Preparation is a big factor in any college football team’s gameplan, but how do you do it when you expect to lose?

Watching a tape, preparing a game strategy for both offense and defense and preparing mentally for the upcoming battle are all important aspects.

Eastern was lucky enough to get two weeks of preparation time for this weekend’s game.

Offensive coordinator Jon Carr will have two weeks to think about how to get Andre Raymond and Andy Vincent down the field to put points on the board.

Defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni will have 14 days to figure out coverage schemes and how to apply pressure on the opposing quarterback.

Bob Spoo has time to fire up his men for the game and implement a strategy that has gotten him a record 102 wins in his Eastern coaching career.

With all this time for preparation, it looks like a forward direction to a 2-0 record and win No. 103 for Spoo, right?

The problem is, Eastern isn’t preparing for another team like California of Pennsylvania or one of the Panthers’ Ohio Valley Conference foes, they are looking in the eye of a tiger – a Missouri Tiger.

How do you prepare for a game you know you have almost no chance to win?

While, talking to Spoo last Spring when the schedule came out, he knew this was going to be a game he had little interest in playing.

At the time, it was scheduled to be the Panthers’ first contest of the season, and Spoo was none too pleased.

Luckily, they picked up a game before that with a 27-0 win against California (Pa.), but I’m guessing one game of practice is still a little less than what Spoo wants.

Now, I’ve never played college football or been a coach in any sport, but I know what it’s like to expect to lose, playing on a few poor club teams in my soccer-playing days.

We always tried to come away with a few things to build on and be happy about even if we were no competition for our opponent, and that is exactly how Eastern has to look at this game.

Although quarterback Andy Vincent isn’t going to throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns, this is a good chance to see how he handles himself under the most pressure he has seen in his life.

If he can minimize unforced mistakes and have a few successful drives, Spoo should feel happier about his quarterback situation.

Defenseively, the team needs to get a few good stops- period. A three and out or a couple takeaways would be good enough to put smiles on a very good defensive group.

And the No. 1 thing for Eastern to walk away with is to be healthy. I know every player wearing a Panther jersey will be giving their all to give the Eastern program a good name, but they do have to be careful.

The Panthers cannot afford to lose Raymond or any of the senior defensive leaders like Nick Ricks and Fred Miller.

Eastern is ranked in I-AA not I-A, so keep the team leaders healthy and ready for the upcoming conference schedule.

So while Eastern may fall by 40 points Saturday in Missouri, Spoo should gear his troops to walk away (without the help of a teammate) with a few positives.