This Week’s Schedule
Thursday, September 2
Cumberland at Austin Peay, 6:00 p.m. (OVCSports.TV)
Eastern Kentucky at Missouri State, 6:00 p.m.
Murray State at Kent State, 6:00 p.m.
Southeast Missouri at Ball State, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 4
#16 Eastern Illinois at #9 Iowa, 11:00 a.m. (Big Ten Network)
#17 Jacksonville State at Ole Miss, 2:30 p.m. (CSS/ESPN3.com)
UT Martin at Tennessee, 5:00 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
Alabama A&M at Tennessee State, 6:00 p.m. (OVCSports.TV)
Tennessee Tech at #17 Arkansas, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
Eastern Kentucky Colonels (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Missouri State Bears (0-0, 0-0 MVFC)
Thursday, Sept. 2 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Plaster Field (16,300) • Springfield, Mo.
TV: none
Live Stats: http://www.missouristatebears.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Dean Hood at Eastern Kentucky: 13-10 (2 yrs.)
Dean Hood Overall: same
Terry Allen at Missouri State: 18-26 (4 yrs.)
Terry Allen Overall: 113-85 (17 yrs.)
Eastern Kentucky Last Week: n/a
Missouri State Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Eastern Kentucky travels to Springfield, Mo. to battle the Missouri State Bears for the first time in school history; the two teams are scheduled to play in Richmond next season. This will mark the first time that the Colonels have battle a team from the Missouri Valley Conference since the 2006 season (Western Kentucky). Both of the teams are looking for a good start to the season before battling Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) foes next week; EKU will play at Louisville while Missouri State travels to Kansas State. Eastern Kentucky is looking to snap a streak of 16-straight road non-conference contests dating back to a win over Liberty on Nov. 2, 2002. It should be noted that nine of those 16 losses have been to FBS opponents.
SCOUTING EASTERN KENTUCKY: Picked third in the OVC preseason poll, Eastern Kentucky is looking to bounce back from a 5-6 mark a year ago, which marked the team’s first losing season in over 30 years. The team is led by sophomore quarterback T.J. Pryor who was the OVC Freshman of the Year a season ago. Pryor had the third-highest passing total (2,153) in EKU history last season and passed for 293 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate start, a win over nationally-ranked Eastern Illinois. Defensively the team is led by junior defensive back Jeremy Caldwell, who is one of 20 players named to the preseason Buck Buchanan Watch List (the award is given to the National Defensive Player of the Season). Caldwell is part of a defense that returns eight of 11 starters overall. Last year the Colonels were tied for sixth among 118 FCS teams in turnover margin at +14. Eastern Kentucky is also looking to snap a streak in season openers, as the team has lost nine-straight to begin the season, including a tight 19-13 affair at Indiana a season ago.
SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE: Missouri State is coming off a 6-5 season in 2009 that saw them win three of their final five games of the season. The Bears also topped a pair of OVC squads a year ago, beating UT Martin (24-14) and Murray State (35-10) at home. Missouri State will be the 2010 Homecoming opponent for Murray State this season (Oct. 9). The Bears were picked to finish fifth (out of nine teams) in the MVFC preseason poll. The team had three player selected to the preseason All-MVFC squad, including defensive lineman Waylon Richardet (43 tackles last season), linebacker Antoine Wilkinson (113 tackles last season) and offensive lineman David Arkin.
Murray State Racers (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Kent State Golden Flashes (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
Thursday, Sept. 2 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Dix Stadium (25,000) • Kent, Ohio
TV: none
Live Stats: http://livestats.prestosports.com/kentstate
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Chris Hatcher at Murray State: 0-0 (1st season)
Chris Hatcher Overall: 94-27 (10 yrs.)
Doug Martin at Kent State: 24-46 (6 yrs.)
Doug Martin Overall: same
Murray State Last Week: n/a
Kent State Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: The Chris Hatcher Era at Murray State begins on Thursday night when the Racers travel to Kent, Ohio to face Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) foe Kent State. It is the first meeting between the two schools. Murray State is 2-17-1 all-time against FBS foes, including losing 16 in a row against higher subdivision opponents. Last season the Racers lost 65-7 at North Carolina State.
SCOUTING MURRAY STATE: Entering his 11th season as a collegiate head coach Chris Hatcher has a 94-27 career mark with stops at his alma mater, Valdosta State, and Georgia Southern. He brings he spread attack offense (the “Hatch Attack”) to a team that was last in the league in total offense a season ago (230.1 yards/game). The Racers were next-to-last in total defense (378.1 yards/game) as well, leading to the program’s 3-8 overall (2-6 OVC) record. Hatcher will look to senior Jeff Ehrhardt as the team’s starting quarterback this season. Ehrhardt, who has been slowed by injuries in each of the last two seasons, was the 2007 OVC Freshman of the Year and has passed for 4,953 yards and 35 touchdowns in his three previous years with the program. One player Ehrhardt will be looking to throw to is senior receiver Marcus Harris who needs just 21 catches to become the program’s all-time leading receiver. The Racers should be strong on special teams, as they return junior Kienan Cullen, the All-OVC preseason selection at both the place kicker and punter positions. On defense the team does have to replace NFL Draft Pick Austen Lane (the team’s all-time sacks leader) but does return seven starters including senior linebacker Harry McCall.
SCOUTING KENT STATE: Kent State returns 49 letterwinners and 20 starters (9 offense, 7 defense, 4 specialists) from a team that was 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference a year ago. This season they were picked to finish third in the MAC East Division behind Temple and Ohio. Two-time All-MAC selections Eugene Jarvis and Brian Lainhart are among the five all-conference players returning for the Flashes in 2010. Jarvis has been named as a Doak Walker Award candidate for the third straight season (the award is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back). Jarvis is just the fourth player in Kent State history to go over the 3,000-yard rushing mark. He enters the 2010 season needing 564 yards to break the all-time program record. Jarvis also ranks second among active FBS career rushing leaders (3,426 yards).
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Ball State Cardinals (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
Thursday, Sept. 2 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Scheumann Stadium (22,500) • Muncie, Ind.
TV: none
Live Stats: http://www.nmnathletics.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=14200
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Tony Samuel at Southeast Missouri: 13-32 (4 yrs.)
Tony Samuel Overall: 47-89 (12 yrs.)
Stan Parrish at Ball State: 2-11 (1 yr.)
Stan Parrish Overall: 59-52-3 (13 yrs.)
Southeast Missouri Last Week: n/a
Ball State Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Southeast Missouri State opens the season at Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) foe Ball State on Thursday night in Muncie, Ind. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Southeast Missouri is 1-14 all-time against FBS foes; the team lost at nationally-ranked Cincinnati a season ago in its lone FBS game of the year.
SCOUTING SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: The fifth year under head coach Tony Samuel gets underway on Thursday night. The Redhawks are looking to improve on last year’s 2-9 finish and will be led by junior quarterback Matt Scheible, an All-OVC preseason pick. Scheible, one of just returning four starting quarterbacks in the league this season, completed 141-of-284 passes for 1,596 yards and 11 touchdowns during his first year as Southeast’s starter in 2009. He also achieved the ninth-best single-season passing average in school history with 145.1 yards per game. Scheible was just as effective in the running game, where he gained 487 yards and scored four touchdowns on 129 carries. He ended the season ranked second on the team in rushing. Also back is the player who led the team in rushing, Henry Harris. Harris rushed for 720 yards and seven scores in 11 games. Defensively the team has seven starters back including Joshua Jackson, who had 53 tackles last year, and Philip Klaproth (66 tackles).
SCOUTING BALL STATE: After a 12-win campaign in 2008, Ball State slipped a year ago, going 2-10 with a less experienced squad. One of the BSU players to watch this season is running back MiQuale Lewis, who is a candidate for the Doak Walker Award (given to the nation’s top running back). Lewis ranks third in Ball State history with 3,334 career rushing yards while his 30 career rushing touchdowns is tied for third. He has recorded 15 100-yard rushing games and set the BSU single-season rushing record with 1,736 yards in 2008. Lewis was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA for injuries suffered early in career. Defensively Davyd Jones led Ball State with 100 tackles last year and returns to lead the defensive attack this season.
Cumberland Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 MSC)
at Austin Peay Governors (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Thursday, Sept. 2 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Governors Stadium (10,000) • Clarksville, Tenn.
TV: OVCSports.TV
Live Stats: http://www.apsugovernors.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
Series Record: Austin Peay leads 9-3-1
Last Meeting: Austin Peay won 28-21 (9/9/06)
Dewayne Alexander at Cumberland: 18-24 (4 yrs.)
Dewayne Alexander Overall: same
Rick Christophel at Austin Peay: 13-20 (3 yrs.)
Rick Christophel Overall: same
Cumberland Last Week: n/a
Austin Peay Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Austin Peay will open the season on Thursday night when they host Cumberland University from the NAIA’s Mid-South Conference. The teams have played 13 times previously, lastly in the 2006 season when Austin Peay won 28-21.
SCOUTING CUMBERLAND: Cumberland finished the 2009 season with a 5-6 overall record and were tied for fourth in the West Division of the Mid-South Conference with a 3-3 overall records. Now in his fifth season head coach Dewayne Alexander (a graduate of Tennessee Tech), returns 45 letterwinners and 17 starters (8 offensive, 9 defensive) from last year’s team. The Bulldogs play a 4-3 offense and run the hybrid wing on offense.
SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY: In the fourth year under former Governor quarterback Rick Christophel, Austin Peay will look towards its talented backfield in order to best the seventh place preseason prediction that was bestowed to it by the league’s head coaches. Junior Ryan White led the OVC in rushing a season ago, gaining 1,081 yards and scoring four touchdowns in 11 games. White rushed for 228 yards in a win over Southeast Missouri last season; that total was the eight-highest single-game rushing effort in 2009. White also had a game where he rushed for 210 yards (the 13th-highest single-game rushing total in 2009). The starter, White was spelled by Terrence Holt, who rushed for 793 yards and 13 scores a season ago. Holt, also the team’s kick and punt returner, led all Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) players in all-purpose yardage last season, averaging 215.73 yards/game. Holt scored a touchdown on a kick and a punt return, bringing his season touchdown total to 15, ranking him 17th nationally in scoring (8.18 points/game). Holt was named the OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for his explosive capabilities on the field. Holt is already the FCS career leader in kickoff return yardage (3,583) and is looking to add to that mark this season.
#16 Eastern Illinois Panthers (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at #9 Iowa Hawkeyes (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Saturday, Sept. 4 • 11:00 a.m. CT
Kinnick Stadium (70,585) • Iowa City, Iowa
TV: Big Ten NetworkLive Stats: http://hawkeyesports.cstv.com/gametracker/launch/?event=874497&school=iowa&sport=mfootbl&
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Bob Spoo at Eastern Illinois: 140-113-1 (22 yrs.)
Bob Spoo Overall: same
Kirk Ferentz at Iowa: 81-55 (11 yrs.)
Kirk Ferentz Overall: 93-76 (14 yrs.)
Eastern Illinois Last Week: n/a
Iowa Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Eastern Illinois will go on the road to begin the season for the fourth time in the past six seasons when they travel to Iowa City to battle one of the top Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) squads in the nation. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams on the gridiron. Last season EIU did have two Iowa connections a year ago, as former Hawkeye Jake Christensen was the Panthers quarterback and Austin Signor was the place kicker (both have since graduated). This marks the 27th time that Eastern Illinois has played a FBS opponent; the team’s win over Eastern Michigan in 2004 marked the last time an OVC squad topped an FBS foe.
SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS: Eastern Illinois is under the direction of head coach Bob Spoo, who is entering his 24th season as coach and 23rd on the sidelines (he missed the 2006 campaign). Spoo has led the Panthers to nine Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, including doing so in seven of the past 10 seasons. Spoo ranks tied for fourth nationally (with Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer) among longest tenured coaches at the same Division I school, trailing only Joe Paterno (Penn State), Bob Ford (Albany) and Andy Talley (Villanova). Offensively Eastern Illinois will be breaking in a new quarterback this season as redshirt sophomore Brandon Large has won the starting job. Large (who stands 6’4”) sat out last season after transferring from Scottsdale Community College in Arizona. He will take his first Division I snap under center in the game; in fact EIU does not have a quarterback on its roster with Division I experience entering this season. The running game is focused around Mon Williams, who is in his second year after transferring from Florida. Williams rushed for 870 yards last season but is currently injured and will miss at least the Iowa game. Jimmy Potempa, a Michigan transfer who rushed for 222 yards last year, will get the starting assignment. Potempa led the team with 32 pass receptions last season.
SCOUTING IOWA: Iowa enters the season No. 9 in the AP poll and No. 10 in the USA Today poll; that marks the highest-ranked FBS opponent that Eastern Illinois has ever played. The Hawkeyes return Heisman Trophy candidate Ricky Stanzi at quarterback to guide an offense that averaged 23.2 points per game a season ago. The defense includes lineman Adrian Clayborn who is on both the preseason watch lists for the Lombardi and Nagurski Awards. Iowa is coming off a season where they were 11-2 overall and capped the year by topping Georgia Tech 24-14 in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Head Coach Kirk Ferentz is in his 12th season at Iowa and is no stranger to EIU head coach Bob Spoo. The two squared off as assistant coaches when Ferentz was an Iowa assistant and Spoo was an assistant at Purdue (1981-86).
#17 Jacksonville State Gamecocks (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Ole Miss Rebels (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Sept. 4 • 2:30 p.m. CT
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (60,580) • Oxford, Miss.
TV: CSS
Live Stats: http://www.olemisssports.com/multimedia/ole-gametracker.html
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Jack Crowe at Jacksonville State: 65-45 (10 yrs.)
Jack Crowe Overall: 79-75 (15 yrs.)
Houston Nutt at Ole Miss: 18-8 (2 yrs.)
Houston Nutt Overall: 129-78 (17 yrs.)
Jacksonville State Last Week: n/a
Ole Miss Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Jacksonville State will make the journey to Oxford, Miss. to battle Ole Miss from the Southeastern Conference to start the 2010 campaign. The meeting may be the first between the two programs, but the two head coaches do know each other well. Jacksonville State head coach Jack Crowe hired Houston Nutt as wide receivers coach at Arkansas for the 1990 season. After three seasons with Crowe at Arkansas, Nutt would become the head coach at OVC member Murray State, before later becoming the head coach at Arkansas and eventually Ole Miss.
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE: Jacksonville State, who is ranked No. 17 nationally in both major Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Top 25 polls (and who have been ranked for 15 consecutive weeks), will have seven players make their first career start on Saturday at Ole Miss. The game marks the beginning of the 107th year of football at JSU. The Gamecocks are 45-47-7 all-time in season openers and have lost five straight (including each of the last two seasons to FBS foe Georgia Tech). Overall it is the team’s 17th game against a FBS opponent, as the team has posted a 3-13 record in those contests (last winning in 2001 when they beat Arkansas State). One of the positions that will be watched is quarterback, where junior quarterback Marquis Ivory will make his second career start. Ivory started last season’s opener at Georgia Tech but has primarily served as the backup for All-American Ryan Perrilloux. In his lone start Ivory completed 23-of-38 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns. In the offseason Jax State added 2007 Mississippi Mr. Football Darius Barksdale, a running back who transferred from Ole Miss. Senior defensive back T.J. Heath has been included on most preseason All-American teams.
SCOUTING OLE MISS: Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt is familiar with the Ohio Valley Conference. Nutt served as Murray State head coach from 1993-96, compiling a 31-16 records and winning back-to-back OVC Championships (1995, 1996). Nutt also has a current time to the league, as his brother Dickey is the head men’s basketball coach at Southeast Missouri State. Last season Nutt led the Rebels to a 9-4 overall record and a 21-7 victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas; it marked his second 9-4 record and Cotton Bowl victory in as many seasons with the Rebels (the first time either has happened since the early 1960s). Ole Miss looks to replace eight starters on offense but got a lift when former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli transferred late in the summer. Masoli is eligible right away and should lift the Rebels from the sixth place spot in the West where some had predicted them prior to the start of the season. Defensively All-SEC honorees Jerrell Powe and Kentrell Lockett are standout players.
UT Martin Skyhawks (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Tennessee Volunteers (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Sept. 4 • 5:00 p.m. CT
Neyland Stadium (102,455) • Knoxville, Tenn.
TV: ESPN3.com
Live Stats: http://www.utsports.com/gametracker/launch/gt_mfootbl.html?event=696120&school=tenn&sport=mfootbl&camefrom=&startschool=&
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Jason Simpson at UT Martin: 26-20 (4 yrs.)
Jason Simpson Overall: same
Derek Dooley at Tennessee: 0-0 (1st season)
Derek Dooley Overall: 17-20 (3 yrs.)
UT Martin Last Week: n/a
Tennessee Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Despite being part of the same university system, Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between the University of Tennessee and the University of Tennessee at Martin. It marks the second time in three years that UT Martin has battled a SEC foe, as the Skyhawks played Auburn in 2008. The Skyhawks are 0-10 all-time against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams since joining the OVC. The crowd will most likely be the largest crowd to ever see at UT Martin football game; the current mark is 85,355 at Auburn. UTM is 42-35-2 all-time in season openers including a 56-0 victory over Iowa Wesleyan a year ago.
SCOUTING UT MARTIN: Jason Simpson begins his fifth season with the Skyhawks in 2010. Simpson has led the team to 26 wins in his tenure including four straight seasons of .500 or better conference marks (the first time that has happened since the program joined the Division I ranks). The Skyhawks are led defensively by senior linebacker Josh Bey, the OVC’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year. A year ago Bey ranked 10th nationally in tackles-for-loss (16.5), while also ranking in the top 40th nationally in tackles (1.50/game) and sacks (0.59/game). Offensively the team will break in a new quarterback after two years with Cade Thompson putting up record-breaking numbers. In his place is Derek Carr, who completed 10-of-21 passes a season ago in limited action.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE: Tennessee starts its third-straight season with a new head coach, as Derek Dooley takes over for Lane Kiffin who left after one season in Knoxville. Dooley spent the last three seasons as head coach at Louisiana Tech. Tennessee will also have a new quarterback as Jonathan Crompton has departed to the NFL, paving the way for Matt Simms to start. He is the son of former NFL quarterback Phil Simms, who played in the OVC at Morehead State. Simms will look to throw to Gerald Jones, who played in 12 games a season ago and had 46 catches for 680 yards. On defense the Vols return six starters including Ben Martin and Chris Walker who combined for 80 tackles and 9.5 sacks a season ago.
Alabama A&M Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 SWAC)
at Tennessee State Tigers (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Saturday, Sept. 4 • 6:00 p.m. CT
LP Field (67,800) • Nashville, Tenn.
TV: OVCSports.TV
Live Stats: http://www.tsutigers.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=19600
Series Record: Tennessee State leads 18-10
Last Meeting: Alabama A&M won 24-7 (9/5/09)
Anthony Jones at Alabama A&M: 61-33 (8 yrs.)
Anthony Jones Overall: 79-46 (11 yrs.)
Rod Reed at Tennessee State: 0-0 (1st season)
Rod Reed Overall: same
Alabama A&M Last Week: n/a
Tennessee State Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Tennessee State will host Alabama A&M in the 12th annual John Merritt Classic (JMC) at LP Field on Saturday. It marks the seventh time TSU has hosted A&M in the JMC, with the Bulldogs holding a 4-2 record in the previous six games. Last season Alabama A&M topped Tennessee State 24-7 as they outgained the Tigers 409-191 in total offense. The last win for TSU in the series with A&M came in 2008, when the Tigers won 34-13 on the road. Overall Tennessee State is 7-4 in John Merritt Classic games. The JMC is one of only three football Classics solely hosted by a single NCAA FCS institution and is intended to allow TSU to raise funds for scholarships and other related needs for TSU students.
SCOUTING ALABAMA A&M: Last year’s season-opening victory over Tennessee State helped lead to a great season for the Bulldogs, as the team was 7-5 overall, falling to Prairie View A&M 30-24 in the SWAC Championship game after winning the East Division championship. In a preseason vote of league coaches and media, A&M is picked to win its division again and had three first-team All-SWAC selections. Head Coach Anthony Jones is in his ninth season with the team; he is 61-33 in his first eight years with the program. Overall he has 18 starters back from last year’s team.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE STATE: Tennessee State is under the direction of first-year head coach Rod Reed, a TSU alum who has spent the past seven years as an assistant coach on the Tigers staff. As the team’s defensive coordinator managed a TSU defense that ranked third in the OVC in total defense (308.6 yards/game) in 2009. One of the players he has back this year is preseason All-American Eugene Clifford and was credited with 60 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass deflections a season ago. Another returner is preseason All-OVC selection Donte’e Nicholls, who had 35 tackles (5.5 for loss) in a reserve role a season ago. One area the Tigers need to improve in this season is on offense, as the team ranked eighth in the league in total offense a year ago (273.4 yards/game). In an attempt to improve the offense Reed named Jeremy Perry the team’s starting quarterback. Perry, a redshirt junior from Memphis, transferred from Middle Tennessee prior to last season. He appeared in five games as a backup with TSU last season, completing 12-of-36 passes for 142 yards. One of his main targets on the field will be Joseph Hills who led the team with 39 catches for 538 yards and three touchdowns a year ago.
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at #17 Arkansas Razorbacks (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Sept. 4 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Razorback Stadium (72,000) • Fayetteville, Ark.
TV: ESPN3.com
Live Stats: http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
Series Record: First meeting
Last Meeting: n/a
Watson Brown at Tennessee Tech: 13-21 (3 yrs.)
Watson Brown Overall: 107-172-1 (25 yrs.)
Bobby Petrino at Arkansas: 13-12 (2 yrs.)
Bobby Petrino Overall: 54-21 (6 yrs.)
Tennessee Tech Last Week: n/a
Arkansas Last Week: n/a
GAME NOTES: Tennessee Tech will travel to Fayetteville, Ark. to battle the nationally-ranked Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) foe Arkansas on Saturday night. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Overall it is Tennessee Tech’s 24th game against an FBS opponent; the Golden Eagles are 0-23 all-time in those games including losses to Kansas State and Georgia a season ago.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE TECH: Cookeville native Watson Brown begins his fourth season as Tennessee Tech’s head coach in 2010. Brown has rebuilt the program with progress each season, which included a 6-5 season and 5-3 OVC mark (second place) a season ago. The winning campaign was the first for the program since the 2004 season (when they also won 6 games). This season Tech returns 55 players from a season ago including 16 total starters. A combination of those factors led the OVC coaches to pick Tennessee Tech to finish fourth in the preseason poll (the Golden Eagles did receive one first-place vote). One spot that needs to be filled for TTU is the starting quarterback job. Gone is four-year starter Lee Sweeney, who ranks among the OVC all-time leaders in completions and yardage. Sophomore Tre Lamb is the projected starter; he attempted 18 passes a season ago as a backup to Sweeney. Junior Tim Benford has 101 catches in his first two seasons in the league and was a preseason All-OVC selection.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS: Arkansas enters the 2010 season with great hopes as the Razorbacks are ranked 17th nationally in the Associated Press poll (19th in the USA Today coaches poll). Third year head coach Bobby Petrino has Heisman hopeful Ryan Mallett under center in Fayetteville. The junior Mallett set or matched 16 different school records last season in completing 225-of-403 passes for 3,624 yards and 30 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. He had five different receivers who had 100-yard receiving games last season, and all are back for Arkansas this season. Defensively the Razorbacks return five of its top seven tacklers from last season including Jerry Franklin who has led the team in tackles each of the last two seasons. This game marks the beginning of the 116th year of football for Arkansas.