When I think back to the Boise State football team’s Cinderella story of the past few seasons, I remember the mixed reactions it got from writers and fans. Some thought it was great that finally “the little guy” was getting a chance to compete with the big schools and that a team outside of a major college football conference would get a chance to play for the national championship. But on the other hand, some thought Boise State was an overrated, over-hyped team who was playing a cupcake competition level schedule and did not deserve all the recognition they received. There was always the lingering question of where are they or that they not “for real.”

The Eastern track and field team reminds me of Boise State for a couple of reasons, but there are a few major differences that stick out to me. The Panthers, just like Boise State, are a relatively small school, ranked among schools that are double, if not triple, their size. The Panthers, also like Boise State, are lead by tremendous talent and coaching.

But week in and week out, the Panthers are facing some of the toughest competition, not only in the state, but in the entire nation. Sure, Boise State was beating up on Fresno State and Louisiana Tech, but the Panthers, an Ohio Valley Conference team, are competing against and giving Big Ten schools a run for their money.

Sure, Boise State did schedule the occasional Oregon or Virginia Tech opponent every so often, but the Panthers are facing the top dogs week after week. Last week, the Panthers took on the No. 1 team in the Midwest region, Illinois. A few weeks before, the Panthers took on Wisconsin in their own area and impressed nay-sayers. This week, the Panthers will face Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue, Alabama, and a slew of other top track and field competition. Next week, the Panthers travel to compete against, Iowa State, another one of the nation’s top track and field programs. The road certainly does not get any easier for the Panthers, but I believe they’re up to the challenge.

Last year, Boise State was a field goal away from potentially playing for a national championship. Boise State never got a chance to play in the big game, but the same can not be said for the Panthers. The Panthers have already had one member of the team qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Red-shirt junior Zye Boey punched his ticket to the big dance with his performance in last week’s Illinois Intercollegiate. I think that alone is enough to say that the Panthers are a legit team and should be taken seriously not only in this weekend’s meet at Notre Dame, but come championship time in March.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7944 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu