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CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois ran 104 offensive plays accumulating 654 yards of total offense as the Panthers improved to 5-5 on the season, 5-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 48-26 win over Murray State on Saturday afternoon.

The win set up a showdown at first place Jacksonville State next Saturday as the Gamecocks handed Eastern Kentucky its second OVC loss on the season Saturday afternoon.

EIU won its fourth straight game climbing to .500 for the first time this season.   Murray State fell to 3-7 overall, 1-5 in the OVC.

Taylor Duncan, Jalen Whitlow and Adam Drake were the story line for EIU's offense as the 104 plays are third highest single game total in school history.   The 654 offensive yards are the eighth highest total in school history.  EIU converted on 14-of-20 third down chances during their 11th straight home conference win.

Duncan rushed for a career high 171 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns as he moved into sixth place on the EIU career rushing touchdowns list.   Duncan found the end zone with 11:55 to go in the second quarter and again with 48 seconds left in the first half.   His second touchdown pushed the Panthers halftime lead to 35-20.
 
EIU opened the game with a Shepard Little 24-yard touchdown run.   The Panthers defense then made a red zone stop with Robert Haynes forcing a fumble at the eight yard line.  It was one of three red zone stops the Panthers defense made on the day.   Adam Gristick intercepted a pass to end a drive in the third quarter while Anthony Goodman and Laquesse Taylor stopped a Racers drive at the 11 yard line in the third.
 
Whitlow hit Jeff LePak for a two-yard score and Adam Drake for a 46-yard touchdown strike as the Panthers led 21-0 in the first quarter.   Whitlow finished the day 27-of-37 passing for a career high 312 yards with three touchdown passes.   Whiltow and Drake connected one more time in the third quarter from 16-yards.   Drake had 11 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns. 
 
Janawski Davis caught a 8-yard pass from KD Humphries for the first Murray State score in the first quarter.  Pokey Harris returned a kickoff 100-yards in the second quarter to cut the lead to 28-13.  Harris became the 11th player in OVC history to return a kickoff 100-yards.  Humphries connected with Nevar Griffin to close the Panthers lead to 28-20 with 3:17 to go in the second quarter.  Humphries passed for 306 yards with two touchdown passes.  He was 29-of-38 with two interceptions.
 
Both teams tacked on a touchdown in the fourth quarter.  Whitlow scored from 1-yard out for EIU while CJ Bennett scored on a 6-yard rush for MSU.
 
Vince Speller and Gristick led the Panthers with ten tackles each.  Gristick added a half sack and the interception at the goal line.   Dino Fanti had two tackles for loss to go with seven tackles. 
 
Jonathan Jackson led Murray State with 17 tackles and 1.5 for loss.   Travis Taylor added 11 tackles.