Thursday night I called three colleagues of mine to inform them of the disaster Eastern Kentucky put on the field Thursday night and Saturday, I got the “not twice” looks after the Jacksonville State shocker.

All this does is open the door for an Eastern Illinois team that might have needed some breaks after the disappointing start to its 2006 season.

Eastern acting head coach Mark Hutson said the Panthers’ goals were still intact after the 44-30 loss to No. 6 Illinois State. And while the Peter Griffin look-a-like, did the best version of coach speak I’ve ever witnessed (included in the six-disc set was “It’s a team game”, “we fought hard” and “our goals are still in front of us”).

Deep down, you knew he was thinking “we missed out tonight.”

However, the start of the Ohio Valley Conference season is exactly what Hutson and the rest of the Eastern staff kept talking about.

Thursday night’s 27-14 Tennessee Tech victory was just one of those things you saw coming if you watch enough football. Eastern Kentucky wasn’t playing well offensively and quarterback Josh Greco was throwing the ball to the other team at the wrong times (three touchdowns, seven interceptions). Tennessee Tech was a team whose 0-3 record was to one I-A school and two I-AA loses that could’ve easily gone the other way. The Golden Eagles had new uniforms and once punter Jon Mahan booted a crazy-long 84-yard punt, it was over.

Go through the list. Overrated team in EKU (check). Goes on the road to start conference play (check). Add the new jersey factor (check) along with something weird happening (check). All adds up to a shocking loss.

At some point, Colonels head coach Danny Hope will be held accountable for not nailing down a playoff berth and converting winnable games. Hope had a much more talented EKU team last year when they came in and laid a 53-22 egg at O’Brien Stadium. EKU beat Tech 52-3 last season and the question remains on how the Golden Eagles managed to convert a 62-point swing.

The major question is how in the world does Jacksonville State allow the same thing to happen just two days later? A powerhouse team like the Gamecocks with an All-American tailback in Clay Green just saw the conference open up to them and they slammed the door on the opportunity.

All they had to do was compete on special teams, control the running game and get out of Martin, Tenn., alive.

Eastern managed to do all of those things while JSU’s time of death was 7 p.m. Saturday. JSU finished with just 91 rushing yards, the first time the Gamecocks did not have 100 or more yards rushing since rushing for 73 yards at Kansas in 2003.

UTM ran a punt back for a touchdown to make the lead 10-0 at half and immediately gave every OVC school an indication of how to beat the mysterious school from Alabama.

Gamecocks head coach Jack Crowe is now 2-25 when trailing at the half. The JSU style of play does not allow for a late comeback.

Eastern saw the EKU upset and proved with its resurgent defensive play and consistent running game, they would not allow a letdown while JSU must have been out to dinner Thursday night.

This is why the biggest game of the conference season for Panther fans is not a contest the Blue and White will be on the field for. This Saturday, Jacksonville State travels to Roy Kidd Stadium to take on EKU. Whoever rebounds in this game is the team Eastern must beat while the 0-2 team is headed for a long downfall.