With no other students on campus this week, the Eastern Illinois University football players have enjoyed the easy life.

"It's been a lot of eating, a lot of sleeping and a lot of video games," senior defensive tackle Trevor Frericks said.

And a lot of thinking about what's at stake.

EIU (8-3) faces top-ranked Southern Illinois (10-1) at 1 p.m. today in the opening round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs at McAndrews Stadium in Carbondale, Ill.

It's a tough draw made all the more difficult by the fact the Panthers originally thought they were headed to Virginia.

During the unveiling of the brackets on ESPNews, EIU's name originally popped up opposite William & amp; Mary.

"We were all excited about a trip to Virginia," said Frericks, the Quincy Notre Dame product who was the 2004 Herald-Whig Player of the Year. "We love to travel."

Minutes later, a technical error was discovered and the correct bracket was posted with EIU still on the road, although it meant taking a bus not a flight for a short trip south. Not that it diminished the mood at all.

"With our competitive nature, we were excited about the challenge," Frericks said.

And the opportunity.

"There's no better feeling than to go out a winner," Frericks said.

He is assured of that.

Since transferring to EIU from Bowling Green following his freshman season, Frericks had yet to experience an Ohio Valley Conference championship, something the Panthers accomplished this season with a 6-2 mark in league play.

"That's the No. 1 goal the moment you step on campus, the moment you step in this locker room," said Frericks, a first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection this season.

Frericks embraced that idea the same way the Panthers embraced him.

Whole-heartedly.

"You can go play on a team or be a part of a family," said Frericks, who leads EIU in tackles for losses with 15.5 and set a school record with seven tackles for loss against Tennessee State.

"I had 95 new friends the first day I walked in here. The coaches are some of the best coaches and some of the best people I've been around.

"I'm four hours away from home, but I can go to the stadium and get that family feeling."

Even without an OVC title and playoff appearance, there's been enough for Frericks to unequivocally call his transfer a blessing.

"Really, there are no cons to outweigh these pros," said Frericks, who will finish his master's in business administration in May. "I know I made the right decision."

His next decision will be equally as important.

That's deciding what to do with his post-college career.

"With as beat up as my body is, an office chair might be the best for me," said Frericks, who has undergone three surgeries and endured numerous other injuries during his career and is entertaining ideas of working in management for a professional sports franchise.

"But I've learned a work ethic that has allowed me to succeed."

His football career is proof Frericks can succeed at whatever he chooses.

-- mschuckman@whig.com/221-3366