Monday news

Here's the news this morning from around the Ohio Valley Conferernce. Stay tuned today for the release of the I-AA polls and the OVC players of the week (TSU says Tigers QB Antonio Heffner is the newcomer of the week - no other releases out yet). For now, here are the papers:

EDIT (9:33 a.m.): EIU says running back Norris Smith is the league's offensive POTW.

The (Clarksville, Tenn.) Leaf Chronicle points to one decision that may have helped cost Austin Peay State their game against Cumberlands Saturday. Early in the fourth quarter with a 20-10 lead, the Govs were facing fourth-and-one from its own 28 yard line. Coach Carroll McCray decided to punt rather than risk giving the Patriots good field position. Cumberlands managed a 53-yard touchdown drive anyway to make it 20-17. An APSU dirve stalled at the Patriots' 10 yard line, and was followed by a UC field goal and the ensuing overtime loss for the home team.

An extra-long halftime tirade (it was homecoming, afterall) from the Eastern Illinois coaching staff helped the Panthers overcome a 10-0 Murray State lead, according to the (Charles, Ill.) Journal Gazette/Times-Courier. The paper also looks ahead to this week's showdown between EIU and the UT-Martin Skyhawks, a game that could decide who represents the OVC in the I-AA playoffs. EIU's "Thunder and Lightning" running game (a nickname for the twin punch of running backs Vincent Webb and Norris Smith) will face a Martin defense that is allowing just 88.14 yards per game, the fifth-best ranking in all of I-AA.

With the hope of an OVC championship now dead, Jacksonville State is turning its attention to finishing the season with more wins than losses, The Anniston (Ala.) Star says (sorry, subscribers only).

Turning to the superstitious, The (Nashville) Tennessean columnist Mike Organ wonders if Tennessee State quarterback Antonio Heffner's new hairstyle (described as a "tight mohawk") had anything to do with the Tigers' 38-31 victory over Jax State Saturday. Unfortunately, we are given no "before" description to compare to the "after."