RICHMOND, Ky. – It's been 13 years since the Eastern Kentucky University football team has opened its season at home on a Thursday night. That will all change this Thursday when the Colonels welcome Robert Morris to Roy Kidd Stadium. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.

The Colonels, ranked No. 19 nationally in the preseason FCS coaches poll, were picked second in the preseason OVC poll behind defending league champion Eastern Illinois. Since Dean Hood took over as EKU's head coach in 2008, the Colonels have won two OVC championships and 29 league games. Both of those numbers are tops among the nine OVC football teams.

This is the first ever meeting between the two teams and also the first time EKU has faced a team from the Northeast Conference. Robert Morris was picked second in the NEC preseason poll by The Sports Network. RMU head coach Joe Walton, who is in his 20th year with the Colonials, is set to be inducted into the RMU Athletics Hall of Fame this November.

There will be plenty of pregame and postgame festivities Thursday evening surrounding the football game. The tailgating lot will open at 4 p.m., while the Colonel Walk is scheduled for 4:45 p.m.

There will be a Chick-fil-A Junior Colonel Club Inflatable Kids Zone both in the tailgate area and in the stadium. Papa John's will be on hand giving out prizes to lucky fans.

The brand new Daktronics HD video board will be unveiled prior to kickoff and will feature a Hollywood-produced introduction video for the Colonels.

The first 4,000 students to enter the stadium will receive an EKU maroon t-shirt. The EKU Student Government Association will be checking in students for E-Ranks and giving out prizes at halftime.

There will be plenty of performances by the Marching Colonels, EKU Dance Team and EKU Cheerleaders throughout the game.

Fireworks will be on display before and after the game. Finally, a student will have a chance to win free Papa John's for a year during an in-game promotion.


GAMEDAY INFORMATION

Game Notes
--Click here for EKU game notes.

Opponent Information
--Click here for the Robert Morris football web site.
--Click here for Robert Morris' game notes.

Television
--None

Video Streaming
-- Thursday's game can be seen on the web for FREE at the new OVCDigitalNetwork.com.

Live Audio
--Thursday's game can be heard locally on WCYO 100.7 FM. Click here for live radio broadcast!  WCYO is now streaming on most mobile devices. Download the TuneIn Radio app, available for iPhone/iPod/iPad, Android, Blackberry, Palm and Windows Phone.

Live Stats
--Click here for live stats!

Social Media
Twitter: @EKUSports, @EKUFootball, #GoBigE

Ticket Information
--Tickets are available by calling the EKU ticket office at 859-622-2122. The ticket box office will be open at Alumni Coliseum until 3:30 p.m. The ticket office will reopen at the football stadium at 5:30 p.m. The ticket box office now accepts these major credit cards - Visa, MC, Discover and American Express. Stadium gates will open at 5:30 p.m.

Directions
--Click here for directions to Eastern Kentucky University.

Weather
--Thursday's forecast in Richmond calls for mostly sunny skies and a high of 90 degrees. Sunset is slated for 8:10 p.m., with temperatures falling into the upper 60s.

Storylines
--Lots of new faces fill the Eastern Kentucky depth chart heading into opener as 11 starters from the 2012 squad were seniors including three key positions on offense – quarterback, running back and wide receiver.

--This is the 45th consecutive year the Colonels have played their home games at Roy Kidd Stadium. EKU is 204-46-1 all-time at the facility, which opened in 1969. EKU is 10-3 in home openers since 2000 and has won four straight home openers.

--Four defensive starters earned preseason all-conference honors – senior linebacker Anthony Brown, senior defensive lineman Shawn Shupperd, junior defensive back Brandon Stanley and senior linebacker Ichiro Vance. Eastern's defense led the conference in points allowed (21.7 ppg) and rushing defense (108.2 ypg) one year ago.


GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE

Parking
• The Alumni Coliseum east side parking lot will close at 11 p.m. on Wednesday night before the game. Any cars remaining in the lot after that time are subject to tow. The lot will reopen on Thursday at 4 a.m.
• A reminder to Colonel Club members: an alternate route to the Colonel Club parking area is available by entering near Model School.
• Alternate parking areas include: Brockton Lot, located off Van Hoose Drive and behind the Brockton Apartments; Greg Adams Tennis Complex Lot, located across the Bypass from Roy Kidd Stadium.
• Please use one parking space per car or truck.
• Because of the large amount of pedestrian traffic that occurs on Kit Carson Drive after each home football game, Kit Carson Drive will be closed to southbound traffic from the Park Drive intersection to the Van Hoose intersection and will be closed to all traffic from the Van Hoose intersection to the Eastern Bypass intersection after each home game. This closing will occur at the end of each game and will last normally for a period of thirty (30) to forty-five (45) minutes. However, the closing may occur earlier and last longer than anticipated depending on traffic conditions and the size of the crowd.

Tailgating
To ensure that you and all fans have a positive tailgating experience, we ask that you observe the following guidelines:
• All state and local laws must be observed.
• Responsible alcohol consumption will be allowed in designated locations in the Colonel Club and Alumni Parking lots for attendees age 21 or older only.
• For safety reasons, all beverages shall be consumed from plastic or paper cups and not in cans or bottles.
• Kegs are not permitted.
• Please clean up your tailgating area before going to the game or leaving the parking area.
• Please behave in an appropriate and responsible manner. Throwing objects or climbing on vehicles is not permitted.

Handicapped Ticket Information
• The handicapped seating area at Roy Kidd Stadium is located on top of the hill in the end zone opposite the scoreboard.
• Patrons must purchase a General Admission ticket to watch the game from this area.
• Patrons are welcome to have a companion sit with them in the area. Folding chairs are provided for any guests that need them.
• The handicapped accessible restrooms are located inside the Begley Building, behind section A under the ramp from the student entrance.
• Handicapped parking is available in the Moberly Lot past the Stadium off Roy and Sue Kidd Way on the right from the Bypass.