LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Defending OVC champion Eastern Kentucky opens the 2012 season with another division one opponent: this time at Purdue. This marks the 13th straight year the Colonels have opened the season against an NCAA FBS team.

The Colonels are led by All-American tailback Matt Denham, who led the OVC in rushing last season with 1,570 yards, despite not starting the first four games.

"This is a huge challenge, especially a Big 10 opponent," Denham said on Wednesday. "We only have 65 scholarships, compared to 85. It's just a numbers game. They have more depth than we will."

"You have to be unbelievably good in your execution to beat a team of this stature," coach Dean Hood said. "It's a heckuva challenge. If we're able to pull it off, it would be a great thing for our school."

The Boilermakers are coached by former EKU head man and player, Danny Hope. Hope led the Colonels to an OVC title in 2007.

"They're a very proud football team," Hope said of his alma mater. "They've had only one non-winning season in almost 50 years.. They expect to win."

This is the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The game can be seen live on the Big 10 Network, beginning at 3:30 p.m.