FCS Coaches Top 25 |
STATS FCS Media Top 25 |
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois senior defensive tackle
Dino Fanti has been named the STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week after helping the Panthers beat UT Martin, 23-21 on Saturday afternoon.
In addition EIU moved closer to both FCS Top 25 polls as they were among the first few teams also receiving votes in both the STATS FCS Media and FCS Coaches Top 25 polls.
EIU will host Eastern Kentucky at 1 p.m. on Saturday for senior day at O'Brien Field. The game will be televised on ESPN3 as both teams need a win to lock up a potential at-large FCS playoff spot. For tickets call 217-581-2106 or online at
www.eiupanthertickets.comFanti made two huge plays in the fourth quarter that helped EIU win its second straight game in Martin, Tenn. With EIU leading by one point the senior hit Skyhawks quarterback Jarod Neal forcing him to float a pass that was picked off by
Thomas Coronado and returned 45 yards for a touchdown to give EIU an eight-point advantage. After UTM closed the margin to 23-21 with 4:51 to play, Fanti tackled Neal on a two-point conversion attempt to preserve the lead and victory (as the Skyhawks only ran one more offensive play after that). Fanti finished the game with seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He ranks eighth nationally in tackles for loss per game with 17 total and 15th in forced fumbles. Already the career leader in tackles for loss at EIU, Fanti needs two tackles for loss to tie Pete Catan for the single season school record of 19.
In the FCS Coaches poll, EIU was the seventh team also receiving votes with 13 total points. Jacksonville State remained at number one in the nation with 24 of 26 first place votes. McNeese State, one of two undefeated FCS teams, garnered the other two first place votes ranking second. North Dakota State, Coastal Carolina, South Dakota State, Illinois State, William & Mary, Charleston Southern, Chattanooga and James Madison rounded out the top ten. Portland State moved up to 11th followed by Sam Houston State, North Carolina A&T, Fordham, Northern Iowa, Richmond, Montana, Southern Utah, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Harvard, Bethune-Cookman, The Citadel and Central Arkansas.
In the STATS FCS Media poll the Panthers were the sixth team also receiving votes with 73 points. Jacksonville State was first with 145 first place votes followed by North Dakota State. McNeese State received ten first place votes to rank third. Charleston Southern received the other first place vote landing in ninth in the poll. Coastal Carolina was fourth with South Dakota State, Illinois State, William & Mary and Chattanooga fourth through eighth. Sam Houston State was tenth followed by Portland State, James Madison, Fordham, Richmond, Northern Iowa, North Carolina A&T, Montana, Eastern Washington, Harvard, Southern Utah, Dartmouth, Grambling State, Eastern Kentucky, Northern Arizona and The Citadel.
