RICHMOND, Ky. - Having opened the 1998 season in successful fashion Saturday night before an enthusiastic crowd estimated at 12,300 fans in defeating visiting Kentucky State University 43-13, coach Roy Kidd's Eastern Kentucky University Colonels step up a division this Saturday afternoon with a trip up I-75 some 25 miles to play the University of Kentucky.

Although EKU, ranked ninth this week in the ESPN/USA Today poll, was able to lead by a comfortable 36-7 at halftime and go on to post the 30-point victory over KSU, the win was bittersweet when news filtered back from the local hospital that senior All-American wide receiver Rondel Menendez had indeed separated his shoulder on a punt return late in the third quarter. He is expected to miss the next three games with the injury.

Menendez began this season like he finished in '97. He had three catches for 110 yards vs. KSU and had two scoring passes dealt him of 33 and 16 yards from EKU's stellar junior quarterback Jon Denton . He now has 101 career catches (seventh all-time) at Eastern for 2,068 yards (third best ever) and 18 touchdowns (tied for second all-time).

"It was good to play and, of course, good to get that first win. But, you look at at what Rondel means to our offense, and it really hurts us that we won't have him for a while," Kidd said. "I thought our offensive line did a great job in the first half. In the second half, it was tough to keep motivated and alert, especially with the heat."

Denton, the transfer quarterback from UNLV who already holds 10 NCAA passing records, continues to impress the Colonel faithful. He finished the night 10-13 for 194 yards and four touchdowns (33, 16, 7, 34) and also scrambled five times for 48 yards and one TD. Denton's four TD passes tied an Eastern school record for most TD passes thrown in one game. For his effort against Kentucky State, he was chosen as the Ohio Valley Conference Co-Newcomer of the Week

"Jon did a great job. We like him, not only for what he can do with the football, but because he has become a leader on our offensive unit. In seeing him throw in person these last four weeks, I believe he has better touch on the ball than John Sacca (Colonel transfer quarterback from Penn State that led Eastern to quarterfinals of Division I-AA playoffs) and he threw it pretty good," Kidd said.

While EKU was registering its win over Kentucky State, Kentucky had already doubled the score on Louisville, 68-34, earlier in the afternoon to go 1-0 on the young season.

"Kentucky has quite a team. Their offense with Tim (Couch) at the controls speaks for itself, but I got a chance to watch the first half on TV before coming to our game and I thought their defense was pretty darn good," Kidd said.

"We don't go anywhere not expecting to win and we are going up there to win. The key is tackling them. They throw a lot of real short passes that turn in to 50-60 yard plays because people miss their tackle. This is a great opportunity for our football program and we're looking forward to the game."

This will mark the first time Eastern Kentucky and Kentucky have met on the football field.

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