AA ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁and ▁reaching ▁the ▁final s ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁success ▁came ▁during ▁the ▁long ▁ten ure ▁of ▁head ▁coach ▁Roy ▁K idd ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Eastern ▁hon ored ▁K idd ▁by ▁naming ▁the ▁school ' s ▁football ▁stad ium ▁Roy ▁K idd ▁Stadium . ▁Eastern ▁Kentucky ' s ▁football ▁team ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁secure ▁ 3 1 ▁consecutive ▁winning ▁seasons ▁before ▁finally ▁posting ▁a ▁losing ▁season ▁record ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Lex ington ▁Her ald - L ead er , ▁the ▁daily ▁newspaper ▁of ▁nearby ▁Lex ington , ▁reported ▁that ▁E K U ▁was ▁considering ▁moving ▁its ▁program ▁to ▁the ▁top - level ▁Football ▁Bowl ▁Sub div ision . ▁However , ▁under ▁NCAA ▁rules , ▁such ▁a ▁move ▁would ▁require ▁that ▁E K U ▁receive ▁an ▁inv itation ▁from ▁an ▁existing ▁F BS ▁conference . ▁ ▁Conference ▁affili ation ▁▁ ▁Ohio ▁Valley ▁Conference ▁( 1 9 4 8 – present ) ▁ ▁Championships ▁ ▁National ▁champion ships ▁Eastern ▁Kentucky ▁went ▁to ▁four ▁consecutive ▁national ▁championship ▁games , ▁winning ▁twice ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁while ▁finishing ▁as ▁runner - up ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁and ▁ 1