After Tuesday’s practice, Eastern head coach Bob Spoo unveiled a laundry list of Jacksonville State statistics to his players.

“First in scoring offense, first in scoring defense, first in total offense, first in total defense, first in passing offense, first in pass defense, first in pass efficiency, first in pass defense efficiency, first in kickoff returns,” Spoo said.

The point he was trying to make to his players is that the Gamecocks are the cream of the crop in the Ohio Valley Conference.

“They’re arguably the best team in the OVC,” he told his players. “But they haven’t played us yet.”

So when the Panthers (5-2, 3-1 OVC) travel to Jacksonville, Ala. for a 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with the Gamecocks, a lot will be at stake. Along with boasting all the impressive team statistics, the Gamecocks feature senior quarterback Ryan Perrilloux, a former Louisiana State Tiger who is among 20 Football Championship Subdivision players on the “Watch List” for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to be best overall player in the FCS.

But when the Panthers hear things about how Jacksonville State is the best team in the conference, they wonder why.

“I guess they’re the best team,” junior running back Mon Williams said. “We haven’t played them yet though, so we’ll see Saturday.”

While the Gamecocks receive praise as being the best team in the OVC and are currently the only undefeated team in conference play, but none of that matters to them this season.

Jacksonville State (4-2) is currently under an NCAA probation for having a low team Academic Progress Rating (APR), and is banned from winning the OVC or playing in the postseason this year.

Nevertheless, the game still counts in the standings and Saturday is crucial for the Panthers to stay in the OVC Title race. Eastern offensive coordinator Roy Wittke said the impressive team stats the Gamecocks boast are telling, but so is the tape he watches of the team.

“They’ve been playing at an extremely high level and with a great deal of confidence,” Wittke said. “We’re going to have to control the football and keep their high-powered offense off the field.”

While Perrilloux is the focal point of the Gamecocks’ offense with 18 total touchdowns (15 passing) and a 194.77 passing efficiency rating (first in the nation), the defense has playmakers of its own.

Junior cornerback T.J. Heath is second in the OVC with five interceptions on the season, returning two for touchdowns, and leads the conference with 12 passes defended. Wittke called senior safety Carnell Clark “maybe the best defensive football player in the league.” Junior linebacker Kevin Dix leads the team and is third in the OVC with five sacks.

Spoo made his players well aware of the dubious numbers the Gamecocks have put up thus far, and junior linebacker Nick Nasti knows the Panthers need to be up to the challenge.

“Obviously they’re a good team, we know that,” Nasti said. “They’re no different than they were last year and we came out flat (last year). We just have to make sure we go in with the right mindset. We’ve got to be the bullies this time.”

Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.

Game 8: Eastern at Jacksonville State

Where: Paul Snow Stadium, Jacksonville, Ala.

When: 1 p.m., Saturday

Radio: WEIU-FM 88.9 FM

Last Meeting:

Sept. 27, 2008 – Jacksonville State 23, Eastern 10

Analysis: The Panthers seem motivated going into Jacksonville State to face arguably the best team in the conference. The Eastern defense is really good, but the Gamecocks’ offense might be even better, and it’s likely the problems the Panthers had in stopping Ryan Perrilloux last year will be the same this time around.

Prediction: Jacksonville State 28, Eastern 26

Red-shirt junior running back Mon Williams is brought down by two Tennessee Tech defenders during Saturday’s victory at O’Brien Field. The Panthers play Jacksonville State at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Paul Snow Stadium in Jacksonville, Ala. The Panthers won i

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