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 early forecast for the weekend suggest a warm afternoon Saturday, with the high at 86 degrees under partly sunny skies. As of midweek, there is no no chance of rain to dampen the game.

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (1-1, 0-0 OVC)
at No. 20 Tennessee State Tigers (2-1, 0-0 MVC)
Saturday, Sept. 20 • 2 p.m. CT
Hale Stadium (15,000) • Nashville, Tenn.

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.

GAME NOTES: After an open date Tennessee Tech will travel to Tennessee State to open OVC play against nationally-ranked Tennessee State. The game is the first of the 2014 Sgt. York Trophy series presented by Delta Dental. The series is contested between the four football-playing schools from the state of Tennessee; TSU has won the trophy each of the past three years (although TTU shared the title with them in 2011 but lost a tiebreaker to bring home the actual hardware). Saturday’s game is the 28th all-time meeting between the two teams; Tennessee State has won the last three and eight of the last 10 in the all-time series. Last year the Tigers led 17-7 at halftime on its way to a 41-21 victory in Cookeville. Michael German passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns for TSU while Tim Broughton added 86 yards on the ground. TTU quarterbacks Darian Stone and Jared Davis combined for 165 passing yards and a score. Saturday’s game is the first of three this season at Hale Stadium on the TSU campus.
 
SCOUTING TENNESSEE TECH: Tennessee Tech is coming off an open date that followed its road loss at Indiana State on Sept. 6. In that contest the Golden Eagles fell behind 28-0 before scoring on back-to-back special teams plays in the third quarter. The first score came when Jordan Patrick blocked a punt which he recovered for a touchdown. Less than two minutes later Ladarius Vanlier returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown to trim the Sycamore advantage in half. Vanlier would be named OVC Specialist of the Week for his play in the contest; Vanlier finished the day with 200 all-purpose yards (his second career 200-plus yard all-purpose game), gaining 112 yards on kickoffs, 74 yards on punts, nine rushing yards and five receiving yards. The junior currently ranks first in the OVC and 11th nationally in all-purpose yards (178.5/game) and is sixth in punt returns (20.4 yards/return). Darian Stone, playing the new QW hybrid position, had 37 rushing yards against ISU and is the team’s leading rusher (79 yards) through two games.
 
SCOUTING TENNESSEE STATE: After a six-point road loss to Alabama State in Week 2 of the season, Tennessee State rebounded with a 35-7 victory over rival Jackson State in the 25th annual Southern Heritage Classic played in front of 46,914 fans at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. The TSU defense continued to play stout, allowing just 138 yards of total offense on the night, including -1 net rushing yards on 26 total attempts. Tennessee State is currently first nationally in third down conversion defense (14.3%) and fourth down conversion defense (0.0%), second in turnovers gained (9), passes intercepted (6) and pass efficiency defense (68.84), fourth in total defense (221.0 yards/game), sixth in sacks/game (4.0) and tackles-for-loss (10.0/game), seventh in pass defense (126.3 yards/game) and 10th in scoring offense (38.0 points/game). Individually reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Bass is fifth in tackles-for-loss (2.8/game) and sixth in sacks (1.67/game). Senior De’Ante Saunders was named OVC Defensive Player of the Week after picking off two Jackson State passes including returning one 45 yards for a touchdown. Saunders currently ranks first nationally in interceptions (1.0) and 11th in passes defended (1.7/game). Offensively newcomer Tom Smith scored two touchdowns against JSU to increase his season total to six (the second-most nationally). Starting quarterback Michael German left the game with an injury but is expected back this week; in his place Ronald Butler passed for 125 yards and a touchdown.
 
For more, please view the complete game notes (click here)