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Box Score

MARTIN, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois fell behind 21-0 in the second quarter and the Panthers late charge came up short on Sunday afternoon as EIU lost 28-15 at UT Martin.
 
The Skyhawks scored on a pair of touchdowns late in the first quarter and early second quarter off the arm of quarterback John Bachus.  He connected with Rodney Williams on a 21-yard TD pass with 3:02 left in the first quarter and then found Donnell Williams for a 16-yard pass with 9:07 to go in the second quarter.  The second touchdown came on a drive for UTM that started following a missed 53-yard field goal by Stone Galloway that hit off the crossbar.
 
EIU was beginning to mount another offensive drive in the second quarter when John Ford picked off a pass and raced 50 yards for a touchdown to put the Skyhawks up 21-7.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, Matt Judd ripped off a 53-yard kickoff return to put the Panthers in business at the UTM 35-yard line.  Judd would cap the drive hauling in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Harry Woodbery with 2:11 left in the half.  Judd would lead EIU with five receptions for 73 yards and the one score.  He added 98 yards on three kickoff returns.
 
The Skyhawks would extend the lead back to three score midway through the third quarter as Bachus connected with Rodney Williams for the second time in the game.  Williams' 15-yard touchdown came with 8:36 left in the third quarter.  Bachus was 24-of-36 for 259 yards and three touchdown passes.  He had one interception as Ray Crittenden stopped a Skyhawks drive with an interception at the EIU 20 with just over five minutes left in the game.  Williams had eight catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
 
EIU cut the lead in half to open the fourth quarter with DeWayne Cooks catching a 45-yard touchdown pass from Woodbery.  The Panthers two-point conversion attempt failed.  On the next UTM possession, EIU blocked a punt that was recovered in the end zone by the Skyhawks resulting in a safety.  DeAirious Smith was credited with the block. 
 
The Panthers drove inside the Skyhawks 10-yard line one more time in the final minute but were turned away on downs. 
 
Jason Johnson and Anthony Shockey led the EIU defense with eight tackles each, Johnson making 1.5 tackles for loss.
 
Chrishun Jackson and Deven Sims each had nine tackles to lead UTM.