This may be old news or not even news to you guys, I had not realized this when the Sun Belt announced its standards, but previous plans that were stated by the wku AD about continuing the home and home series with 1aa (I refuse to use the term 'fcs') eku seem now to be impossible:

Excerpt from column in the Lexington paper:

.....Those were, and still are, the days, when the commonwealth's best football rivalry matched East(ern) versus West(ern) Kentucky.

One year, Western was unscored on at mid-season until it lost to its nemesis 16-7.

Another year, the loser (Western) became the winner after the clock reached zero. Roughing the kicker was called on Eastern after a missed field goal try by Western. The Hilltoppers then kicked the game-winner.

Conference championships were determined by the winner of this game. Rival coaches Roy Kidd (EKU) and Jimmy Feix (WKU) burned with intensity to win the Battle of the Bluegrass when the rivalry was at its hottest.

Eastern's five largest home crowds have been against the Hilltoppers. The biggest crowd in Bowling Green was when the Colonels came to town in 1968. (See second paragraph.)

The rivalry conceivably could end when Western visits Eastern for the last time in 2008. Or not.

This is certain: The series, if it continues, will change.

Two reasons: Western is moving from Division I-AA to I-A with 23 more scholarships eventually. And its conference, the Sun Belt, last month adopted a performance-standards policy. One criterion prohibits a Sun Belt team from traveling to a I-AA opponent.

"Based on that," said Eastern Athletic Director Mark Sandy, "I guess the only time we'd play them would be down there. If they have an opening, will they pay us a similar amount to what teams in their league pay?" In other words, Eastern will seek a guarantee to travel to Bowling Green.

"The performance standard starts to limit what the future may hold for the WKU-EKU rivalry," said Wood Selig, Western's athletic director.

When the athletic directors discuss the future of the series, a lot will be on the table.

Ideally, the home-and-home series could have continued despite the difference in divisions. (The new, highfalutin nomenclature "officially" is Football Bowl Subdivision for I-A and Football Championship Subdivision for I-AA.)

Eastern will have to consider carefully a one-way series with Western.

To assure an automatic I-AA playoff bid, the Colonels must win the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title. To receive an at-large invitation, they need the best record they can get....

Eastern-Western matchup falls victim to rules

an article in the Richmond, KY paper:

Quote:Colonel coach optimistic EKU-WKU series will continue past 2008

Nathan Hutchinson
Register Sports Editor

RICHMOND — The future of the state’s oldest college football rivalry may still remain more than a bit uncertain, but Danny Hope is optimistic that the Eastern Kentucky University-Western Kentucky series will continue for many years to come.

The fifth-year EKU coach has been extremely vocal recently in his support of continuing the long-standing series and on Monday once again expressed his desire to see the two teams continue to play on a yearly basis.

“I think it really adds something to football in the state of Kentucky,” he said. “It means a lot and I hope we can find a way to keep it alive. Every Colonel feels that way and I know every Hilltopper does too.”

If the historic rivalry is to continue past 2008, which is when the current contract expires, the two schools will have to overcome several major obstacles.

Western announced earlier this year plans to upgrade its football program from I-AA to I-A. After a two-year transition period, which starts this season, the Hilltoppers will become full-time members of the Sun Belt Conference in 2009.

NCAA guidelines do not permit I-A teams to schedule road games at I-AA opponents. So, if the rivalry is to continue, EKU would have to travel to Bowling Green each season.

And more than likely Western would have to compensate the Colonels financially for the trip — which is normal when I-AA teams travel to take on I-A schools.

“There’s some legislation that doesn’t allow them to come and play here at our place,” Hope said. “So, there are some things that need to be worked out. We’d play them 11 times a year if we could.”

Those things will have to be worked out if the schools are to continue a rivalry that dates back to 1914.

EKU and WKU have met a total of 82 times (WKU leads the all-time series 45-34-3) and played at least once a year from 1946 to 2000, when the Hilltoppers left the Ohio Valley Conference to join the Gateway Conference.

The rivalry was renewed in 2003, Hope’s first year at his alma mater, and the Hilltoppers went on to win the three straight before the Colonels picked up a win last season at Roy Kidd Stadium.

This year’s game is scheduled to be played in Bowling Green on Sept. 15, with next year’s game, the last on the current contract between the two schools, set to return to Richmond.

The future of the Western rivalry could also have a tremendous impact on the Colonels’ schedule in future seasons. If EKU does not play Western beyond 2008, Hope said the school is exploring other options, which might include playing a second I-A team or trying to find a I-AA school in the region to bring into Roy Kidd Stadium.

The coach would not elaborate on which schools EKU was considering.

The Colonels will face Kentucky this season, make a return trip to Cincinnati in 2008 and are scheduled to go to Indiana in 2009.

Colonel coach optimistic EKU-WKU series will continue past 2008

Does this sound like Hope is actually considering playing here every year (or even once as a money game???)

Unbelievable. If I were Selig or Elson I wouldn't even have the balls to suggest such a thing. Hope would need a police escort in his own stadium.

Interesting. First, the article is incorrect, it is not an NCAA Legislation, but a conference rule that is being put in place-- a conference rule that every other I-A conference already has.

Second, EKU would be stupid to schedule two I-A games (be it WKU or anyone else) if they are hoping to get an at-large. Doesn't leave them much room for error in their season after going likely 0-2 against I-A schools.

But hey, if their price isn't too high, bring 'em into L.T. Smith Stadium every year.