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Eastern Illinois at Indiana State
Memorial Stadium (12,764)  •   Terre Haute, Ind.
August 28, 2021   •  5 p.m.   •   TV: ESPN+

EIU Game Notes  |  Listen Live |  Live Stats  |  Watch on ESPN+  |

NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois gets an early start to the 2021 season as the Panthers travel to Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday night to face Indiana State in a Week Zero contest.   The game is one of two FCS Week Zero contests and one of seven total overall Week Zero games.   For Indiana State it will be the Sycamores first game in 644 days as they opted out of the 2020-21 season.  For EIU it will continue a span of 17 games in nine months as EIU played six games in the spring of 2021.  

• Jason Johnson was named a preseason first team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection after earning first team All-OVC honors last season at linebacker.  The third year player led the OVC in tackles per game last season finishing the year with 66 tackles.  His 11 tackles per game ranked ninth in the FCS.  Johnson ended the season with a streak of four straight games with double figure tackles including 15 against Tennessee Tech.

• Matt Judd was named a preseason first team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection at kick returner.  Last season he earned second team honors at the position leading the OVC in kick return average at 24.8 yards per return.   Judd had a long return on the season of 53 yards at UT Martin. Judd also sees time at wide receiver hauling in eight passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in six games last season. 

• The August 28 kickoff date marks the earliest calendar date EIU has ever opened a football season.  This is the fourth time the EIU has played a season opener on August 28.  The last time was in 2014 at Minnesota.  EIU also has played Aug. 28 openers in 2008 at Central Michigan and 1997 at Western Illinois.

• Eastern Illinois scored 13 offensive touchdowns during its shortened spring 2021 season.  Of those 13 scores, three were of the big play variety with two long touchdown runs and one pass play.  DeWayne Cooks hauled in a 45-yard touchdown pass for one score.  Kendi Young had a 72-yard touchdown run in the opener and the final score was an 80-yard touchdown run.