RICHMOND, Ky. - Fifteen Eastern Kentucky University senior football players will play their last game in the Maroon and White Saturday when they compete against Eastern Illinois University in the season's finale for both teams. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. in EKU's Roy Kidd Stadium.

EKU saw its 1998 record evened at 5-5 last Saturday as the No. 3 ranked Appalachian State University Mountaineers shutout the Colonels, 19-0, at Eastern's Hanger Field. The injury bug bit the Colonels again as junior All-OVC guard Josh Hunter suffered a knee injury and will be lost for Saturday's game with EIU.

"I am really proud of our football team, particularly our defensive unit," said EKU head coach Roy Kidd who closes his 35^th season as EKU's head mentor Saturday. "To think we held them (Appalachian State) to just 19 points with all the people we're missing is great. And that's without getting hardly help from our offense where our line has been beat to pieces."

Eastern Illinois, 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the OVC, got back on the winning track last Saturday by defeating UT Martin, 56-35, after losing back-to-back conference games against league frontrunners Tennessee State (27-21) and Murray State (35-21).

"We know we'll have to play well and with a lot of emotion Saturday to come out on top. Eastern Illinois has an outstanding team who just three weeks ago was leading our conference," Kidd said. This will be the Panthers' first trip to Richmond, following splitting two games in Charleston, IL, in 1996 (EI 45, EK 21) and in 1997 (EK 49, EI 7).

Eastern Illinois got a big game from junior quarterback Anthony Buich who was named co-OVC Newcomer of the Week Monday after completing 15-17 passes for a career high 330 yards and three touchdowns in the Panthers' win over UT Martin.

EKU free safety Shawn Gallant, defensive tackle Terry Thomas and linebacker Brad Folke were the stars in the Colonels' loss to ASU last Saturday. Gallant was credited with 11 tackles, three fumble recoveries, three pass deflections, two quarterback hurries and a caused fumble, while Thomas had eight tackles, a sack and a blocked extra point. Folke had 11 tackles.

Colonel quarterback Jon Denton, under pressure all day long, hit 9-26 passes for 87 yards. Completions were spread among Rondel Menendez (3-49), Alexander Bannister (3-37), Tony DeGregorio (1-12), Brian Brenneman (1-9), Jonathan Butler (1-5) and Derick Logan (1-0).

Eastern's rushing game was completely shut down as the Colonels mustered only 90 yards net, including 37 by Logan, 19 by Denton, 17 each by Corey Crume and Brian Durham.

Tickets to Saturday's Eastern Kentucky-Eastern Illinois game are available by visiting the EKU Athletics Ticket Office in Room 126 of Alumni Coliseum or by phoning (606) 622-2122 or 1-800-262-7493, inside Kentucky.