season,
with four turnovers and seven takeaways.
"That is the stat in football," Brown said. "We all want to talk
about yards, but turnovers is the number one stat in football. We
haven't been very good at it in the past, and that's why we are
where we are now. We're getting a few takeaways here and there, and
were taking care of the ball. You've got to take care of the ball
to have a chance to win. I hope our players are starting to realize
that now."
Senior quarterback Lee Sweeney has continued to break the majority
of Tech's career offensive records. He owns career records for most
pass attempts, most completions, most passing yards, most touchdown
passes, and most total offense, breaking all of those records in
2009.
"He's having a phenomenal year," Brown said. "We've done a good
job of protecting him, and he's getting rid of the ball a lot
earlier than he had in the past. He is staying healthy this year
and staying on the field, and that's helping his consistency. He is
doing two things very well this year, throwing the ball to the
right place, and throwing the ball on time. He's got six games left
in his career, and hopefully he can make the best of the last
six."
The Golden Eagles enter the game having lost their last four to
EIU. Tech's last win against the Panthers was a thrilling 40-37
overtime victory back in 2004. EIU is 4-2 this season, and 2-1 in
the OVC. The Panthers are coming off a 52-3 loss to No. 12 Penn
State of the FBS.
"They're a lot better than people thought, and coach Brown has his
team playing good football," said EIU head coach Bob Spoo. "They've
got some weapons, and they can hurt you. They're obviously good and
we've to get ourselves ready."
Kickoff in Charleston will be at 1:30 p.m., and the game can be
seen live on OVCsports.tv, produced by EIU.
Tech will return home on Oct. 24 to face Southeast Missouri.
Kickoff for that game will be at 1:30. For ticket information
contact the Tennessee Tech ticket office at 372-3940.
