EIU Football Team Ends Season 6-5

Eastern Illinois defense held Eastern Kentucky to 19 yards of total offense and no first downs in the second half as the Panthers ended the 2016 season on a high note Saturday afternoon with a 24-0 win at Roy Kidd Stadium.

The Panthers end the season at 6-5 overall, 4-4 in the OVC.  It was the first shutout by the Panthers since Sept. 12, 2009 when EIU beat Indiana State, 31-0.  The Sycamores will be the Panthers season opening opponent next year.   
EIU’s last shutout against an OVC opponent was a 21-0 win over Southeast Missouri on Oct. 7, 2006.

EKU was held to 152 yards for the game and never entered the red zone on the day as the Colonels finished the season at 3-8 overall, 2-6 in the OVC.  In the third quarter alone EIU held Eastern Kentucky to negative one yard as the Colonels had 12 offensive plays.  Ethan Thomas had 80 of the 152 yards with 33 of those coming on a single run in the first half.

EIU’s offense pounded out 304 yards on the ground and 431 yards for the day.  Devin Church went over the 1,000 yard mark for the season as he finished with 177 yards on 25 carries with one touchdown.
Eastern Illinois avoided the turnover bug in the first half as the Panthers built a 7-0 halftime lead forcing three Eastern Kentucky turnovers.

The Panthers were unable to muster any offense on the first two turnovers set up by a Nick Horne forced fumble and Tray Mitchell interception.  The final first half EKU turnover was a muffed punt that was recovered by a host of EIU players falling on the loose ball.

EIU took advantage of that turnover as Jared Pilson hit Church on a swing pass that Church took down to the three yard line on a 30-yard reception.  Pilson would score two plays later on a 3-yard run with 4:15 left to play in the first half.  Pilson made the start at quarterback going 8-of-11 with 127 yards passing.  He added 41 yards on the ground.

A second long pass by Pilson set up the Panthers second touchdown of the game. Pilson hit Anthony Taylor with a 40-yard pass to put the ball inside the 10-yard line.  Church scored on an eight yard touchdown putting EIU up 14-0 with 4:32 to play in the third quarter.  

Nick Bruno tacked on a field goal early in the fourth quarter that gave the Panthers a 17-0 lead before Darshon McCullough added a four-yard plunge into the end zone with 3:59 remaining in the game.  McCullough’s short touchdown was set up by a 69-yard run by Church that put the Panthers in business in the red zone.

EIU’s defense was led by Horne with eight tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.  

Mack Weaver added six tackles.  EKU was led by Jeffery Canady with 15 tackles.