EIU Wraps Up Year Ranked No. 4 In National Rankings
Published on January 8 2014 6:49 am
Last Updated on January 8 2014 6:49 am
Written by Millie Lange
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Posting its best regular season record in school history and advancing to the NCAA FCS playoff quarterfinals for the first time since 1989, Eastern Illinois wrapped up the year ranked No. 4 in both final regular season national rankings. The Sports Network and FCS Coaches polls released their final rankings on Monday afternoon.
EIU was 12-2 overall, 8-0 in the OVC. The Panthers beat OVC member Tennessee State in the second round of the playoffs before falling to Towson in the FCS quarterfinals. EIU senior quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was named the Walter Payton Award winner and the inaugural winner of the FCS ADA Offensive Player of the Year Award. EIU opens the 2014 season at Minnesota.
North Dakota State won its third consecutive National Championship as the Bison were No. 1 in both polls. Towson, the national runner-up, was ranked number two followed by Eastern Washington, Eastern Illinois and New Hampshire at number five.
