Eastern Kentucky is coming off its bye week after beating Tennessee-Martin 49-24 on the road on Sept. 20.

The 25-point win extended the Colonels winning streak to four to begin the season that also makes them the only undefeated team in the Ohio Valley Conference. Their 4-0 start is the Colonels best record after four games since 2012, when they were 3-1 and eventually 4-1, before ending the year 8-3 and 6-2 in the OVC.

Eastern Kentucky is one of nine FCS teams to be unbeaten and is ranked No. 18 in the FCS Coaches Poll. Head coach Dean Hood is in his eighth season with the Colonels and has seen his defense shutdown most of the offenses they have played this season.

Prior to allowing 24 points to the Skyhawks in Martin, Tenn., Eastern Kentucky’s defense allowed an average of 11 points per game that included a 17-10 win over Miami (Ohio) of the FBS.

The Colonels rank No. 2 in scoring defense in the OVC, surrendering 14.2 points per game. Tennessee State, which is 4-1, is No. 1, allowing 10.8 points per game.

Eastern Kentucky takes its 4-0 record to Austin Peay Saturday, but Hood said he is not taking anything for granted. The Governors are 0-4 and have lost 16 games in a row, but the last two meetings in Clarksville, Tenn., have been won by Austin Peay over the Colonels.

“That’s a tough place for us to play down there,” Hood said. “We have not played well down there and our guys need to have the right mind set and the right approach because Austin Peay is a very structurally sound team they got players and they’ll be ready to play.”

The Governors have played against two nationally-ranked FCS teams in Chattanooga and Illinois State, as well as an FBS team (Memphis) and Eastern, which is the two-time defending OVC champion.

After Saturday’s game at Austin Peay, the Colonels host Eastern on Oct. 11. The Panthers have not lost to Eastern Kentucky since 2011. Hood said his team is not looking ahead to the Eastern game, though.

“No, absolutely not,” Hood said. “You have to win the next game that’s in front of you and that’s Austin Peay.”

Eastern Kentucky and Austin Peay kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday in Clarksville, Tenn., at Governors Stadium.

Around the OVC

Although Eastern Kentucky had a bye week, running back Dy-Shawn Mobley remained the OVC’s leading rusher. Through his first four games as a Colonel, the Kentucky transfer has averaged 118.8 rushing yards per game.

Mobley is the only player in the conference that is averaging more than 100 rushing yards a game. Jacksonville State running back DeMarcus James, who was the preseason favorite to win OVC Offensive Player of the Year, is second, averaging 86.2 yards per game.

Mobley has scored four rushing touchdowns, which is tied for second most in the OVC with three other players. The junior is coming off his best game with Eastern Kentucky, as he rushed for three touchdowns and 183 yards on 11 carries. On the year, Mobley is averaging 8.6 yards per carry that is No. 1 in the OVC.

Eastern quarterback Jalen Whitlow is third in rushing, averaging 79 yards per game, scoring four rushing touchdowns.

Jacksonville State and Tennessee State along with Eastern Kentucky all remain ranked in the top-25. This week’s rankings did not change for the trio of OVC teams, as the Gamecocks are No. 8, the Tigers No. 20 and the Colonels at No. 18. The trio is atop the conference standings and is joined by Southeast Missouri and Eastern as the five teams with 1-0 OVC records.

Tennessee-Martin is the lone conference record of 0-2, losing to Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri.

Eastern is the only team from the OVC that is on bye this week.

Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].