Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Trey Burke Eastern's offense will face a Western Carolina team that has been outscored 259-117 this season. The Colonels look for a different outcome after losing to Kentucky by the largest margin of the season this past Saturday.

With their game against Kentucky now in the rearview mirror, the Colonels are focusing on the future as they prepare for the final two games of the season.

Eastern is coming off a 37-12 loss against Kentucky where the Colonels were dominated by the Wildcat offense by nearly 200 yards. Eastern (5-4, 5-2 OVC) will host Western Carolina (1-8, 1-6 Southern) Saturday at 1 p.m. before the regular season finale against Jacksonville State.  Western Carolina's only win came against The Citadel nearly a month ago.

Still, Eastern isn't taking the Catamounts lightly.

"The Southern Conference is an unbelievable conference," Coach Dean Hood said on The Dean Hood Show. "They have played a bunch of good teams close and will be a good team to play against Saturday."

Eastern is 3-1 all-time against the Catamounts, winning the last meeting 45-21 in Richmond. 

Western Carolina returns a handful of starters from the previous year's 3-9 team. Last year, they were outscored by a total of 193 points in losses.

The Catamounts are only averaging 13 points per game while giving up nearly 29. Opponents have outscored Western Carolina 259-117.The Catamounts are coming off a 42-17 loss against Elon Phoenix, giving up 465 yards, including 237 yards on the ground. 

Catamounts starting quarterback Zack Jaynes has thrown for 1,392 yards and five touchdowns this season, also throwning 10 interceptions and has been sacked 19 times. He threw for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the loss last week. 

Jaynes now has accumulated 2,555 yards and 15 touchdowns in his two seasons as the Catamounts' starting quarterback.

The ground attack is anchored by true freshman Mike Johnson.

Johnson has rushed for 430 yards, averaging four yards per rush on the season. He also has three touchdowns and hasn't fumbled in 110 carries this season.

He rushed for 116 yards on 16 carries last week.

Johnson may prove to be a challenge for the Colonels, who gave up 234 yards to Kentucky last week, despite the Wildcats playing without their top two rushers.

Sophomore Jeremy Caldwell was not able to play against UK after suffering a concussion. Caldwell was leading the entire NCAA in interceptions going into last week.

"He still was having some effects from the head injury," Hood said. "He will be ready to go this week."

Caldwell's ability to make big plays could be a key this week against a Catamount team that has turned the ball over 21 times so far this season.

A Colonel win will secure Eastern another winning season, extending a streak that has been active since 1977. The Colonels have the second-longest active winning streak in college football with 31. Florida State has the most with 32 consecutive winning seasons. The Seminoles are 4-5 so far this season with three games remaining. Their remaining schedule includes Wake Forest, Maryland, and #1 Florida to end the season.

A Colonel victory would almost guarantee a move into the number one active win streak.

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