Teleconference Audio
Below is embedded audio from this week's OVC Football Coaches media teleconference. For a listing of this week's games and previews scroll down below the audio links.
This Week’s Schedule
Saturday, November 24
NCAA Division I Championship First Round
#25 Eastern Illinois at #19 South Dakota State, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
#25 Eastern Illinois Panthers (7-4, 6-1 OVC)
at #19 South Dakota State Jackrabbits (8-3, 6-2 MVFC)
Saturday, Nov. 24 • 2:00 p.m. CT
Coughlin-Alumni Stadium (15,000) • Brookings, S.D.
TV:...................................................................... ESPN3
Live Stats:
http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/football/fcs/2012
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
Dino Babers at Eastern Illinois:.......................... 7-4 (1 yr.)
Dino Babers Overall:............................................... same
John Stiegelmeier at South Dakota State:. 101-75 (16 yrs.)
John Stiegelmeier Overall:....................................... same
Eastern Illinois Last Week: L, 48-30 at #10 Central Arkansas
South Dakota State Last Week:. W, 31-8 vs. South Dakota
GAME NOTES: Saturday’s matchup is the first all-time between the two teams who enter the NCAA Division I Championship nationally ranked. Eastern Illinois earned the automatic bid from the OVC while South Dakota State earned an at-large berth after finishing second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The playoff appearance is the 14th all-time at the Division I level for Eastern Illinois; that ranks as the eighth-most all-time. South Dakota State is making its second Division I playoff appearance, after also appearing in 2009 (the Jackrabbits were first eligible in 2008 after completing the reclassification to Division I). The winner of the matchup will advance to the second round where No. 1 seed and defending national champion North Dakota State is waiting. The matchup features EIU’s high-scoring offense against SDSU’s tough defense. South Dakota State has not given up more than 31 points this year (against Kansas) while Eastern Illinois has only scored less than 30 points twice this season.
SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS: Eastern Illinois saw its four-game winning streak come to an end with a non-conference loss at No. 10 Central Arkansas on Saturday. After finishing last in the OVC last year and being picked eighth to begin the season, the Panthers pulled off the fourth worst-to-first finish in OVC history and captured its sixth OVC Championship, which is the sixth-most in OVC history. It was the team’s first title and first playoff appearance since 2009. The Panthers look to junior wide receiver Erik Lora, the OVC Offensive Player of the Year, who set the NCAA FCS record for receptions in a season (124) on Saturday. Lora will look to add to that mark and try to break the receiving yards record (he is 181 yards away from that record) this week. Lora ranks first nationally in receptions/game (11.27), receiving yards/game (139.18) and total receiving yards (1,531) and should be a major contender for the Walter Payton Award. Junior quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has also had a big year and currently ranks fifth nationally in total offense (328.09 yards/game), fifth in total passing yards (3,602), fifth in points responsible for (18.73/game), sixth in passing yards/game (327.45) and seventh in completions/game (27.82). Garoppolo needs three touchdowns to tie the OVC single season record of 34 currently held by Panther alum Tony Romo, and 127 yards to tie the OVC’s single season passing yards mark of 3,729 currently held by Murray State’s Casey Brockman (who set that record this season). As a team Eastern Illinois is third in fumbles recovered (16), sixth in total offense (480.45 yards/game), sixth in passing offense (345.27 yards/game), seventh in scoring offense (38.91 points/game) and 10th in tackles-for-loss (7.55/game). Head coach Dino Babers was named OVC Coach of the Year.
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA STATE: South Dakota State was a perfect 5-0 at home this season including a win over then No. 21 Youngstown State. The Jacks also topped a nationally-ranked team on the road, besting No. 22 Indiana State. The team’s three losses came to No. 1 North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and at FBS foe Kansas. SDSU is under the direction of alum John Stiegelmeier who is in his 16th season with the program. He has led the Jackrabbits to winning seasons in nine of the last 11 years including in seven of the nine years the team has been at the FCS level. In just its second year of FCS eligibility, South Dakota State appeared in the 2009 playoff field, the program’s first playoff berth in 30 years. SDSU lost 61-48 to Montana that season despite leading most of the game. The team ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense (15.91) and pass efficiency defense (98.82). Offensively they rely on sophomore running back Zach Zenner who ranks second nationally in rushing (154.82 yards/game). Overall Zenner has rushed for 1,703 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.