UI, EIU Suffer Weekend Football Losses

TAMPA - Mike Epstein scored two touchdowns for the Fighting Illini in a 47-23 loss at No. 22 South Florida Friday night.

The freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ran for a 45-yard score late in the second quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, he caught a 21-yard pass from Jeff George, Jr. Epstein finished with 81 total yards.

The Illini special teams blocked two kicks in the first quarter. Freshman Isaiah Gay got his hand on a 36-yard field-goal attempt and later, after a South Florida touchdown, junior Tito Odenigbo blocked the extra-point attempt. Nate Hobbs scooped up the ball and scored the conversion for the Illini.

Illinois was overmatched by the Bulls up-tempo offense and plagued by penalties throughout the game. The teams accounted for 31 combined penalties.

The young Illini didn't stop fighting down in the fourth quarter. Ra'Von Bonner scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run - set up by a 76-yard reception by freshman Ricky Smalling. It was the longest reception in program history by a true freshman.

The Illini have a week off before hosting Nebraska Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 pm for Hall of Fame Weekend.

Illinois State 44, EIU 13

Eastern Illinois could never get its offense on track Saturday afternoon as Illinois State offense was clicking giving the No. 14 ranked Redbirds a 44-13 win over EIU in the 106th playing of the Mid-America Classic played at O’Brien Field.
 
ISU improved to 2-0 on the season as the road team has now won the annual rivalry game for the third straight year.  EIU fell to 1-2 on the year and will open Ohio Valley Conference play next Saturday at home hosting Southeast Missouri at 6 p.m.   Tickets for the game are available by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com
 
The Redbirds average starting position for the day was at their own 44 and they capitalized on that good field position.  Sean Slattery put ISU up 3-0 on a 35-yard field goal capping a 32-yard drive.  James Robinson had back-to-back touchdown runs from 22 yards and 1-yard putting ISU up 17-0 with 11:34 to play in the second quarter.  Robinson’s first score capped a 47-yard drive.  The second was a seven-yard drive.
 
EIU’s special teams gave the Panthers a breath of life in the second quarter as Julian Hess blocked a punt that Mack Weaver picked up and returned 15 yards for a touchdown.  It was the third blocked kick of the season for EIU after the Panthers blocked a pair of field goals last week at Northern Illinois.  EIU missed the extra point and trailed 17-6.
 
ISU would add two more first half scores to put the lead to 27-6 at the half.
 
EIU made it a two possession game early in the second half as Scotty Gilkey Jr., capped an 80-yard drive with a 3-yard run.  It was the second rushing touchdown of the season for the redshirt freshman.  Gilkey played a number of snaps in the second half as he finished as the Panthers leading rusher with 13 yards.  As a team EIU was limited to 14 yards rushing and 117 yards of total offense.  The rushing totals were hampered by sacks as ISU was able to get to the quarterback six times.
 
ISU put the game away following the score as Robert Gillum caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Jake Kolbe with 3:05 to play in the third quarter.  ISU would add another field goal and touchdown for its scoring summary.  Kolbe passed for 218 yards. ISU finished with 451 yards on offense.
 
Mark Williams led the Panthers defense with seven tackles.  Josh Price had 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack after missing the first half of the game due to a targeting call in the second half at NIU.
 
Tyree Horton had 11 tackles for ISU with 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.