The UTM football team wants to play the roll of spoiler this tomorrow as it travels to Richmond, Ky., with hopes of spoiling Eastern Kentucky’s run at the OVC.

Kickoff is set for noon between UTM (2-8, 1-5) and Eastern Kentucky (4-5, 3-2) at Roy Kidd Stadium. The Colonels are in the hunt for another OVC championship, but cannot afford to stumble at home against UTM.

Since joining the OVC in 1992, the Skyhawks have lost all 12 meetings between the two teams. UTM has yet to make it a close affair. The closest game was an 18-point loss in 1998, 47-29. EKU leads the all-time series 14-0. The Skyhawks hope to change that this weekend.

Sophomore quarterback Brady Wahlberg leads the UTM offense. Wahlberg completed 21-of-40 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown last week. Since returning from an injury five weeks ago, Wahlberg has thrown for 1,101 yards, and has run for 298 yards.

Wahlberg’s quarterback rating of 120.45 would rank third among conference QBs, but after missing four games early in the season, his play is not recognized by the OVC. A player must play in 75 percent of a team’s games to be recognized by the conference, and Wahlberg will not meet that feat this season.

Wahlberg also is completing 66 percent of his passes this season, compared to the OVC’s top passer, Ray Nelson of Samford, who is completing 58.7 percent of his passes. UTM has three receivers ranked in the league’s top 10, and two in the nations top 40. Sanders Trent is third in the league, and ranked 35 nationally, with 55 catches for 507 yards and four scores. Taurean Stephens is ranked 40 nationally, and sixth in the conference with 5.2 catches and 45.6 yards per game. Orentheus Taylor is seventh in the conference with 4.7 catches.

The Skyhawks are averaging 101 yards per game rushing. Wahlberg is atop the pack averaging 60.3 yards. Running back Andrew Staten is averaging 31.3 yards per game.

To counter the attack the Colonels have buckled down against the run recently, allowing only an average of 62.5 yards on the ground the last four games.

The good news for UTM - EKU allowed more than 300 yards of passing for the second straight week. Donell Allison leads the team with 68 tackles on the year. Jerome Jones ranks among the league leaders in tackles for loss with 10.5 and fumble recoveries with three.

EKU quarterback Matt Guice is the OVC’s second-leading passer, completing 57.5 percent of throws for 189 yards per game. He threw 25 yards and three touchdowns last week. All three went to tight ends. Patrick Bugg had two, while Mike Woolridge caught the other.

The Colonels had two 100-plus yard rushers, Terry Ennis and C.J. Hudson, last week against Murray State.

EKU has committed an OVC worse 85 penalties, and have allowed a conference-high 30 sacks this season.

UTM still leads the league with 23 sacks, but the Skyhawks have failed to get a sack the last two weeks. UTM is last in the league in scoring, allowing 37.4 points per game.

Andre Plummer has five sacks on the year. Rayvon Sims and Chad McMahan each had 10 tackles last week. The Skyhawks have given up 216.7 yards per game on the ground, allowing 29 scores on the ground. EKU leads the league in punt returns, averaging 18.8 yards per return.

UTM’s Jason Coleman is first in the conference, and 14 nationally, averaging 13.92 yards per punt return. Coleman also ranks second in the conference, 20 nationally with 26.78 yards per kickoff return.