Eastern Kentucky Colonels football

The Eastern Kentucky Colonels football program represents Eastern Kentucky University in college football as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), and competes at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The school has traditionally had much success on the football field, having won 21 OVC conference titles and two Division I FCS National Championships (then called Division I-AA) in 1979 and 1982, and reaching the finals in 1980 and 1981. Much of the success came during the long tenure of head coach Roy Kidd from 1964 to 2002. In 1990, Eastern honored Kidd by naming the school's football stadium Roy Kidd Stadium. Eastern Kentucky's football team was able to secure 31 consecutive winning seasons before finally posting a losing season record in 2009.

Eastern Kentucky Colonels
2020 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team
First season1891
Athletic directorMatt Roan [1]
Head coachWalt Wells
StadiumRoy Kidd Stadium
(Capacity: 20,000)
FieldHanger Field
Year built1969
Field surfaceSF II Synthetic Turf
LocationRichmond, Kentucky
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
All-time record602–386–38 (.605)
Bowl record3–3 (.500)
Playoff appearances21
Claimed national titles2
Conference titles21
Division titlesN/A
RivalriesWestern Kentucky (rivalry)
Morehead State (rivalry)
Consensus All-Americans46
ColorsMaroon and White[2]
         
Fight songHail, Hail and Yea, Eastern
MascotThe Colonel
Marching bandEastern Kentucky University Marching Colonels
OutfitterAdidas
WebsiteEKUSports

In September 2013, the Lexington Herald-Leader, the daily newspaper of nearby Lexington, reported that EKU was considering moving its program to the top-level Football Bowl Subdivision. However, under NCAA rules, such a move would require that EKU receive an invitation from an existing FBS conference.[3]

Conference affiliation
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Championships

National championships

Eastern Kentucky went to four consecutive national championship games, winning twice in 1979 and 1982 while finishing as runner-up in 1980 and 1981 to Boise State and Idaho State, respectively.

Season Coach Selector Record Opponent Result
1979Roy KiddNCAA I-AA Playoff11–2LehighW 30–7
1982Roy KiddNCAA I-AA Playoff13–0DelawareW 17–14

Conference championships

Eastern Kentucky has won 21 conference championships, 16 outright and 5 shared.[4]

Year Conference Head Coach Overall Record Conference Record
1954Ohio Valley ConferenceGlenn Presnell8–1–15–0
1962Glenn Presnell6–34–2
1967Roy Kidd8–1–25–0–2
1968Roy Kidd8–27–0
1974Roy Kidd8-26–1
1976Roy Kidd8–36–1
1981Roy Kidd12–28–0
1982Roy Kidd13–07–0
1983Roy Kidd7–3-16–1
1984Roy Kidd8–46–1
1986†Roy Kidd10–3–16–1
1987†Roy Kidd9–35–1
1988Roy Kidd11–36–0
1990†Roy Kidd10–25–1
1991Roy Kidd12–27–0
1993Roy Kidd8–48–0
1994Roy Kidd10–38–0
1997Roy Kidd8–47–0
2007Danny Hope9–38–0
2008Dean Hood8–47–1
2011†Dean Hood7–56–2

† Co-champion

Bowl games

Eastern Kentucky has participated in six bowl games. Four of these bowl games served as a sort of championship game, whether as a regional championship game or as the NCAA Division I Football Championship. The EKU Colonels played in the inaugural Opportunity Bowl presented by Raising Cane's, and in memory of Dr. Sheila Pressley, on Nov. 21, 2020.

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1954Glenn PresnellTangerine BowlOmahaL 7–6
1967Roy KiddGrantland Rice BowlBall StateW 27–13
1980Roy KiddCamellia BowlBoise StateL 29–31
1981Roy KiddPioneer BowlIdaho StateL 23–34
1982Roy KiddPioneer BowlDelawareW 17–14
2020Walt WellsOpportunity BowlWestern CarolinaW 49-17


FCS Playoffs

Eastern Kentucky University football is considered the first dynasty in FCS football. Including a four year run to the championship game from 1979 to 1982. During this time period they went 46-7 under legendary coach Roy Kidd. Eastern Kentucky is tied for second in FCS for playoff appearances with 21 total appearances. Below is a list of all playoff appearances.

Season Round Opponent Result
1979Semifinals
Championship		Nevada
Lehigh		W 33–302OT
W 30–7
1980Semifinals
Championship		Lehigh
Boise State		W 23–20
L 29–31
1981Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship		Delaware
Boise State
Idaho State		W 35–28
W 23–17
L 23–34
1982Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship		Idaho
Tennessee State
Delaware		W 38–30
W 13–7
W 17–14
1983First RoundBoston UniversityL 20–24
1984First RoundMiddle TennesseeL 10–27
1986First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Furman
Eastern Illinois
Arkansas State		W 23–10
W 24–22
L 10–24
1987First Round
Quarterfinals		Western Kentucky
Northeast Louisiana		W 40–17
L 32–33
1988First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		UMass
Western Kentucky
Georgia Southern		W 28–17
W 41–24
L 17–21
1989First RoundYoungstown StateL 24–28
1990First RoundFurmanL 17–45
1991First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Appalachian State
Middle Tennessee
Marshall		W 14–3
W 23–13
L 7–14
1992First RoundMarshallL 0–44
1993First RoundGeorgia SouthernL 12–14
1994First Round
Quarterfinals		Boston University
Youngstown State		W 30–23
L 15–18
1995First RoundMontanaL 0–48
1997First RoundWestern KentuckyL 14–42
2007First RoundRichmondL 14–31
2008First RoundRichmondL 10–38
2011First RoundJames MadisonL 17–20
2014First RoundIndiana StateL 16–36

Head coaches
Years Coach Record Conference championships
1909Jim Park0–0–40
1910–1911Clyde H. Wilson2–7–10
1912Charles A. Keith3–4–10
1913–1916Ben Barnard8–13–20
1919–1921Clyde McCoy3–6–10
1922–1928George Hembree21–29–40
1929–1934Turkey Hughes8–29–60
1935–1946Rome Rankin56–24–60
1947–1953Tom Samuels41–24–20
1954–1963Glenn Presnell42–49–32
1964–2002Roy Kidd315–123–816
2003–2007Danny Hope35–221
2008–2015Dean Hood55–382
2016-2019Mark Elder21–240

Rivalries

Western Kentucky
Main article: Battle of the Bluegrass

Morehead State
Main article: Old Hawg Rifle

Program records

Team records
  • Consecutive winning seasons: 31, 1977–2008
  • Consecutive wins: 18, 1982–1983
  • Consecutive National Title appearances: 4, 1979–1982

Individual records
  • Most rushing yards (game): 300 Markus Thomas against Marshall 1989
  • Most rushing yards (season): 1,998 Elroy Harris in the 1988 season
  • Most rushing yards (career):' 5,532 Markus Thomas 1989–1992
  • Most passing yards (game): 464 Bennie Coney against Tennessee Tech 2015
  • Most passing yards (season): 2,861 Josh Greco in the 2005 season
  • Most passing yards (career): 5,992 Josh Greco 2004–2007
  • Most receiving yards (game): 316 Aaron Marsh against Northwood 1967
  • Most receiving yards (season): 1,150 Andre Ralston in the 2005 season
  • Most receiving yards (career): 3,095 Andre Ralston 2002–2005
  • Most completions (season):225 Bennie Coney 2015

References
  1. https://ekusports.com/staff-directory
  2. Eastern Kentucky University Visual Identity Guide. March 20, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  3. Story, Mark (September 14, 2013). "Mark Story: EKU is 'discussing' moving its football program up to the FBS". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  4. "Ohio Valley Conference" (PDF). ovcsports.com.
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