Eastern Illinois at Tennessee State
Nissan Stadium (69,143) • Nashville, Tenn.
October 17, 2015 • 6 p.m. • TV: American Sports NetworkEIU Game Notes |
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THE GAMEEastern Illinois looks to keep pace in the Ohio Valley Conference race as the Panthers are one of three unbeaten teams remaining in the OVC. Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky also have 2-0 records entering this week's competition.
Eastern Illinois scored 30 or more points for the third straight game as the Panthers offense has found a rhythm after scoring just five points in the opening two games. EIU had 33 points on Saturday against Southeast Missouri. EIU scored 40 points against Austin Peay to open OVC play and had 31 points in the Mid-America Classic game against Illinois State. The last time EIU scored 30 or more points in three or more consecutive games was the 2013 season where EIU scored 30 or more in all 14 games.
EIU's defense registered 10 tackles for loss against Southeast Missouri as the Panthers rank among the nation's top defenses in that category. EIU enters the weekend sixth in the FCS averaging 8.8 tackles for loss per game. EIU is second in the OVC in that category behind Jacksonville State at 9.5 per game. Alcorn State is the nation's leader with 10.8 TFL per game. EIU has two players that rank in the top 50 in the nation in tackles for loss with
Kamu Grugier-Hill (17th) and
Dino Fanti (43rd).
THE SERIESThis will be the 19th meeting between Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State. The Panthers lead the all-time series 11-7 including three straight wins over TSU over the past two seasons. EIU beat TSU during the regular season in 2013 and then again in the second round of the FCS playoffs that year. The Panthers won in Charleston last season 28-3. TSU's last win was an 18-17 win in 2011 in the final home game for head coach Bob Spoo. EIU will be playing TSU at Nissan Stadium for the ninth time with the Panthers holding a 5-3 edge in those games. TSU's last win in Nashville over EIU was in 2008.
