Saturday gameday news

Six games being played by OVC teams today. I'll be at one of them, the only conference game on the slate, as Southeast Missouri State's Redhawks visit my Jacksonville State Gamecocks. I'll have a digital camera in hand, and also try a couple of new features: score updates and live game photos via cell phone to the blog. Stay tuned!

Here's what's up about the OVC in today's papers:

The (Charleston, Ill.) Journal Gazette/Times-Courier says there'll be some stars out in tonight's game between #18 Eastern Illinois and #7 Illinois State. Both teams will be without Buchannan Award-nominated linebackers - EIU's Clint Sellers and ISU's Clint Sikowic both are out. Redbirds receiver Laurent Robinson also is nursing an ankle injury, and it's unclear if he'll play.

The Richmond (Ky.) Register says Eastern Kentucky players still are trying to get over their win against arch-enemy Western Kentucky last week, heading into today's contest with Western Carolina.

The Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader says EKU coach Danny Hope and crew know a victory today would go a long way toward their case for an at-large playoff bid, should the OVC title be awarded to another team.

The Anniston (Ala.) Star doesn't put its Saturday college "hot reads" online for some reason, but they are in the paper that arrived at the foot of my driveway this morning. The paper says Southeast Missouri State will have the advantage today against Jacksonville State on offense, defense and special teams, while JSU has the edge in "intangibles." Still, The Star predicts a 27-13 Gamecock victory. Interesting. The Star also is continuing is practice of putting a full-color gameday wrap around papers printed when JSU is playing at home. Today there's a big picture of linebacker George Summers staring folks in the face over their morning coffee.

The Murray (Ky.) Ledger & Times says that both teams will be looking for a rare victory in today's matchup between Murray State and Indiana State. Murray has lost 11 of its last 13; ISU is on a 19-game losing streak.

The Southeast Missourian says SEMO has pretty much crusied to its 2-0 start, beating D-II UM-Rolla and an Austin Peay squad with 30 players on scholarship. Coach Tony Samuel said he knows his team faces a much tougher task at JSU today.

The Tiger mascots won't be the only similarity between Tennessee State and Jackson State when the teams take the field today in Memphis, according to The (Nashville) Tennessean. Both squads went 1-9 last year, and both are counting on a stable of I-A transfers to help boost them to victory this year. TSU has five former I-A on the roster; Jackson State has nine.

Here's a link to the (Cookeville, Tenn.) Herald-Citizen's sports section. They've got their coverage up of Thursday's 44-0 loss by Tennessee Tech to old rival, now I-A Middle Tennessee. The score might not look like there's much to celebrate, but the Golden Eagles are proud of their defense, holding MTSU to a field ghoal in the first half. The offense, with its five turnovers and zero points, is another story (literally).