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** Updated Saturday night - With Jacksonville State's win over Eastern Kentucky, the Panthers have clinched at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship.  It is EIU's second straight OVC Championship and seventh since the 2000 season.  ***

MURRAY, Ky.  – Eastern Illinois featured a balanced offensive attack on Saturday afternoon as the Panthers jumped out to a 30-0 lead before winning 37-17 at Murray State. 

EIU ranked No. 2 in the nation won its tenth straight Ohio Valley Conference game to improve to 9-1 on the year, 6-0 in the OVC.  Murray State dropped to 5-5, 3-3 in the league.

EIU will host Jacksonville State next Saturday for senior day at O'Brien Field for a 12 p.m. kickoff.  The game will be televised on ESPN3.  Call 217-581-2106 for tickets or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com

EIU quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo put the Panthers on the board on their first drive with his legs instead of his arm as the senior Walter Payton Award candidate had a 12-yard keeper to put EIU up 7-0.

Garoppolo would pass for 179 yards in the first half as the Panthers only had four offensive drives in the opening 30 minutes.  It marked the first time this season Garopplo has not passed for more than 200 yards in the first half this season. 

EIU did convert on three of those four first half possessions to lead 21-0 at the break.  Taylor Duncan had a 5-yard touchdown run at 13:39 of the second quarter.  Erik Lora hauled in a 13-yard touchdown with 1:11 to play in the second quarter.  With that touchdown catch Lora became the OVC record holder for single season and career touchdown receptions.  Lora also passed Jerry Rice in the first half as he became the seventh player with 300 catches in FCS history.  Lora ended his day with 10 catches for 94 yards.  Lora is now third all-time on the FCS career receptions list with 306.

The Panther defense stone walled Murray State on two first half drives including a team tackle for loss with the Racers attempting to punch the ball in from the half yard line midway through the second quarter.  Both teams missed short field goals wide left into the wind.

EIU extended the lead to 30-0 in the third quarter as Dino Fanti forced a fumble in the end zone that resulted in a safety.  On the ensuing drive Shepard Little scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns.   Little finished the day with 173 yards including a 61-yard score to ice the game in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers finished with 602 yards of total offense with 303 yards on the ground and 299 yards in the air.  It was the first time this season Garoppolo has not passed for 300 or more yards.  Garoppolo was 28-of-40 for 299 yards.

Murray State scored 17 points late in the third quarter and midway through fourth quarter taking advantage of two EIU turnovers.  Pokey Harris caught an eight yard pass from Parks Frazier with 3:07 to go in the third quarter.  Marc Wynstra added a 31-yard field goal and Nevar Griffin ended the Racers scoring with a 14-yard reception from Frazier with 7:53 left to play.

Little answered the last MSU score with his 61-yard gallop with 6:50 to go in the game.  Pete Houlihan led the defense with nine tackles.  Fanti finished with 2.5 tackles for loss, four tackles and a forced fumble.  

Murray State finished with 387 yards of offense.  Frazier passed for 255 yards.