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, and competes at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision 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 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.
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.

Conference affiliation

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

† Co-champion

Bowl games

Eastern Kentucky has participated in five 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.

NCAA Division I FCS Playoff appearances

Eastern Kentucky has made 21 appearances in the I-AA/FCS playoffs since 1978. They have a record of 16–19.
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

Rivalries

Western Kentucky

Morehead State

Program records

Team records