Box Score Final Stats (PDF)

RICHMOND, Ky. – The No. 19/25 Eastern Kentucky football team won its fifth straight game and stayed unbeaten in AQ7 play when it defeated Lamar, 42-10, Saturday afternoon at Roy Kidd Stadium.

Parker McKinney was 15-of-20 passing for 218 yards and a season-high three touchdowns while rushing for 57 yards. He moved into fifth place on EKU's career passing yardage and passing touchdowns lists. 

Da'Joun Hewitt led the ground game with 101 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Dakota Allen set career highs with four catches for 76 yards receiving and two touchdown catches, while Jayden Higgins caught four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown.

Kelton Dawson recorded six tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks, while Joseph Sayles also notched six stops. Roland Walder contributed 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Udom Ubong, Kaleb Lundy, Roy Baker, and Ryan Jackson were each credited with TFLs as EKU's defense finished with nine tackles for loss and three sacks. 

Patrick Nations converted all six extra point opportunities and added six touchbacks. 

Eastern Kentucky opened the day with an eight-play, 82-yard drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown run from Da'Joun Hewitt. On Lamar's ensuing possession, Davion Ross stepped in front of a Cardinal pass for a 32-yard interception return for a score. Ross has now scored on all three of his interceptions this season. Hewitt found the end zone for the second time with 4:05 left in the quarter, rumbling 25 yards on a 4th-and-1 to give EKU a 21-0 lead. 

The Cardinals found the end zone early in the second quarter, but EKU answered on a 23-yard touchdown grab by Dakota Allen with 11:24 to go in the half. McKinney connected with Allen on the next drive for a 26-yard score to put the Colonels ahead 35-7. With 37 seconds left before halftime, McKinney fired his third touchdown pass of the quarter, an 18-yard connection to Jayden Higgins, to make the score 42-7 at halftime. 

The Colonels' 42 first-half points were the most in a half for EKU since a 55-13 win over Morehead State on Sept. 13, 2014, when Eastern Kentucky scored 46 points in the first half. 

A Lamar field goal marked the lone points of the second half.

EKU's winning streak is now the longest since 2014, when the Colonels won their first six games of the season.

Eastern Kentucky will square off against Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 6. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m ET.