EIU Opens Spring Football Training Today

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois football will open spring practice Tuesday as head coach Kim Dameron gets set for his fifth season leading the Panthers program.  On Monday the Panthers announced two future games against FBS opponents for the 2019 and 2020 schedules.

EIU will play at Indiana in 2019 with the game set for Saturday, Sept. 7 in Bloomington, Ind.  This will be the first meeting between the two schools and the first time EIU has played a Big Ten opponent since Dameron’s second season when the Panthers lost at Northwestern.   EIU has previously played at Big Ten members Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State and Purdue.

EIU will then play at Kentucky in 2020 with the game set for Saturday, Oct. 10 in Lexington, Ky.  This will be the first meeting between the two schools and mark only the second time that EIU will have played an SEC opponent.  EIU’s first game against a member of the Southeastern Conference will be this season when the Panthers open the year at Arkansas on Sept. 1 in Fayetteville, Ark.   EIU is 0-1 against current SEC members having lost at Missouri when the Tigers where members of the Big 12 conference in 2003.

In each season the Panthers are scheduled to play eight Ohio Valley Conference games along with games against regional rivals Indiana State and Illinois State in the Mid-America Classic.   The 2019 season allows for FCS schools to schedule 12 games, if desired, so the Panthers will have an opportunity to add one more game to the schedule.

EIU spring practice opens on Tuesday with the annual Blue-White Spring Game set for Saturday, April 21 at O’Brien Field.   EIU’s home opener this upcoming season will be Sept. 15 against Indiana State with additional home games against Tennessee State, Murray State, UT Martin and Austin Peay.   Season ticket renewals for the 2018 football season will take place in early May.