RICHMOND, Ky. – After picking up its first win of the 2026 season last weekend, the Eastern Kentucky University football team continues its home stand Saturday night against Dayton at CG Bank Field at Roy Kidd Stadium.
Kickoff against the Flyers is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET. Gates will open 90 minutes prior to kickoff, with a full timeline of pregame activities set to be announced Friday for the game presented by Elliot Services.
Fans looking to attend Saturday's game can purchase single-game tickets and prorated five-game ticket packages online here. The game is EKU's Kids at the Kidd and Teachers Appreciation night.
Those unable to attend can watch the game live on ESPN+ with Wes Chandler,
Terry Johnson and Maggie Davis on the call.
Fans can also listen for free on Colonels All-Access with Sam Gormley and Michael Watkins of the EKU Sports Network on the air. The Kentucky 811 Pregame Show begins one hour prior to kickoff.
Eastern Kentucky (1-2) picked up its first win of the season last Saturday with a 22-17 victory over Chattanooga at home.
The Colonels were led by sophomore running back
Brady Hensley, who rushed for 119 yards on seven carries, highlighted by a 96-yard touchdown run. The score was the second-longest rushing touchdown in EKU football history and the longest rushing play in NCAA Division I football this season.
Hensley, a Richmond native, is believed to be the only player in school history with four career touchdown runs of at least 68 yards. Two have come this season against Chattanooga (96 yards) and Jacksonville State (72), joining long scores last season against Austin Peay (72) and Nicholls State (68).
EKU found the end zone two other times in the win over the Mocs. Sophomore wide receiver
Braylon Newcomb caught a 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter before senior running back
Brayden Latham punched in the eventual game-winning score from 1 yard out in the fourth.
The Colonels amassed 394 yards of total offense, including 274 on the ground. EKU's defense delivered late following a 54-minute weather delay, stopping Chattanooga on its final possession with linebacker
Cam Jessee and defensive lineman Keyshawn Hayden combining for a critical sack.
Jessee was named the United Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week after leading Eastern Kentucky with eight tackles and two tackles for loss while adding two pass breakups.
Saturday's game marks the eighth all-time meeting between EKU and Dayton and the first between the programs in 45 years.
The Colonels lead the series 4-3 and won the most recent meeting, 14-3, on Oct. 17, 1981, at Hanger Field. Flanker Jerry Parrish provided one of the signature plays of EKU's season with an 87-yard touchdown on a reverse. The Colonels went on to finish 8-0 in the OVC, rise to No. 1 nationally and advance to the Division I-AA national championship game.
Scouting Dayton
Dayton enters Saturday undefeated at 2-0 after opening the season with victories over NCAA Division II Fairmont State, 43-20, and Thomas More, 30-7.
The Flyers are led offensively by senior quarterback Bryce Schondelmyer, who has completed 30-of-52 passes for 392 yards and two touchdowns through two games.
Defensively, junior safety Ross Coppock leads Dayton with 14 tackles and has added a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery to his season line.
