For the first time in 2005, Eastern will play a game as the front-runner to win the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Panthers know that since this is the case, they can control their own fate by winning out and receiving the automatic berth into the I-AA playoffs. They will receive everybody’s best shot each Saturday, including this week as they travel to take on Murray State.

“Don’t get me wrong. This is not USC playing in the Ohio Valley Conference, but this group continues to gain more and more confidence,” Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said.

Murray State (1-5, 0-3) has lost its last four games but lost the last two by a combined nine points.

“The frustrating thing is we’re so close. I’ve been on teams that were not good enough to win, but this team is not like that,” Murray State head coach Joe Pannunzio said. “We have a good team; we’re just not getting everyone going at the same time.”

The big key for Eastern to exploit is Murray’s rush defense that ranks 113th (third worst) in the country. Panthers running back Vincent Webb has had back-to-back 100 yards games. The junior from St. Louis had 109 yards on 25 carries in last week’s 53-22 win versus Eastern Kentucky.

“Right now we’re taking what the defense gives us,” Spoo said. “Lately, that means staying on the ground.”

Eastern leads the nation in turnover margin (+2.0 per game) and will hope its defense can force an early one to set the tone like its last two wins against Southeast Missouri and Eastern Kentucky.

“Our scheme is really presenting different players to have big games like Lucius Seymour (11 tackles, fumble recovery and a touchdown),” Bellantoni said.

Eastern has been preparing for how it intends to

pressure Murray State quarterback Ken Topps. The junior can make plays through the air by rolling to both directions.

“One of the things we’ve looked at is pressuring the quarterback smartly but keeping him in the pocket,” Bellantoni said. “He can hurt us very much on the outside.”

Murray State has been able to run the ball efficiently the last two weeks with junior tailback and current OVC Player of the Week Chad Cook. The Texas native is 31st in the nation with 92 yards per game.

“He is a in-between the tackles runner but he’s not Ron Dayne,” Bellantoni said. “He will get away from you if your tackling isn’t solid.

Eastern quarterback Mike Donato should have about as fresh an arm as anybody after throwing only 25 times in the last two games. Eastern has run the ball with its tailback trio of Webb, Travorus Bess and Norris Smith 117 times.

Saturday will mark Murray State’s Homecoming and match that with Eastern being the conference leader and motivation should not be a problem for the Racers.

“Homecoming is a huge event at Murray State, and our players will be pumped up to play Saturday,” Pannunzio said. “It will be a big day.”

Knowing that the Racers have had a difficult first half to the season may dictate a letdown for the Panthers, but the coaching staff is doing everything they can to prevent that from happening.

“We’ve tried to stress that as a group, but you’d like to think they’d know the level has to stay high,” Bellantoni said.