HTML Box | PDF Box | Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois smashed two school records on Senior Day as they ran over No. 22 Jacksonville State, 52-14, to secure the No. 2 ranked Panthers second straight Ohio Valley Conference Championship and the league's automatic FCS playoff bid.

EIU improved to 10-1 overall, 7-0 in the OVC. JSU fell to 8-3, 4-3 in the OVC. This marks the fourth time in school history that EIU has won ten games in the regular season. The last time EIU won ten games in a regular season was 1995. EIU also won ten games in 1986 and 1982. EIU will try to win eleven regular season games for the first time in school history next Saturday in the final regular season game at UT Martin.

"I'm really proud of this team," said EIU head coach Dino Babers who has won back-to-back OVC Championships in his first two years in Charleston. "To be able to win two OVC Championships in back-to-back seasons and win both of them at home on Senior Day; that is a testament to the seniors on this team."

On day with winds blowing out of the South in the 25-35 mph range, EIU had the wind to their backs in the first quarter and capitalized scoring a school record 35 points in the opening quarter. Shepard Little began what would be a career day for the sophomore by scoring on a 3-yard run at 13:48. EIU gained the ball after recovering a fumble in JSU territory on the third play of the game.

Little pushed the lead to 14-0 at 8:32 with an 18-yard pass reception from Jimmy Garoppolo. He scored again on a 37-yard run at the 5:58 mark of the first quarter to stake EIU to a 21-0 lead.

Little then added a touchdown pass with 3:22 left to play in the quarter hitting Garoppolo on a 10-yard pass. Little became the first OVC player since Murray State's Casey Brockman in 2011 (Nov. 19 vs. Austin Peay) to run, pass and catch a touchdown in a game. EIU broke the school record with 46 seconds left in the quarter when Jimmy Lera scored on a 57-yard run. The Panthers had called time out twice in the quarter to force JSU to punt into the strong wind.

The 35 points in the quarter breaks the previous EIU mark of 30 set on two different occasions – vs. Kentucky State on Nov. 13, 1982 and vs. Central State on Sept. 26, 1981.

Walter Payton Award candidate Jimmy Garoppolo was an effective 15-of-24 for 169 yards and two touchdowns as he simply had to manage the game. Garoppolo ran for 14 yards and caught the ten yard touchdown pass.

Garoppolo merely needed to manage the game as Little and company rushed for a school record 413 yards. It marked the first time in school history EIU has gained more than 400 yards on the ground. The previous record was 398 yards against Saint Joseph's (Ind.) on Oct. 27, 1973.

"Jacksonville State has one of the toughest throwing defenses in the OVC. They play some coverages that make it hard to throw and force you to run," said Babers. "Those types of pass defense work if you can stop the run. Today we were able to run the football."

As an individual Little finished with 245 yards on the ground, the fifth best single game rushing total in school history. Lera had 111 yards rushing. Erik Lora and Adam Drake each hauled in five passes. Lora had 93 yards. Drake had 35 yards and a touchdown catch.

"I have to give credit to the great job our offensive line did today," said Little of his big rushing day. "We had some success with big runs early and the coaches kept calling those plays. Our run game has been coming on during the last two games." (The Panthers have now rushed for 716 yards in the last two games).

JSU scored with 6:35 to go in the second quarter as Anthony Johnson caught a 22-yard pass from Max Shortell. The Gamecocks other score in the game was with 14:03 left to play as DaMarcus James rushed for his 20th touchdown this year from 1-yard out.

EIU's defense allowed just 253 yards with 98 coming through the air. Jourdan Wickliffe led the Panthers with nine tackles. Senior Alex McNulty had six tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss.

"We knew that Jacksonville State had two quarterbacks that played for them. With the way our offense jumped out to the early lead that made them have to pass more than they probably wanted," said McNulty of EIU's defensive effort which had three sacks and nine tackles for loss.

Shortell passed for 98 yards going 8-of-16. Eli Jenkins was 0-of-4 but did rush for a team high 97 yards. Michael Carlisle led JSU's defense with 11 tackles.

EIU extended two of its long winning streaks as they have now won ten straight at O'Brien Field. The Panthers have also won 11 straight OVC games.

Little now has 1,186 rushing yards this season. Garoppolo has passed for 4,012 yards. EIU is the third school in FCS history to have a player pass for 4,000 yards and a player rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.