Opportunity Bowl? EKU’s season finale a ‘building block’ for football program.
A unique season for the Eastern Kentucky University football team will likely come to an end Saturday when the Colonels host Western Carolina at Roy Kidd Stadium in Richmond in a game that’s been dubbed the “Opportunity Bowl.”
When the Ohio Valley Conference announced in August that it would postpone league play until spring of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, EKU decided to forego that option and instead play a full independent non-conference schedule in the fall.
There’s a chance the Colonels could play one more home game after Saturday’s matchup with the Catamounts, but so far they’ve been unable to find an opponent.
“We’re still searching for a game, and if we get one we’ll take it,” EKU first-year head coach Walt Wells said in a Tuesday teleconference. “But if not, (a win) sends you off into the offseason feeling good, like everybody does after a bowl game if you win. And it just provides a building block for where we’re going.
“We’ve had a tough, demanding schedule. And I think it shows some resiliency, how important football is not only to our players, to our staff, to our fans, to our university; but to the potential recruits out there that we are serious about football. I think it just gives everybody a little pep in their step going into the holidays. I know it will me.”
In discussing the decision to play a fall-only schedule and opt out of OVC competition in the spring, EKU Vice President and Director of Athletics Matt Roan cited concerns about player safety.
“My peers knew the position that we really had a lot of questions as related to the possibility and viability of a spring season,” Roan told the Herald-Leader in August. “We had serious safety concerns with respect to a spring season and the idea that student-athletes could play in 18-22 games in a calendar year.”
The Colonels were able to put together a challenging 2020 schedule that included three matchups with Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and two tilts with perennial Football Championship Subdivision power Central Arkansas. It’s been a difficult road for the Colonels during their inaugural season under Wells, but there have been multiple bright spots.
EKU will enter Saturday’s game with a 2-6 record. After lopsided road losses to FBS opponents Marshall and West Virginia to open the year, the Colonels routed The Citadel on the road, 37-14. They nearly stunned FBS opponent Troy, but fell to the host Trojans, 31-29, on a late field goal.
One week later, EKU earned a statement victory when backup quarterback Dakota Allen threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Matt Wilcox with six seconds left to lead the host Colonels past No. 11 Central Arkansas, 31-28.
After a hard-fought loss in last week’s rematch at Central Arkansas, the Colonels have another chance to get a big win against Western Carolina on Saturday.
The inaugural Opportunity Bowl has been dedicated to the memory of Dr. Sheila Pressley, the former dean of the EKU College of Health Sciences who passed away in January. Pressley graduated from Western Carolina in 1989.
“With our decision to play football in the fall, a goal we’ve shared publicly several times is that we wanted to create unique opportunities and championship-level experiences for our student-athletes, coaches, and fans,” Roan said in an EKU press release. “Knowing about Dr. Pressley’s ties to both WCU and EKU as a student and in service, respectively, I began to collaborate with WCU to pay tribute to her in this way.”
There’s still some mystery surrounding the quarterback position heading into Saturday’s game. Redshirt freshman Isaiah Velez made his EKU debut in last week’s loss at Central Arkansas and made a strong case that he could fight for the job of starting signal caller next season. Velez led the Colonels back from a 24-0 deficit to take a 25-24 lead before eventually falling, 37-25.
Velez completed 15 of 19 passes for 151 yards, throwing one touchdown and rushing for another while not turning over the ball.
Parker McKinney started the first six games at quarterback before sustaining an injury during the first half of the earlier win over Central Arkansas. The redshirt sophomore returned to practice this week, but Wells said Tuesday he was unsure of McKinney’s status for Saturday.
“We’ll make the best decision for Parker. We do not want to do anything to hinder his progress,” Wells said. “So, if he’s not ready, he’s not ready.”
McKinney had been playing well prior to his injury, averaging 226 passing yards per game while tossing 12 touchdown passes and five interceptions.
Junior running back Alonzo Booth has been a workhorse for the Colonels all season. He’s second in the FCS with 530 rushing yards, while his four touchdowns ranks third. Booth ran for 124 yards and a score in last week’s loss.
Senior wide receiver Keyion Dixon is third in the country with 555 receiving yards and has caught six touchdowns.
Western Carolina lost 58-14 last week at Liberty in its season debut. After Saturday’s game in Richmond, the Catamounts — who are part of the FCS Southern Conference — will travel to North Carolina on Dec. 5 then take a break of more than two months before embarking on an eight-game league schedule beginning Feb. 20.
In last week’s loss, the Catamounts alternated a pair of juniors under center. Mark Wright, a 5-foot-11 dual-threat weapon who transferred from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas prior to this season, earned the start and completed 11 passes for 66 yards, scoring a 3-yard rushing touchdown.
Will Jones, who is 6-foot-4, completed seven passes for 74 yards and threw a 9-yard touchdown pass. Jones started at quarterback three times for Western Carolina as a sophomore. The Catamounts return nine offensive starters and seven defensive starters from last season.
Fans will be allowed at Roy Kidd Stadium for Saturday’s game, provided they observe EKU’s COVID-19 safety protocols. Masks must be worn at all times when not eating or drinking. Ushers will monitor the stands throughout the game to ensure masks are being worn, and fans who refuse to observe the mandate will be escorted from the stadium.
Fans will also have their temperatures read prior to entry. Physical tickets will not be sold at the stadium on Saturday. Digital tickets can be purchased through EKUSports.com.
Saturday
EKU vs. Western Carolina
Where: Roy Kidd Stadium in Richmond
When: 3 p.m.
Online coverage: ESPN3
Tickets: EKUSports.com
