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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University football team earned its first road of the season with a 42-29 victory over Tennessee Tech Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Colonels (5-5, 4-2 OVC) move to the .500 mark for the first time in 2010.

The EKU offense was clicking all afternoon, moving the ball 214 yards on the ground and 279 yards through the air. Sophomore quarterback #T.J. Pryor# threw for a career-high four touchdowns and ran for a 37-yard score. Meanwhile, sophomore wide receiver Orlandus Harris finished with two touchdown catches and 200 yards receiving for the second consecutive week.

Tennessee Tech (4-6, 3-4) kept the game close throughout the first three quarters thanks to its rushing attack. The Golden Eagles tallied 281 yards on the ground, the most given up by the EKU defense this year. Jocques Crawford led TTU with 128 yards rushing. Quarterback Cass Barnes, making just his second start of the year, threw for 273 yards and ran for 68 more.

Eastern took its first lead of the game following junior #H.B. Banjoman#’s 34-yard touchdown scamper early in the second quarter to make the score, 14-10. A 39-yard touchdown catch sophomore Tyrone Goard with 4:18 left in the second quarter helped EKU take a 21-20 lead into halftime.

After Tennessee Tech missed a field goal on its first possession of the second half, the Colonels quickly marched down the field to extend the cushion to 28-20. Pryor threw for 43 yards on three pass attempts before capping the drive with a 37-yard quarterback keeper to the end zone.

The Colonel offense put together a methodical 13-play, 79-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter to stretch the lead to two scores, 35-23. Eastern converted two third downs on the 5:55 drive before Pryor found Goard for a five-yard touchdown pass.

EKU finally put the game away when Pryor connected with Harris, who was right in stride, for a 55-yard touchdown bomb with 2:38 left.

Eastern Kentucky will celebrate Senior Day next Saturday, Nov. 20, in the regular season finale against Austin Peay. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.

NOTES
--The two teams combined for 1,047 yards of offense. The only turnover of the day was an EKU Hail Mary pass at the end of the first half.

--WR Orlandus Harris caught a touchdown pass in four straight games. Harris caught a 13-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to tie the score at 7-all. He then hauled in a 55-yard scoring pass in the fourth stanza.

--QB T.J. Pryor has recorded a rushing touchdown in six of the last seven games. He tallied a 37-yard rushing score in the third quarter.

--EKU had two 100-yard rushers for the first time since Oct. 27, 2007. RB H.B. Banjoman totaled 103 yards rushing while QB T.J. Pryor added 100. Both numbers are career highs.

--DL Andrew Soucy blocked a fourth quarter Tennessee Tech PAT, his first block of the season. Soucy blocked five kicks in 2009.

--Including today’s contest, the opposition has scored a touchdown on its opening possession in four consecutive games against the EKU defense.