The Ohio Valley Conference has placed two teams in the NCAA Division I-AA football playoffs just once in the past five years -- but the league's coaches believe that could change this season.

While the OVC champion gains an automatic spot in the 16-team playoff field, conference coaches think a second squad should be selected for an at-large berth.

"I think the league is as good as it's been from top to bottom," said Eastern Illinois coach Bob Spoo, whose Panthers are the defending OVC champions and sit atop the current standings. "I would be really disappointed if two teams didn't make it."

Eastern Kentucky was left out of the playoffs last year despite going 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the OVC, which placed the Colonels second behind the Panthers, who went undefeated in the league.

Eastern Kentucky (5-3, 2-1), if Eastern Illinois (5-2, 3-0) doesn't falter down the stretch, would appear to hold the conference's best chance of getting a second team into the playoffs.

The Colonels, ranked 19th nationally, lost 25-24 at fifth-ranked Eastern Illinois as the Panthers scored on the game's final play. They also dropped a 36-28 decision at eighth-ranked Appalachian State while their other loss was 40-10 at Division I-A Oregon State.

"I'd like to think if we are fortunate enough to finish 9-3, and realize we got beat by I-A school, we played Appalachian State right down to the final minute, and played Eastern Illinois right down to the final play of the game, I would hope that we would be considered," Eastern Kentucky coach Roy Kidd said. "But our goal this year was not to leave it up to the committee."

Southeast coach Tim Billings, whose Indians (5-3, 2-1) are tied for second with Eastern Kentucky, agreed the league should qualify two teams for the playoffs. He's optimistic that his squad could be one of them for the first time in school history.

"I don't think there's any question there should be, with the quality of talent in this league," Billings said. "You look at what Eastern Kentucky's done. If they win out, I don't see how you could keep them out of the playoffs. They basically had Eastern Illinois beat.

"Even if we could win out and finish 9-3, I think we'd have to be considered. Or Murray State, they could win out and they'd have a share of the conference championship. But if Eastern Kentucky wins out, I don't know how they could be kept out of the tournament."

While Eastern Kentucky, Southeast Missouri and Murray State (2-4, 1-1) are still alive for at least a share of the OVC title, Kidd isn't holding his breath that a team will beat Eastern Illinois.

The Panthers, who have won 11 straight OVC games, already have gotten past what were considered to be three of their toughest conference tests by beating Eastern Kentucky, Southeast and Tennessee Tech. Their only legitimate chance of losing the rest of the way appears to be Nov. 23 when they play at Murray State in the final regular-season game.

"I don't think anybody's going to beat them until they get rid of (Tony) Romo," Kidd said, laughing. "As long as he's there, they're going to score a lot of points."

Romo, the Panthers' senior quarterback, is the two-time OVC Offensive Player of the Year who is favored to win that award a third straight time.

But Spoo is taking nothing for granted as his team chases a second consecutive league crown.

"There's still three games left to go," he said. "It's not over by any means."

Around the OVC

There were only two games played Saturday and both were high-profile matchups.

Eastern Illinois erased an early 21-7 deficit and rolled past host Southeast 44-27 behind Romo's five touchdown passes. Eastern Kentucky posted a surprisingly lopsided 31-7 victory over visiting Murray State as the Colonels had a 439-220 edge in total yards.

"I was scared to death of that game. I didn't really know what to expect," Spoo said. "We were fortunate to come out of there with a win."

Said Kidd, "I really was pleased. It was no doubt the best game we've played this year on both sides of the ball."

This Saturday, the OVC schedule has Murray State hosting Southeast, Tennessee Tech (2-5, 0-2) hosting Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee State (1-6, 0-1) entertaining Tennessee-Martin (2-5, 0-2). Eastern Illinois is off.

They didn't disappoint

Arguably the top two players in the conference were on display Saturday in Cape Girardeau when Romo led Eastern Illinois against Southeast and senior wide receiver Willie Ponder.

Both players lived up to all their hype. Romo completed 24 of 34 passes for 295 yards and five touchdowns while Ponder, who leads the OVC in every receiving category, caught 10 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

"Tony Romo is a great player and he had a tremendous game," Billings said. "He just doesn't make mistakes."

Said Spoo, "Willie Ponder is everything everybody thinks he is. He's a super player."