CHARLESTON, Ill. – In the annual battle of Easterns, the Eastern Kentucky football team will travel to face Eastern Illinois on Saturday.
 
Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. 
 
The game will air live on ESPN+.  The live radio broadcast of the game is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, and can be heard worldwide on EKUSports.com.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  Eastern Kentucky leads the all-time series with Eastern Illinois, 14-12.  The Colonels are 7-7 against the Panthers in Charleston.
 
-  EKU's 31-23 victory last season in Richmond snapped a three-game losing streak in the series.  The Colonels trailed 17-10 at halftime before scoring three unanswered touchdowns to pull away.  Jaelin Carter caught two touchdown passes. 
 
-  The last time the two teams met in Charleston, EKU lost in overtime, 23-20, on Nov. 4, 2017.
 
THE COLONELS
-  Eastern Kentucky escaped with a 34-27 road win over Murray State on Saturday.  The Colonels are 4-3 and tied for second in the conference with a 2-1 OVC mark.
 
-  With EKU up by seven, Murray State drove to the three yard line in the closing minute.  On 2nd-and-goal with seven seconds remaining, Frank Sumpter intercepted a pass in the end zone to secure the victory.
 
-  After coming up with the game-saving interception, Sumpter was chosen as the Ohio Valley Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
 
-  The Colonels held Murray State to 22 rushing yards on 19 carries.  It was the fewest yards allowed by an EKU team since giving up six yards against Austin Peay on Oct. 5, 2013.
 
-  Eastern picked off three passes in its 34-27 win at Murray State.  Daulson Fitzpatrick, Aaron Patrick and Sumpter each had an interception in the game.
 
-  Patrick had three tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and an interception at Murray State.  His third quarter pick was the first of his career.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Eastern Illinois (0-8, 0-4 OVC) is still looking for its first win of the season.
 
-  The Panthers average just 13 points per game and 282 yards of offense per contest.  EIU rushes for just 92 yards per game.
 
-  EIU's last five games have been decided by an average of 9.0 points.  The Panthers have only allowed more than 28 points to one FCS opponent this season.  In seven games against FCS teams, the Eastern Illinois defense has allowed 26 points per game.
 
-  The Panthers have turned the ball over 17 times this season, including three times last week in a 27-18 loss at OVC leader Tennessee-Martin.
 
-  Quarterback Harry Woodbery has thrown for 1,259 yards.  He has tossed five touchdown passes, has thrown 10 interceptions and has completed 52 percent of his passes.  Chris Walker leads the team with 227 yards rushing for an average of 28 yards per game.  Dytarious Johnson leads the team in tackles (53), tackles for a loss (12.0) and sacks (4.0).