OVC plays tough non-conference schedule
Eastern replaced the opening in its 2008 schedule with another game against a Football Bowl Subdivision team.
The Panthers had that opportunity because Samford left the Ohio Valley Conference following the 2007 season to join the Southern Conference. Eastern also cut down on 115 miles of travel.
Eastern will travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to play Central Michigan in its first of four non-conference games before starting Ohio Valley Conference play.
Illinois, Indiana State and Illinois State round out the Panthers’ non-conference schedule.
Eastern senior defensive end Pierre Walters said he couldn’t wait to play Central Michigan and Illinois.
“Obviously playing two BCS bowl teams is a huge challenge,” he said. “A possible upset is always in my mind. We’re all up for the challenge.”
Several OVC teams will face that same challenge as games against Football Bowl Subdivision teams highlight Southeast Missouri (Missouri), Tennessee Martin (Auburn) and Tennessee Tech’s (Louisville) schedules.
“It’s probably the toughest schedule in Tech history,” TTU head coach Watson Brown said of his team’s non-conference schedule that also features Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan.
Brown said he has had discussions with TTU Athletics Director Mark Wilson and they decided to always play one strong team each year.
The money aspect of playing FBS teams plays a role in those discussions.
“Dollars are very important to us as we’re trying to build this program back to what it was in the 60s and 70s,” Brown said.
Murray State head coach Matt Griffin knows what it’s like to play a tough non-conference schedule as the Racers will play Indiana, Western Kentucky, Illinois State and Lambuth this season.
“We might as well just play the Packers, the Packers and the Packers,” Griffin joked. “All four are very good. It’s good for us. I’d rather play a tough schedule early. It helps toward the end of the year. That’s been my experience throughout. I’m not going to ever change that theory or thought.”
Murray State sophomore quarterback Jeff Ehrhardt has a different view of the Racers’ non-conference schedule. He’s excited. He said the non-conference games not only provide an opportunity to play in front of bigger crowds. But it will also give Murray State a chance to work out wrinkles in the Racers’ new offense.
“It’s a ton of fun to get to go do that and go compete with the best,” Ehrhardt said. “At the same time it’s going to prepare us. Once we see that speed then we come back to conference and it kind of slows down a little bit, so it’s definitely going to help us prepare.”
That opportunity to prepare for conference games also provides teams with a chance to see how they compare against top-level competition. Eastern Kentucky linebackers coach Donn Landholm said playing in more of a hyped atmosphere is just as important as playing against top teams.
“I think there’s not only a physical but a mental aspect that helps you out,” Landholm said.
Walters said playing in a hostile environment and against the reputation of better competition would benefit the Panthers for league play.
“For us starting at that level of competition and easing our way down is going to be very beneficial, and it’s going to prepare us for a lot of adversity that may come along during the season and a lot of talented players we have in the OVC,” Walters said.
UTM junior quarterback Cade Thompson agreed. He said playing in front of a bigger crowd in non-conference play would lessen the pressure of tough OVC play.
TTU junior quarterback Lee Sweeney said the Golden Eagles are looking forward to their non-conference games but also realize the importance of OVC games.
“We’re just looking to compete,” Sweeney said. “We know we’ve got to take one game at a time and we know the conference games are the most important to get that OVC Championship.”
Scott Richey can be reached at 581-7944 or at srrichey@eiu.edu.
