As Eastern approaches what is the biggest game of the season, its mental approach may be flipped.

The Panthers are the only undefeated team in the Ohio Valley Conference, the only ranked team in the league and the group that, with a win at Jacksonville State Saturday, would clinch conference for the first time since 2002. However, they are the underdogs.

“It sure seems that way,” Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said. “We definitely have something to prove.”

With everything that is on the line for Eastern, Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky, one would think motivation wouldn’t be an issue, but the Gamecocks, who have won both meetings with the Panthers, have been giving out bulletin board material in bunches this week.

It started with Jacksonville State head coach Jack Crowe saying he thought Samford safety Cortland Finnegan deserved the OVC Defensive Player of the Year award instead of Eastern’s duo of linebacker Clint Sellers and safety Tristan Burge.

“(Finnegan) is certainly a good player, but I wouldn’t trade any of my guys for him,” Bellantoni said.

Then, the Gamecocks sports information department misspelled the names of Sellers (Sullers) and offensive coordinator Mark Hutson (Hudson) in Crowe’s mid-week press conference transcript.

“We’ve seen and heard all of those things, but we need to focus on what we are supposed to be doing, or we will get beat,” Bellantoni said.

Eastern head coach Bob Spoo even mentioned how Crowe said on OVC media day that he believed his team was the best, and, after looking at film, Spoo agreed.

“But our team is playing with great determination, so it should be a great showdown Saturday,” Spoo said.

Jacksonville State does not know what it feels like to not get the OVC automatic berth as the Gamecocks have won both titles since joining two years ago.

“What all these seniors are representing and what this coming game represents to this season. These guys won a conference championship as sophomores to begin the run here,” Crowe said.

Crowe said he wouldn’t want the championship decided anywhere but on the field Saturday.

“This is going to be what you’re supposed to have at the end of the season: two good football teams playing for the same thing,” Crowe said. “It’s like having two dogs with mouthfuls of teeth and only one bone.”

The game plan for both teams will obviously not change from what has been successful for both programs this season season. Jacksonville State likes to run the football out of a dual-threat option attack behind quarterback Maurice Mullins and star tailback Clay Green.

Mullins is a quarterback that can hurt a team more with his feet than his arm, and that may bode well for Eastern as the Panthers have knocked scrambling quarterbacks out of the game on the last two occasions.

“We’d liked to get them in third and long situations because that offensive line isn’t as good at pass blocking,” Bellantoni said. “That’s when we can get some pressure and possibly some good hits on him.”

Mullins failed to finish last year’s 31-21 JSU win in Charleston after Eastern’s defense knocked him out of the game.

Green is an OVC Offensive Player of the Year candidate after averaging more than 183 all-purpose yards per game (third in I-AA). Bellantoni said a key with the Panthers defense is being able to play loose and getting off to a fast start.

“Whether it be a three and out or a turnover, we need to get them off the field as soon as possible,” Bellantoni said.

Eastern got a lift in its passing game in last week’s 31-20 win over Tennessee Tech. Panthers quarterback Mike Donato threw for 327 yards and two touchdowns.

“Mike has really done a great job leading the offense during the two minute situations and finding guys open who aren’t his primary or even secondary options,” Hutson said.

With a win, the Panthers would wait until Monday to see where and whom they would play their first-round game. With a Eastern loss and an Eastern Kentucky victory over Tennessee State, a three-way blind draw will be conducted on the Jacksonville State campus to determine to winner of the automatic bid.