Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Trey Burke After lining up as the place holder for a fake field goal, Marcus Williams picked up the ball and ran for a touchdown to give Eastern the first points on the day.

Media Credit: Trey Burke Senior wide receiver Garnett Phelps had a sub-par day with only two catches for 24 yards, falling well below his 70.4 yards per game average.

David versus Goliath typically refers to the mighty David slaying the larger and more powerful Goliath with a stone between the eyes.

Eastern tried to throw every stone they had against the larger and more powerful University of Kentucky Wildcat football team.

The Colonels even used their first trick play of the season, but it wasn't enough.

Eastern fell at Commonwealth Stadium 37-12 in non-conference action.

Kentucky won its 18th straight non-conference game, a school record. Their old record spanned from 1954 to 1960.

"At first I felt we could stick with these guys," quarterback T.J. Pryor said. "But as we played more, we could see they were bigger, stronger and faster. They were knocking us around and we got hit every play. It was like David and Goliath. They were bigger than us and we felt like we couldn't do anything."

The Colonels trailed 7-0 after running back Moncell Allen capped a nine-play, 35 yard drive, with a one-yard touchdown run.

Eastern's defense, which was missing defensive back Jeremy Caldwell because of a head injury, held the Wildcats down for most of the first half.

On the opening drive, Newton, filling in for injured starter Mike Hartline, drove his team to Eastern's 10 yard line, but was not able to convert on the fourth down because running back Antonio Smith got stuffed by defensive back Robert Dees.

Kicker Lones Seiber gave the Wildcats (5-4, 1-4 SEC) a 10-0 lead midway through the second quarter with a 22-yard field goal.

The following Eastern drive resulted in the Colonels' first points of the game.

After a 42-yard completion from quarterback T.J. Pryor to Orlandus Harris, Eastern's drive stalled at the Wildcat's nine-yard line.

Hood, generally considered a relatively conservative play caller, called for the field goal unit.

Instead, safety Marcus Williams (who also occasionally holds for field goals) took the snap and swept around the right side of the field, untouched for a touchdown.

It was the Colonels' first trick play of the season and it cut the lead 10-6. Williams bobbled the snap on kicker Logan O'Connor's extra point attempt.

"They were in the formation we expected them to be in," Williams said. "I ran through with the help of great blocks, untouched. It was my first touchdown so my eyes were really big after that play."

Eastern (5-4, 5-2 OVC) has only played Kentucky twice before Saturday's contest, losing both games.

The last time both teams met was in 2007 when Kentucky came out with a 50-10 win.

The Colonels have not beaten a Football Bowl Series team since 1985 when they beat Louisville 45-21.

With momentum on its side and 2:26 left in the first half, Eastern tried to hold Kentucky and head into halftime down just four points.

Instead, Newton found Gene McCaskill for a 15-yard completion and hit King with a 16-yard completion, setting up Antonio Smith's one-yard touchdown run and giving the Wildcats a comfortable 17-6 lead.

Pryor, who finished 9 for 28 for 137 yards, threw his first of two interceptions to close out the half.

"The team was trying as hard as they could and I could have stepped up even more than I did," Pryor said. "But I cannot get too down on myself."

Eastern's offensive line protected Pryor for most of the game, allowing just one sack and doing so on the first drive of the game.

The difference in the game proved to be Kentucky's ability to sustain long drives and wear down Eastern's defense.

The Wildcats outgained Eastern 444 yards to 264 yards, picking up 37 first downs along the way. Eastern finished with 12 first downs.

"That's a mark of the difference between a BCS and an FCS conference team," Hood said. "We don't play teams in the OVC that can go 10, 11, 12, 15-play drives without shooting themselves in the foot."

"They're going to put the ball on the ground, they're going to jump offsides and get themselves in long-yardage situations. Something bad is going to happen."

"Kentucky didn't just come out here and maul us. We made them take snaps and execute. But when the little things like that don't happen against a good football team, you're not going to win."

Coach Rich Brook's team caught fire at the right time, scoring twice in the third quarter, first on a 14-yard Newton touchdown pass to Maurice Grinter that capped a nine-play, 50-yard drive.

Pryor then threw his second interception of the game, picked off by Sam Maxwell, at its own 18-yard line.

One play later, Newton found Chris Matthews for an 18-yard touchdown pass in the right side of the end zone, giving Kentucky a 30-6 lead. Seiber missed the extra point.

The Wildcats played without Hartline, Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke, all keys to the offense. All three were suffering from injuries.

Newton played well, however, completing 20-of-29 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns.

Allen and Smith combined for 122 yards rushing.

"We made (the Wildcats) execute," Hood said. "We missed tackles here and there, we jumped off sides on fourth down, (and) when you play a good football game you won't win if that happens."

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