It is the final week of the regular season in FCS football, but not many expected this to be the final game for Eastern.

When the Panthers (5-5, 3-4) take the field at Eastern Kentucky (3-7, 2-2) Saturday afternoon it will be a battle of trying to find a positive end to the season for both teams.

There are no playoff hopes in sight, but most have their eyes set on sending out Eastern’s seniors with a winning record.

While an even .500 record is the best to come in Ohio Valley Conference play for the Panthers, there is a likely chance they could also earn the program’s 22nd winning season.

That may not seem like the most positive thing fans expected to hear this time of year, but a few bumps in the road proved too costly.

Let us throw records out the window for a moment.

Let us take a look at the true positives of this season, regardless of what is left of it.

It was another storming season on the ground for Eastern football, and that is fitting of course considering head coach Kim Dameron’s typical style.

The ground game was hard to come by early on, but the team found its identity with it and later found success.

It is a winning style and one that did the Panthers well at many times this year.

Senior Devin Church was at the helm of that running attack, and he needs 111 yards in the final game to become the 12th running back in Eastern history with 1,000 yards in a season.

While the Panthers season may have come to a downfall in the past four games, Church has kept on chugging with 414 yards in that span.

We all know the struggles that occurred at quarterback mainly due to health, but that does not take away from what Mitch Kimble did in his first season as a starter for Eastern.

Kimble has thrown for nearly 1,500 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, despite all the time he has missed with numerous injuries.

He has found a way to keep the offense rolling at times he was in and was a crucial part in the team’s highlight wins against Miami of Ohio, Illinois State, and Austin Peay.

On the other side of the ball, Seth McDonald was destined to go out in a special way.

The reckless senior linebacker has anchored the Panthers defense all season long, and is coming up on some special feats because of it.

McDonald needs just six tackles to become the first Eastern player since Nick Ricks to post back-to-back 100 tackle seasons.

He ranks 31st in the country with 94 tackles this campaign as well as fourth in the OVC, and it has kept the Panthers in some important games this season.

This may not be what Eastern expected with all the potential this team had, but there is positives present to conclude this season as well as head into next season.

But for now, the Panthers must focus on taking care of business against a three-win Eastern Kentucky team Saturday.

Maher Kawash can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]