RICHMOND — After the Gamecocks joined the Ohio Valley Conference in 2003 they quickly developed an intense and often heated rivalry with Eastern Kentucky University.

And that wasn’t really all that     surprising.

In the past decade, Jacksonville State and EKU have been the class of the conference, with one of the schools claiming at least a share of the league title in five different seasons (JSU — 2003, 2004 and 2011 and EKU — 2007, 2008 and 2011).

Almost every year, the outcome of the annual showdown between the Gamecocks and Colonels has a big-time impact on the OVC Championship and an automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs.

“The past couple of years, its always been a great game,” EKU senior defensive back Justin Bell said. “The way we won last year, any team would want to come back (from that) and make a statement.”

The stunning result of last year’s game just adds more fuel to an already smoldering rivalry.

The Colonels (2-1) rallied from 24 points down with 7:25 left in the fourth quarter to post an improbable 52-48 win on the road. That loss cost Jacksonville State a shot at an outright OVC title and ultimately kept them from getting a playoff bid.

The No. 24 Gamecocks (1-1) will certainly still be looking for a little revenge when they take on the No. 21 Colonels today at Roy Kidd Stadium.

Game time is set for 6 p.m.

“We really haven’t played as good as we should have played a few times here lately when we’ve played them,” JSU coach Jack Crowe said. “That’s not to discredit their victories, because they certainly won them. I’m just challenging our guys to play as good as they can.”

The Colonels have won each of the past two meetings between the schools and hold a 5-4 lead in the all-time series.

Still, it was last year’s game (Nov. 5, 2011) that sticks out as the most memorable game in the series, at least for the Colonels.

“If you re-played that game 100 times, we will lose that game 100 times,” EKU coach Dean Hood said. “It was just one of those days. It was our night and the ball bounced our way.”

Almost a year later, the loss is still very painful for the Gamecocks.

“Ever since the ending of that game I’ve been ready to get back at EKU,” JSU receiver Alan Bonner told the Anniston Star. “My biggest memory of that game is looking up at that scoreboard and seeing zero-zero-zero and we lost.”

This year’s showdown will be the OVC opener for both teams, and both squads are well-aware of the impact this game could have on pursuit of a championship and a berth in the FCS Playoffs.

“It’s a long way from being the OVC championship,” Crowe said. “I think it definitely sets the tone for everybody in the league. Whoever wins this game will be the frontrunner, but they will also because the target for everyone else.”

EKU will carry a two-game winning streak into the showdown after picking up a road win at Coastal Carolina last week. The Colonels’ 35-17 victory was their first non-conference road win in 10 years (a stretch of 20 games).

EKU got another 100-yard rushing performance from senior All-American Matt Denham and senior Tyrone Goard had 113 yards receiving after sitting out a game with a concussion.

“I told the seniors that was maybe the most complete game we’ve played since I’ve been here,” said Hood, who is in his fifth year at the school. “It was definitely the most physical.”

That win allows the Colonels to head into OVC play with a winning record for the first time since Roy Kidd’s final season at the school (2002 — 3-2).

Jacksonville State opened up the season with a fairly respectable loss at Arkansas (49-24) and then got a late field goal to beat Chattanooga at home on Sept. 8.

Jacksonville State was off last week.

“All in all, it was well timed for us,” Crowe said of the open week. “We also got an early look at EKU. Our (team’s) personalities are so similar. They are who we are. We both run the ball and try to stop the run. We just worked on ourselves and that’s where our focus was.”

The Colonels continue to lead the OVC in rushing offense (201.3) and are also among the national FCS leaders in that category (24th). EKU is also second in the OVC in run defense (96.7 — 22nd nationally).

Jacksonville State is fourth in the OVC in scoring offense (25.5) and is also fourth in total offense (366 yards a game).

The Gamecocks are last in rushing defense (202.5 yards a game).

“Our kids are excited to play,” Hood said. “I know their kids are going to be excited to play.”

Almost a year later, the dramatic comeback the Colonels staged against the Gamecocks still seems hard to believe.

After an 83-yard touchdown run by Ealey Washaun, Jacksonville State had a 48-24 lead.

Just 35 seconds later, Cameron Bailey caught a 60-yard TD pass.

Just 1:19 later, Anthony Brown picked up a fumble and returned it 71 yards for a touchdown.

Just 1:09 later, Justin Williams caught an 18-yard TD pass from T.J. Pryor that got EKU back to within three points (48-45).

Jacksonville State gave the ball right back to the Colonels and it took them just two plays to take the lead. Pryor found Goard in the right corner of the end zone and the 6-foot-4  receiver out-jumped a defender.

After catching that pass, Goard walked out of the back of end zone and gestured toward the stands. He placed one finger in front of his mouth, essentually shushing the stunned JSU fans.

“I didn’t intend to do that,” Goard said. “I was just caught up in the hype. When receivers catch the ball, they are going to get excited, especially when its a touchdown. That was my third touchdown and I was just really excited.”

The Gamecocks had one last chance and they put together an 11-play, 61-yard drive and got to the 2-yard line. On the final play of the game, Calvin Middleton was stopped at the goal line.

“The disappointing thing is we didn’t rally whenever it turned,” Crowe said. “It was an anomaly.”