Austin Peay will open Ohio Valley Conference play this weekend when it travels to Charleston, Illinois, to play defending champ Eastern Illinois in a 1:30 p.m. contest at O'Brien Field.

The two-time OVC champ, EIU comes in a surprising 0-3 record after losing to Illinois State, 34-15 on the heels of previous losses to Minnesota, 42-20, and Southern Illinois, 38-21. The Panthers, however, have won 12 straight OVC contests.

The Governors, meanwhile, enter the contest with a 0-2 record after losing to Chattanooga, 42-6, last weekend in the opening of new Governor Stadium. The Govs are amidst an overall 14-game losing streak and still are seeking Kirby Cannon's first Governors head-coaching victory.

Despite last week's score, the Governors defense showed marked improvement, other than two long TD passes. The Govs had nine tackles for loss and went through four Chattanooga straight possessions that resulted in a fumble and three punts.

Sophomore linebacker Antonio Turner led the defensive effort against Chattanooga with nine stops and safety Damien Whitfield added eight. Defensive tackle Malcolm Goines had two tackles for loss.

But the Govs' offense continues to be an issue. APSU amassed just 180 yards total offense, 78 yards in the second half. Darrien Boone, who transferred from Central Michigan in the summer, made his first quarterback start, completing 15 of 20 passes but for just 124 yards. His first-quarter 45-yard TD pass to Javier Booker was APSU's first score this season. Booker finished with a career-best six receptions for 88 yards.

Eastern Illinois also has had offensive issues. The Panthers are last in the FCS with seven interceptions and 10 overall turnovers, leading to 62 opponents points.

-AP-