Saturday gameday news

There are five games being played in the OVC today. We've got three league matchups (including what readers here tabbed as the OVC Game of the Year) and two non-conference tilts with SEC teams. Plus, our friends at Austin Peay State take on a D-II squad.

Austin Peay State at Missouri-Rolla, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville State at Mississippi State, 1:30 p.m., CSS tape-dealyed
#16 Eastern Illinois at Eastern Kentucky, 2 p.m.
Samford at Murray State, 3 p.m., MSU-TV 11 tape dealyed
Southeast Missouri Satte at Arkansas, 3 p.m.
Tennessee Tech at Tennessee State, 6 p.m., CSS live

And now, the news:

The (Clarksville, Tenn.) Leaf Chronicle says coach Carroll McCray believes his APSU team can compete with its opponents, if the players can overcome mental blocks in the fourth quarter.

The (Charleston, Ill.) Journal Gazette/Times-Courier says EIU quarterback Cole Stinson won't have the advantages of surprise or a big home crowd, as he makes his second start for the Panthers. This time, everybody knows he's coming, and he'll be on the field at Roy Kidd Stadium in front of an EKU homecoming crowd hungry for Ws. The paper also profiles EIU linebacker Lucius Seymour, who's turned a rough upbringing into a solid college football career.

The Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader says EKU coach Danny Hope knows his Colonels have a tough task in playing EIU today. He describes the #16 Panthers' offense as "scary."

The Birmingham (Ala.) News says the game between Samford and Murray State will be a battle for the cellar stairs. Both are hoping to notch their first OVC victory, and climb up from the darkness of an 0-3 start in the league.

Murray State coach Matt Griffin says a win today in front of the homecoming crowd is essential in keeping fan support up for the rest of the season, according to the Murray (Ky.) Ledger & Times.

The (Nashville) Tennessean says Tennessee State coach James Webster wants his players to understand that today's contest against TTU means much more than the tilts against "traditional" opponents in far-flung cities before giant crowds. "Classics" are fine, Webster says, but it's a conference title and a trip to the playoffs that really matter.

Tech coach Doug Malone tells the (Cookeville, Tenn.) Herald-Citizen that beating TSU would be a big deal for his team. "They are going to make a lot of noise in the run for the conference. It will be a tough ball game for us to go on the road and compete with them," he says. (Click here for the HC sports section.)