Click here to view TTU vs. TSU game notes (PDF)

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- With the open date on their schedule falling last weekend, the Tennessee Tech football team appears to be rested and ready to jump back into action Saturday when the Golden Eagles visit Hale Stadium to challenge the 20th ranked Tennessee State Tigers.

The chore will not be easy, considering the game is in Hale Stadium on the TSU campus and the Tigers have won eight the last 10 meetings between the two, including a 41-21 decision last year in Cookeville.

Tech is coming off a 49-14 loss at Indiana State two weeks earlier (Sept. 6), while Tennessee State rebounded from a loss on Sept. 6 and claimed a 35-7 victory last week over Jackson State to improve to 2-1. The Tigers are ranked 20th in this week's FCS poll.

Tech held Tennessee State to just 95 rushing yards in the last meeting a year ago, but the Tigers took advantage through the air, with quarterbacks Ronald Butler and Michael German combining to pass for 343 yards and four touchdowns. A.C Leonard had five catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, including an 80-yard strike in the third quarter.
   
The Golden Eagles scored on a 79-yard, 12-play drive from the opening kickoff for a 7-0 lead but made numerous critical mistakes including losing three turnovers and being whistled for nine penalties for 65 yards.

The bright spot for Tech two weeks ago was the special teams, scoring both touchdowns against the Sycamores via the punting game. Jordan Patrick blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for the first score, and Ladarius Vanlier returned ISU's next punt attempt 72 yards for a touchdown. It was his second career punt return tpuchdown and third career touchdown overall on kick returns.

Vanlier, last week's OVC Special Teams Player of the Week, ranks sixth nationally in punt returns, 19th nationally in kickoff returns and 11th nationally in all-purpose yards.

The last time these teams met in Hale Stadium, TSU ralied to score on the final play of the game to claim a 21-20 victory in the 2012 season. Two days later, the OVC released a statement announcing the game officials had blown the final play, and the touchdown should not have been allowed, but a penalty assessed instead. By then, of course, Tech had no recourse but to absorb the loss.

In their last outing, the Golden Eagles rushed for just 61 yards and had 105 passing yards, finishing the contest against the Sycamores with 161 yards of total offense.

One milestone likely to fall Saturday is senior Darian Stone surpassing the 2,000-yard mark for career passing. He comes into the game with 1,999 career yards. While he's filling a new position (W) this season, Stone will still have the ball in his hands plenty to take advantage of his passing, running and receiving skills. Stone has appeared in 22 games over the past three-plus seasons, accounting for 1,831 passing yards and 1,233 rushing yards for a total of 3,064 yards in total offense.

Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. In addition to the Golden Eagle gridiron performance against the Tigers, the Tennessee Tech Marching Band will also be in town to partiipate in the contest. The Tech band will be performing at halftime.

Fans who cannot attend in person can listen to the game on the Golden Eagle Sports Network with Roger Ealey and Buddy Pearson in the press box and Dylan Vazzano reporting from the sidelines. The broadcast begins at 1:30 p.m. on 98.5 KISS FM. The game will also be streamed live on the OVC Digital Network, with TSU producing the show.