OK, enough of this Division I-A stuff.

We made our money.

We took our losses.

We came out of the games healthy – other than that whole Clint Sellers thing.

Now it’s time to come back to the real world. The world that says the Panthers are the class of the Ohio Valley Conference, but not quite ready for prime time.

The world that says the only way Eastern football will advance to the I-AA postseason is by winning the OVC.

The good thing is, as they return to this real world, it is all there before them to return to the postseason.

Josh Greco, the reigning conference player of the year, is playing like a guy who really doesn’t want to be a starter.

Eastern Kentucky is 0-2 in the conference and is coming off a 28-0 thrashing at home against Jacksonville State in a game that was supposed to be a game between two of the conference’s top teams.

Apparently, they have forgotten how to play football.

They don’t realize that the OVC play has begun.

Just two games into the conference, both teams are out of the running.

Not something you would expect out of the preseason favorite.

That’s right, EKU was the favorite. A year after Eastern went 8-0, the Panthers were picked second.

Jacksonville State was picked third.

The Gamecocks lost to Tennessee-Martin two weeks ago 24-14. Eastern has to basically just beat JSU and they will be in great position to return to the postseason.

It all begins this week with Southeast Missouri.

Tennessee Tech is 2-0 in the conference and they have all the confidence in the world right now. But their game this weekend against UTM is big and could give the Panthers the reigns of the conference championship.

If the Skyhawks win, they would go to 2-0 in the conference. That gives Eastern a chance to go 2-0 and tie for the lead.

That would leave them with just a win against UTM needed in order to win the conference. Which would be no small task if both teams come into Oct. 28’s game undefeated in the OVC. Tennessee-Martin moved into the top 25 national polls this week, entering at No. 22.

But this is a marathon, not a sprint, as Eastern acting head coach Mark Hutson has stated.

Well, the Panthers need to get out their distance shoes. The race for a repeat Eastern OVC championship begins Saturday at O’Brien Field.

And also a chance for Eastern to get back to the real world of I-AA football.