Eastern Illinois Announces 2016 Football Schedule

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois is coming off a season in which the Panthers advanced to the FCS Playoffs for the 16th time in program history.  This season EIU head coach Kim Dameron has once again put together a competitive schedule which includes three games against teams from last year’s FCS playoff field and an FBS game at Miami of Ohio.
 
The season will open on Thursday, Sept 1 with the Panthers hosting in-state rival Western Illinois.  The two teams opened last year in Macomb in the first regular season meeting between the two schools since 1997.   The season opener under the lights will kick off at 6 p.m. at O’Brien Field.
 
EIU will play at Miami of Ohio on Sept. 10 as the two schools will meet for the first time.  EIU then wraps up non-conference play at Illinois State as the two schools play in the 105th edition of the Mid-America Classic.
 
Following the game at Illinois State, EIU opens Ohio Valley Conference play at home against Austin Peay on Sept. 24.  That game will kick off at 1 p.m. as part of the EIU Family Weekend celebration.  EIU’s other three home OVC games include an Oct. 8 game with Tennessee State, Oct. 22 game with Murray State and Nov. 5 game with UT Martin.  The Tennessee State game will kick off at 6 p.m. and will serve as the Panthers Hall of Fame game.   The Panthers annual homecoming contest will be against Murray State with a 1 p.m. start.  The final regular season home game with UT Martin will be senior day and have a 1 p.m. kick.
 
The Panthers will have four road games in OVC play beginning on Oct. 1 at Southeast Missouri.   Additional conference road games are on Oct. 15 at Tennessee Tech, Oct. 29 at Jacksonville State and Nov. 19 at Eastern Kentucky.
 
This year's FCS playoff opening round is set for Nov. 26.
 
In addition EIU head coach Kim Dameron has announced the dates for the Panthers Practice Schedule with the Spring Game set for Saturday, April 23.   Spring practices will take place on March 22, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29 along with dates on April 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, and 21.
 
Season ticket information for the 2015 Eastern Illinois football season will be available in early April.
 
2016 EIU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
 
Sept. 1 – Western Illinois, 6 pm
Sept. 10 – at Miami (Ohio)
Sept. 17 – at Illinois State (Mid-America Classic)
Sept. 24 – Austin Peay, 1 pm (Family Weekend) *
Oct. 1 – at Southeast Missouri *
Oct. 8 – Tennessee State, 6 pm (Hall of Fame) *
Oct. 15 – at Tennessee Tech *
Oct. 22 – Murray State, 1 pm (Homecoming) *
Oct. 29 – at Jacksonville State, 2 pm *
Nov. 5 – UT Martin, 1 pm (Senior Day) *
Nov. 19 – at Eastern Kentucky *
Nov. 26 – FCS Playoffs First Round