Wednesday news - photo finish coming

Today's papers are abuzz after the realization yesterday that the OVC race could come down to a two-, three- or four-way tie, with any of those four teams potentially getting the league's automatic bid to the playoffs. It apparently was all they could talk about on yesterday's coaches' teleconference.

The (Charleston, Ill.) Journal Gazette/Times-Courier throws credit to The Anniston (Ala.) Star's Al Muskewitz for figuring out that Jacksonville State still has a shot. Musky realized that if Jax State wins, Murray State beats UT-Martin and Eastern Kentucky beats Tennessee State, JSU wins the autobid without a coin flip or blind draw.

The Richmond (Ky.) Register said the league's coaches were a bit flummoxed by all the different scenarios. Of course, every coach whose team has a shot knows there's only one thing they can do to influence the outcome. Said TSU coach James Webster: “I thought I understood it until I heard you guys talking about it. Now, I’m confused. All I know is that nothing matters unless we win.”

The Star (sorry, subscribers only) says JSU will have to rely on a mixed-up and untested offensive line for a chance to win Saturday's game at Eastern Illinois. The Gamecocks lost starter Keith Gergel to a broken leg in the fourth quarter against Samford last week, and all season only one player has started in the same spot on the line in every game. The paper also lists three reasons the game could be a classic: the title stakes, the matchups of strong running games and strong run defenses on both sides, and cold weather - temperatures in Charleston may be in the 30s or 40s at gametime.

The Southeast Missourian also revels in the complicated closeness. While any of the four teams supposedly has a shot, JSU coach Jack Crowe apparently is keeping the odds in mind. The paper quotes him saying: "The numbers give us a chance ... it is mathematically a low percentage."

TSU will have one thing going for it in the tight final weekend of games: quarterback Antonio Heffner will be back under center for the Tigers, according to The (Nashville) Tennessean.