Expectations have followed Catawba College’s football team all season and nothing changed Saturday afternoon in Shuford Stadium.

Everybody expected the Indians to beat winless NAIA foe North Greenville by something like, oh, 55-0.

So they did.

For the next six days, we’re expecting the words “Carson-Newman” to dominate every single conversation involving Catawba.

Like it hasn’t already?

For seven weeks, Catawba coach David Bennett has deflected all inquiries regarding the powerful Carson-Newman tradition, saying, “We’re not playing them this week.”

He can’t deflect anything anymore. On Saturday, Oct. 28, the Eagles and their horde of fans drive down from the Tennessee mountains, leave that famous Mossy Creek water behind and pull into a city famous for Cheerwine, Food Lion — and an undefeated, nationally-ranked Division IIfootball team.

“We can say it,” said senior safety Dyran Peake late Saturday afternoon. “It’s Carson-Newman now.”

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Actually, it has been “Carson-Newman” since early August when all of those preseason magazines hit the newsstands. Each one had “Games to watch” and “Carson-Newman at Catawba on Oct. 28” was on the list.

And try as they may, the Indians did not lose sight of that date, through the routs of Livingstone and Wingate, through the tough wins against Presbyterian and Tusculum and through the methodical road victories at Austin Peay and Newberry.

The reason was simple. The players have been seething since the final play of an 11-2 season in 1999 that ended in the second round of the Division IIplayoffs. And we all know what team handed Catawba both losses, now don’t we?

Just for the record: Catawba led the Eagles 17-0 in the regular season game and lost 28-17. Catawba fell in the playoff game 28-25 despite being deep in Carson-Newman territory with a minute left.

“Subconsciously, it was in the back of our minds,” admitted Peake. “You lose two games all season and get knocked out of the playoffs and possibly a national championship game and of course you’re going to think about that.”

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So excuse the Indians if their minds wandered a little bit Saturday against the Mounties.

For instance, when defensive lineman Radell Lockhart scored the game’s first points on a fumble recovery, he ran over to the ice cream truck, located on the track on the visitor’s side.

“Itold the person that if I scored, I’d give him the ball,” Lockhart said sheepishly. “Icouldn’t believe I told him that and really did score.”

Then, Carson-Newman was brought up and Lockhart got serious.

“We had our chances,” he said of last year. “Everybody was mad because we thought we could beat them but they knocked us out. We get another chance next week.”

No one remembers more than Ellis.

“Monday, it’s going to be all business after what happened last year,” the former North Rowan star said.

“Intense,” nodded Peake, describing this week’s practices. “Every day is going to be like a game.”

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There’s just one difference from past meetings. Next Saturday, Catawba will be the favorite.

The Indians are ranked higher in the region and the nation. The Indians are at home. The Indians have not lost. Carson-Newman lost a couple of weeks ago to Presbyterian 45-42.

Bennett thinks there is no favorite, just two very good South Atlantic Conference football teams facing off on the same field.

“You say they’re the Florida State of this league but they’re better because Florida State hasn’t played for the national championship three out of the last four years,” he said. “We have the ultimate respect for Carson-Newman. We haven’t played for one championship. So we’d like for our program to be where they are.”

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Considering the national magnitude of Oct. 28, ordinary players might get so nervous, they’d hug the can all week due to butterflies in the ol’ tummy.

Catawba is not an ordinary football team, however.

“Idon’t get nervous,” scoffed Lockhart. “If you get nervous, you think about it too much.”

“When you show up nervous, that’s when you get your butt embarrassed,” Bennett smiled.

Don’t worry coach. There’s more to this game now than just winning because of Carson-Newman’s one loss. Two losses could keep a team out of the region’s top four and out of the national playoffs.

“If we beat them,” said linebacker Shawn McBride, “there’s no hope.”

Bennett reminded his team that Tusculum had run its mouth a week earlier to the Eagles and suffered a 77-24 loss.

“We talk about being humble and letting your pads do the talking,” he said.

Well, the time is finally here for a little pad talk.

“Since August, all you’ve heard is Oct. 28,” said Ellis. “So it’s here now. The showdown. The best team will come out on top.”

“Carson-Newman is going to play as hard as they can,” Lockhart said.

“We are too.”

Carson-Newman has been breathing fire since its loss. Carson-Newman knows what is at stake.

It’s going to be a good one, folks. All attendance records could be broken — along with the hearts of one of these teams.

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Ronnie Gallagher is the sports editor of the Post.