Spoo Returns To Chicago To Face Northwestern

EIU ventures to Big Ten Country on Saturday

9/5/2011 5:36:00 PM

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Eastern Illinois at Northwestern
Ryan Field (47,130) • Evanston, Ill.
September 10, 2011 • 2:30 pm • TV: Big Ten Network

THE GAME
Eastern Illinois looks to improve to 2-0 on the season as they travel to Ryan Field in Evanston to playing Big Ten member Northwestern. The Panthers are coming off a 33-26 win over Illinois State in the 100th playing of the Mid-America Classic.

Eastern Illinois head coach Bob Spoo will be making a homecoming appearance when the Panthers head to Chicago. Spoo is a Chicago native having played at St. Rita High School. After a college playing career at Purdue, Spoo started his 50 year coaching career as an assistant coach at Fenwick High School in 1961. He would coach in the Chicago Catholic League until 1972 earning National High School Coach of the Year honors in 1970.

Northwestern is playing its home opener and looking to open with a 2-0 record for the fifth straight season. The last time the Wildcats didn't start 2-0 was 2006 when New Hampshire upset Northwestern 34-17 at Ryan Field.

THE SERIES
This will be the first meeting between Eastern Illinois and Northwestern. EIU will be playing a member of the Big Ten Conference for the sixth straight season having lost all five previous match-ups. The Wildcats have never played a team from the Ohio Valley Conference and are only playing their sixth FCS opponent with a 4-1 record in those previous FCS match-ups.

EIU QUICK HITTERS
• Eastern Illinois picked up a 33-26 win over Illinois State in the 100th playing of the Mid-America Classic. The rivalry series is the 12th longest active streak among FCS schools. It marked the 15th season opening win for EIU head coach Bob Spoo including a 7-2 record in season openers at home. EIU improved to 9-4 in Thursday night season openers.

• Eastern Illinois will be playing its first game in Chicago in nearly 40 years when the Panthers play at Northwestern on Saturday. The last trip to Chicago by the Panthers was Sept. 30, 1972 when EIU beat Illinois-Chicago, 28-13, in a game played at Solider Field. The Panthers have played in the Chicago area in recent years last visiting Northern Illinois in DeKalb in 1994.

• This will be the Panthers 29th game against an FBS level school with EIU holding a 4-24 all-time record. EIU first played an FBS school in 1985 when they lost to Kansas. All four EIU wins have come over schools in the Mid-American Conference. The last win was a 31-28 victory over Eastern Michigan on Sept. 25, 2004. EIU is 0-5 all-time against teams from the Big Ten Conference.

• In addition to Saturday's game being a homecoming for EIU head coach Bob Spoo, the game will also be a big game for a portion of the Panthers roster. Half (27) of the 54 players from the state of Illinois on the current EIU roster are from Chicago or the Chicagoland area.

• Eastern Illinois will be making its fourth appearance on the Big Ten Network when they play at Northwestern. The Panthers made their first appearance in 2007 when they played at Purdue. EIU has since played at Illinois in 2008 and Iowa in 2010. The Panthers 2009 contest at Penn State was televised on ESPN Classic.

• EIU suffered through only its second two win season under head coach Bob Spoo last season finishing at 2-9. The last time the Panthers did that was 1999 when EIU finished at 2-10. The Panthers bounced back to go 8-4 in 2000 opening the year with a 2-0 record en route to an NCAA FCS playoff bid. The Panthers opened this season on Thursday night with a win looking to repeat that same success.

• Eastern Illinois scored 21 points in the fourth quarter on Thursday night during a 33-26 win over Illinois State. The last time EIU scored 21 points in a quarter was a 21-point third quarter output on Nov. 14, 2009 during a 49-13 win over UT Martin. The last time EIU scored 21 points in the fourth quarter was Nov. 6, 2004 during a 40-37 overtime loss to Tennessee Tech. In that game EIU scored 21 points to tie the score at 34-34 in regulation. The Panthers scored on a Steve Kuehn field goal on their first overtime possession before TTU scored a game winning touchdown.

• Eastern Illinois scored its first points of the game against Illinois State on a safety. It was the first team safety for the Panthers since Sept. 19, 2009 when the Panthers recorded a team safety against Southeast Missouri. The Panthers last individual safety was recorded by Trevor Frericks on Nov. 17, 2007 against Samford.

• Sophomore kicker Cameron Berra knocked home his lone field goal attempt in Thursday's 33-26 win over Illinois State. It was Berra's ninth career field goal as he needs only five more made field goals this season to move into 10th on the Panthers career field goals made list. Berra was successful on four extra point attempts improving his streak to 22-consecutive PAT's.

• Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo opened the season with 304 yards passing marking the third time in his career that Garoppolo has passed for more than 300 yards. His career high was last year with 341 yards against Murray State. Over Garoppolo's last five games he has thrown for 1,356 yards with 15 touchdown passes going 93-of-144 for a 64 percent completion rate.

• Senior Lorence Ricks was Garoppolo's favorite target of the day hauling in seven passes for 114 yards. Ricks big reception was a 42-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter. It was the third 100-yard reception day for Ricks in his EIU career matching his previous career high of 114 against Murray State last year. Ricks finished the day with 255 all-purpose yards after averaging 35.2 yards on four kick off returns.

• After playing Illinois State without committing a penalty in last year's season finale, it took Eastern Illinois a little less than five minutes to be called for its first penalty this season. At the 10:11 mark of the first quarter EIU was called for a face mask penalty which ended a run of 72:09 consecutive minutes played without penalty end.

• Senior Cory Leman picked up his 2011 season just where he left off the 2010 campaign finishing with 11 tackles against Illinois State in the opener. Leman ended the 2010 season with a 15 tackle game against Illinois State. Leman was the top returning tackler in the Ohio Valley Conference entering the season with 95 tackles last season. It was the seventh double figure tackle game of Leman's career.

• In 2010 Eastern Illinois defense had five interceptions for the entire 11 game season. On Thursday night Nick Martinez nearly cut that total in half with two interceptions against Illinois State. For Martinez the picks were the second and third of his career. His other interception was last season against Jacksonville State. Martinez enters week two ranked 1st in the NCAA in interceptions.

• After working with six different starting line-ups and numerous injuries on the offensive line last season, EIU came out of game number one with a solid unit. All five starters played the entire game including redshirt freshman Collin Seibert who moved in to start at right tackle. Last year's starting right tackle Kevin Kapellas moved over to start at center this season.

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