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Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – For the fourth straight year a big play near the end of the game decided the outcome between Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State. This year the big play fell in favor of Tennessee State as the Tigers beat EIU for the first time since 2011 winning 41-40 on Saturday afternoon at O'Brien Field.
Eastern Illinois was attempting a 47-yard field goal by
Nick Bruno with 1:17 remaining in the game that would have given the Panthers the lead. Justin Culpepper got a good push up the middle and leaped up to block the attempt sending EIU to 0-4 on the season, 0-1 in the OVC. TSU playing its first game since the opening weekend improved to 2-0, 1-0 in the OVC.
EIU had won six straight in the series with the last three wins decided by three points or less in each contest including two overtime wins by the Panthers.
EIU opened the contest building a 24-6 lead in the first half as Jonathan Brantley passed for two touchdown passes and ran for another. Brantley's touchdown strikes came to
Nick Atoyebi from 8-yards out in the first quarter and
Aaron Gooch on a 71-yard catch and run in the second quarter. The Gooch touchdown with 11:55 to play in the first half put EIU up 24-3. Antonio Zita hit his second field goal of the first half at 6:13 to make it 24-6.
A pivotal moment in the game came late in the first half when EIU's defense forced a punt and the Panthers looked to make one final first half drive. Tennessee State then forced a fumble by Mekhi Brown that the Tigers recovered at the EIU 18 yard line. One play later TSU scored on a Treon Harris pass to Chris Rowland with 19 seconds left in the half. TSU carried that momentum over to the second half as they scored on their opening drive to make it a 24-19 contest. DeMarco Corbin scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.
The two teams traded touchdowns on the next two possessions to make it 31-26 EIU with 8:01 left in the third quarter. EIU scored on a 32-yard touchdown run by
Isaiah Johnson. TSU scored on a Harris touchdown reception from Demry Croft. Johnson rushed for 36 yards on four carries for EIU but the Panthers run game was held under 100 yards for the second straight week finishing at 73 yards on 20 carries.
The Tigers took their first lead of the game with 7:31 to play in the game as Croft connected with DeVon Johnson on a 49-yard touchdown pass. Croft passed for 217 yards going 14-of-20 splitting time with Michael Hughes who was 13-of-21 for 114 yards. On the ground the Tigers had 195 yards rushing to finish with 544 yards of total offense.
Tennessee State's lead was short lived as EIU had its second 70-plus yard touchdown on the next possession.
Harry Woodbery hit
Alexander Hollins for a 72-yard pass to put EIU up 40-35. The two point conversion failed, one of four failed two-point conversions in the game (TSU failed on three). Hollins had eight catches for 132 yards as he recorded his seventh career 100 yard receiving day.
Following the Hollins score, TSU marched 65 yards in ten plays to take the final lead with 3:06 to play. Earl Harrison scored from four-yards out for the game winner.
Both EIU quarterbacks that saw action finished with more than 100 yards passing. Brantley was 25-of-43 for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Woodbery was 5-of-6 for 105 yards and a score.
Dytarious Johnson led the Panthers defense with 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble. EIU forced three turnovers in the game with
Mark Williams collecting an interception;
Robert Columbus and
Joe Caputo had fumble recoveries.
Christion Abercrombie led TSU's defense with eight tackles. Dajour Nesbeth had seven tackles and four pass break-ups.
