Issue date: 11/3/09 Section: Sports

A lot of things need to fall a team's way to win a conference title.

It needs to beat the bad teams, pull off a couple upsets and find a little luck along the way.

It needs to stay relatively healthy, defend its home turf, and play better than average on the road.

All the parts of a team need to become a cohesive unit and buy into its coach's philosophy, and it needs to have a blend of experienced, vocal leaders and young, flashy playmakers who all blend together in a unique way.

Heading into its bye week, it appears the Eastern football team has found all those pieces, and because of that, the Panthers find themselves in the driver's seat toward an Ohio Valley Conference Title.

By virtue of their 16-10 victory over Murray State Saturday, coupled with Tennessee State's loss to Tennessee Tech, the Panthers stand alone in first place with two games remaining in the season.

The Panthers' regular season road schedule is complete, with its only loss coming to Big Ten powerhouse Penn State. Left in the Panthers' path is two middle-of-the-road OVC teams, the 2-2 Tigers and 2-3 Tennessee Martin.

Not that the Panthers would overlook those opponents - after all, they've preached the 'one game at a time' cliché all season - but at this point the finish line has to be in sight.

Two more victories. Two more games with the raucous crowd at O'Brien Field behind them.

If the Panthers can get the job done, they'll be conference champions and earn the OVC's automatic berth into the Football Bowl Subdivision Playoffs.

The Tigers pose the most unique challenge in derailing Eastern's hopes. They knocked off the only team to beat the Panthers thus far, Eastern Kentucky, and have been full of ups and downs all season.

Whichever Tiger squad shows up for that ESPNU Senior Night contest will have a big effect on how that game turns out.

One thing is for sure, while the two games remaining loom large, the bye week came at the perfect time.

Sophomore offensive lineman Erik Zink, sophomore linebacker Cory Leman and junior defensive end Nathan Galan are just a few Panthers who need to get healthy.

A plethora of other guys who can be diagnosed as banged up are in dire need of rest, and the bye week can do nothing but good for those aching bodies.

So while the Panthers gear up for the stretch run and a push for a championship, it's much rest for the weary.

Then back to the grind for two (plus) weeks.

Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.

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