2018 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team

The 2018 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Mark Elder and played their home games at Roy Kidd Stadium as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 7–4, 5–2 in OVC play to finish in third place.

2018 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Record7–4 (5–2 OVC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTommy Zagorski (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorKurt Maddix (3rd season)
Home stadiumRoy Kidd Stadium
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 Jacksonville State $^   7 1     8 3  
No. 15 Southeast Missouri State ^   6 2     8 3  
Eastern Kentucky   5 2     7 4  
Murray State   5 3     5 6  
Tennessee State   3 4     4 5  
Eastern Illinois   3 5     3 8  
Austin Peay   3 5     5 6  
UT Martin   2 6     2 9  
Tennessee Tech   1 7     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll

Preseason

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OVC media poll

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On July 20, 2018, the media covering the OVC released their preseason poll with the Colonels predicted to finish in sixth place.[1] On July 23, the OVC released their coaches poll with the Colonels predicted to finish in fifth place.[2]

Media poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Jacksonville State 134 (14)
2 Austin Peay 114 (1)
3 UT Martin 96
4 Tennessee State 91
5 Eastern Illinois 83
6 Eastern Kentucky 64
7 Murray State 39
8 Southeast Missouri State 35
9 Tennessee Tech 19
Coaches poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Jacksonville State 126 (14)
2 Austin Peay 112 (4)
3 UT Martin 95
4 Eastern Illinois 73
5 Eastern Kentucky 69
6 Tennessee State 64
7 Southeast Missouri State 62
8 Murray State 24
9 Tennessee Tech 23

Preseason All-OVC team

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The Colonels had three players selected to the preseason all-OVC team.[3]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 307:00 p.m.Morehead State*ESPN+W 49–2310,230
September 86:30 p.m.at Marshall*ESPN+L 16–3224,304
September 154:00 p.m.at Bowling Green*ESPN3L 35–4217,542
September 224:00 p.m.Southeast Missouri State
  • Roy Kidd Stadium
  • Richmond, KY
ESPN+W 23–147,720
October 64:00 p.m.No. 8 Jacksonville State
  • Roy Kidd Stadium
  • Richmond, KY
ESPN+L 7–566,820
October 133:00 p.m.at UT MartinESPN+W 35–341,769
October 203:00 p.m.Murray State 
  • Roy Kidd Stadium
  • Richmond, KY
ESPN+L 6–3410,440
October 271:00 p.m.Eastern Illinois
  • Roy Kidd Stadium
  • Richmond, KY
ESPN+W 31–234,400
November 35:00 p.m.at Austin PeayESPN+W 17–136,094
November 101:00 p.m.Robert Morris*
  • Roy Kidd Stadium
  • Richmond, KY
ESPN+W 40–39 OT4,165
November 172:30 p.m.at Tennessee TechESPN+W 37–64,559
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[4]

Game summaries

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Morehead State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Eagles 0 7 0 16 23
Colonels 18 0 14 17 49

At Marshall

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1 2 3 4 Total
Colonels 0 6 7 3 16
Thundering Herd 13 7 7 5 32

At Bowling Green

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1 2 3 4 Total
Colonels 14 7 14 0 35
Falcons 0 28 6 8 42

Southeast Missouri State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Redhawks 7 0 0 7 14
Colonels 3 7 7 6 23

Jacksonville State

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1 2 3 4 Total
No. 8 Gamecocks 14 14 7 21 56
Colonels 0 0 0 7 7

At UT Martin

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1 2 3 4 Total
Colonels 21 0 7 7 35
Skyhawks 7 24 3 0 34

Murray State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Racers 0 10 14 10 34
Colonels 3 0 3 0 6

Eastern Illinois

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1 2 3 4 Total
Panthers 10 7 0 6 23
Colonels 3 7 7 14 31

At Austin Peay

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1 2 3 4 Total
Colonels 3 0 7 7 17
Governors 7 6 0 0 13

Robert Morris

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1 2 3 4OT Total
Colonials 10 13 0 106 39
Colonels 6 10 7 107 40

At Tennessee Tech

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1 2 3 4 Total
Colonels 0 13 7 17 37
Golden Eagles 0 3 3 0 6

References

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  1. ^ "Media Pollsters Tab Jacksonville State as 2018 OVC Football Preseason Favorites".
  2. ^ "Jacksonville State Picked as 2018 Ohio Valley Conference Football Favorites".
  3. ^ "SEMO's Terry, JSU's Bridges Named OVC Preseason Football Players of the Year".
  4. ^ Schedule