WISE - - The 2015 regular season comes to a close Thursday when the University of Charleston visits Smith Stadium to face UVa-Wise in a 7 p.m. kickoff. The contest features two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum this season. Charleston will be looking to lock up a playoff berth with a victory while UVa-Wise needs a win to avoid setting a school mark for fewest victories in a season.

Charleston has won eight consecutive games, including a 56-21 win over Alderson-Broaduss Saturday. In that game, the Golden Eagles defense scored a pair of touchdowns on defense. On offense, Jeremy Johnson passed for 316 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 89 yards on just nine carries. Charleston put the game out of reach early, racing out to a 28-7 lead after one period.

Despite dropping its ninth game of the season last week at West Virginia Wesleyan, UVa-Wise did have its strongest third quarter of the year. The Cavaliers scored 14 points in the third quarter of the 47-21 loss, entering the game UVa-Wise had just scored 10 points in the third quarter through the first nine games.

Surprisngly, linebacker 'Tray Billups provided UVa-Wise with two of its longest kickoff returns of the season at Wesleyan. Billups returned a kick 44 yards before scooping up a second short kick and racing 25 yards. Billups added three tackles on defense, all solo stops.

A win by Charleston would send the Golden Eagles to the playoffs. Charleston's lone loss this season came in week two when undefeated Shepherd claimed a 45-25 win in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. With nine wins in 2015, the Golden Eagles have won nine games three times since 2009.

A bright spot for UVa-Wise has been the play of its linebackers. Zachary Blair has registered 107 tackles, 26.5 have come behind the line of scrimmage while fellow linebacker Timmy Meador has 72 stops. The duo stand at the top of the team tackle leaderboard. Blair and Meador have also combined for six sacks, seven pass break ups, two forced fumbles and three blocked kicks.

Five Cavs will be playing in their final collegiate game Thursday. Offensive lineman Dustin McGill and Jose Urrutia will join wide receiver Terrence Younger, defensive back Marcus Jones and long snaper Jason Candeto.