Red-shirt junior wide receiver Erik Lora became the second Eastern player to be named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List for the nation’s top FCS player, joining junior quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

This season, Lora has posted the best numbers in the nation, leading all receivers with 1,129 yards on 83 receptions.

The 83 receptions have already set a program record for catches in a single season, and he is just 141 yards shy of setting the program record for receiving yards in a season.Lora has also set single game records this season, totaling a program-best 269 yards on 21 receptions against Murray State.

His 21 receptions also set an Ohio Valley Conference record for catches in a game.

FCS Polls

With Eastern on its lone bye week of the season, the Panthers continue to receive national recognition as they find themselves in the “other teams receiving votes” category despite being in position to hold a share of first place in the OVC if they can come away with a win over Eastern Kentucky this weekend.

Also, multiple teams that Eastern beat this season find themselves ahead of the Panthers in the national rankings. Both Jacksonville State and Southern Illinois-Carbondale rank ahead of the Panthers in the Sports Network poll.

Inside the top 25, there was not much movement on top as Eastern Washington continues to hold on to the No. 1 ranking. Georgia Southern, North Dakota State, Montana State and Sam Houston State round out the top five.

Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee State remain to be the lone OVC representatives in the top 25 as they rank No. 18 and No. 21, respectively.

Although the OVC boasts just two teams in the top 25, three teams are garnering national recognition as Tennessee-Martin, Jacksonville State and Eastern are all receiving votes.

Weekly Awards

Eastern Kentucky senior quarterback T.J. Pryor was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the win over Tennessee Tech.

Trailing by eight points in the fourth quarter, Pryor led a come-from-behind effort, completing all seven of his pass attempts and throwing two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes en route to the 42-28 victory.

Two players combined to share OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors as Jacksonville State’s freshman defensive back Jermaine Hough and Tennessee-Martin’s junior defensive lineman D.J. Roberts garnered the weekly award.

Jacksonville State junior kicker Griffin Thomas earned OVC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the win over a nationally ranked opponent in Tennessee State. Griffin connected on a 44-yard field goal in overtime to give the Gamecocks a 31-28 win over previously unbeaten Tennessee State.

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-2812 or jbpottorff@eiu.edu.