The Tennessee Tech football team will look to end the Ohio Valley Conference championship dreams of Jacksonville State on Saturday as it hosts the Gamecocks in its final game of the year.The Golden Eagles (4-6, 3-4 OVC) will finish sixth in the conference this season after taking home second place a year ago.
A pregame ceremony will honor 11 seniors to recognize their final game as Golden Eagles. Nine of those players have been on the Tech roster for at least four years.
This year’s seniors are Receiver Colin Allen, quarterback Cass Barnes, running back Jocques Crawford, rover Dustin Dillehay, defensive tackle Justin Hilliard, punter Jason Lennartz, cornerback Corbin Miles, defensive tackle Dedrick Miley, linebacker Kelechi Ordu, receiver Henry Sailes, and defensive end Charlie Seivers.
“I’m kind of excited,” Dillehay said, “but kind of sad coming to the end of my career and knowing I won’t ever play again.”
Dillehay and the other seniors who played their entire careers at Tech earned an overall record of 17-27, but a winning record of 12-9 at Tucker Stadium.
Jacksonville State (9-1, 6-1 OVC) can clench the OVC championship with a win over Tech this weekend.
“I don’t think we’ve come close to beating them since I’ve been here,” Dillehay said.
“I just want to give them something to remember Tennessee Tech by,” he said with a smile, referring to rumors that Jacksonville State is planning on jumping to the Football Bowl Subdivision soon.
Dillehay said his best memory of being a Golden Eagle was being named the National Defensive Player of the Week for his stellar efforts in last season’s game at UT Martin.
“It’s going to be good,” Sailes said.
“Going out with a win would be good,” he said, “but either way, I think I’ve had a good career.”
“If we knocked JSU out, it would be tremendous,” Sailes added.
“It would mean a lot because I feel like our team is a lot better than our record,” he said.
“Knocking them off would prove to us how good we are.”
Dillehay, Miley, Ordu, Sailes and Seivers each served as captains on the 2010 squad for coach Watson Brown.
Last week, Tech fell to Eastern Kentucky by a score of 42-29 on Homecoming, ending the chances of a winning season.
Kickoff for Saturday’s contest is slated for 4 p.m. at Overall Field.
The game will be broadcast live on the Golden Eagle Sports Network via Magic 98.5 and Free TeamLine.
Admission is free for all Tech students with a valid ID. For ticket information, visit www.TTUSports.com or call the ticket office at 931-372-3941.
