Eastern Illinois (1-3, 1-0 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (2-3, 1-0 OVC)
O'Brien Field (10,000) • Charleston, Ill.
October 10, 2015 • 1 p.m. • TV: ESPN3EIU Game Notes |
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THE GAMEEastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri enter the weekend as two of the four unbeaten teams in the Ohio Valley Conference race. Both teams opened OVC play last weekend with EIU winning on the road at Austin Peay and SEMO beating Murray State at home.
The game will be played on ESPN3 as part of the OVC Game of the Week package. This marks the third straight year EIU has played at least one home game on ESPN3 as part of the Game of the Week package. This year the OVC will use the final four weeks of the season as wild card weekends with the best potential match-up featured on the OVC Game of the Week.
Eastern Illinois defense limited Austin Peay to 41 yards passing during Saturday's win over the Governors. It marked the first time since Nov. 10, 2012 that EIU has held an opponent under 50 yards passing. On that date EIU held Southeast Missouri to just 39 yards passing and 233 yards of total offense. Entering the weekend EIU's pass defense is first in the OVC and ninth in the FCS allowing just 146.5 yards per game through the air.
Eastern Illinois blocked a kick for the fourth time this season on Saturday at Austin Peay as the Panthers lead the nation in blocked kicks tied with Marist, Yale and Alabama A&M.
Mack Weaver had the blocked punt for EIU against the Governors.
Vince Speller,
Ben Odugbesan and
Fedney Delphonse have the other blocks this year for the Panthers.
THE SERIESThis will be the 23rd meeting between Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri with the Panthers leading the all-time series 16-6. EIU has won three straight games in the series including a 52-13 win in Cape Girardeau last year. SEMO's last win in the series was in 2011 at home. SEMO's last win in Charleston was in 2010 as the Redhawks won the OVC regular season championship. Since joining the OVC, EIU holds a 15-4 lead in the series.
