Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Sports

It's no secret: The Colonel community has had this game circled on their schedule all year.

This Saturday, the Colonels travel to Lexington to take on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Eastern (5-3, 5-2 OVC) will attempt to upset the Wildcats (4-4, 1-4 SEC) on the road. 

The game will mark Eastern's second against a FBS school. The Colonels lost the first game of the year by six to a formidable Indiana team that led fourth-ranked Iowa going into the fourth quarter last Saturday before suffering defeat.

Kentucky is coming off a 31-24 loss to Mississippi State. With that, the Wildcats have lost four games in the Southeast Conference.

Kentucky's competition is no joke, however. Three losses have come at the hands of #1 Florida, #3 Alabama and #25 South Carolina.

This will be the third meeting between Eastern and UK, with the Wildcats winning last year's contest 50-10 in Lexington.

Like last year, Eastern will attempt to contain Kentucky's explosive playmakers.

Randall Cobb, the most versatile and widely-used athlete in blue and white this year, has been giving opposing defenses fits all year and is difficult to contain. 

Cobb leads the team in receiving yards with 30 receptions for 381 yards, an average of 12.7 yards per catch. He also has four receiving touchdowns.

In addition, Cobb is a threat on the ground. He has 297 yards rushing on the season, averaging 6.9 yards a rush. His five rushing touchdowns leads the team.

Cobb has been held to 71 receiving yards and no touchdown receptions in UK's last three contests.

"Our defense will do all we can to get prepared for Kentucky," Eastern's Jeremy Caldwell said. "Randall Cobb is a great player."

Kentucky's other weapon is running back Derrick Locke.

Locke has 597 yards rushing and 135 receiving yards for the Wildcats, also averaging 31.2 yards per kick return and returning one for a 100-yard touchdown. 

Locke has 264 yards rushing over UK's previous three-game span and scored a touchdown in last week's loss.

The Colonels may not have to worry about Locke, however, as he's currently listed as "questionable to doubtful" after injuring his surgically-repaired knee in the Mississippi State game.

"He has some swelling in his knee," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks told the Danville Advocate-Messenger. "We don't think it's anything major but we won't know for a few days."

Locke is not the only key Wildcat who is injured.

Randall Cobb's carries have increased because of the injury to starting quarterback Mike Hartline. Kentucky will have to play without Hartline for the fourth straight game. Hartline hurt his shoulder in a loss to South Carolina.

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said Hartline will start practicing this week, but will not be ready to play against the Colonels. Kentucky has been using backup Will Fidler and freshman Morgan Newton.

Newton was the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Indiana and also won "Mr. Football" in the state. Newton got the start in last week's game in which he passed for 119 yards and ran in a touchdown.

The Wildcats have won two of their last three games without Hartline after losing the three games prior.

Kentucky has averaged 26 points per game this season compared to Eastern's 22 points a contest. Eastern, on the other hand, is only giving up 18 points a game to Kentucky's 24.

This game has been dubbed the "Battle for State Pride" in Richmond. Eastern has been selling T-shirts for the game Saturday.

A win would give Eastern bragging rights all over the state.

"Playing UK means a lot because it's going to be a good, physical game," Eastern quarterback T.J. Pryor said. "Then you add in the huge crowd to play in front of to make it that much greater. Growing up my whole family was Louisville fans, so I've never liked the Cats."

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