NOTES TO KNOW
⢠Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech will meet on Saturday afternoon in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both schools. EIU fell to 0-4 on the season after a 31-24 loss to Illinois State in the 109th Mid-America Classic on Saturday evening at O'Brien Field.  The Panthers have played three of their first four games on the road including a loss at SEC member South Carolina.  Tennessee Tech fell to 0-3 on the season with a loss at SEC member Tennessee. TTU has been shutout in its last two losses.
⢠Eastern Illinois will be opening its 26th season as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers are 18-7 all-time in OVC openers including five league openers against Tennessee Tech. EIU is 3-2 when opening the league slate against TTU with the last conference opening meeting between the schools in 2019, a 40-29 TTU win. EIU and TTU also opened OVC play against each other in 1998, 2002, 2007 and 2011. Â
⢠Eastern Illinois special teams had two blocked kicks on Saturday against Illinois State as the Panthers blocked both a punt and field goal in the game. Last season EIU blocked three kicks during the season with two blocked punts and one blocked field goal. The last time EIU blocked multiple kicks in the same game was Sept. 9, 2017 when EIU blocked two field goals at Northern Illinois. Â
⢠Eastern Illinois blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown on Saturday night against Illinois State to tie the contest at 17-17.Â
Charles Shelton IV blocked the punt while
DeAirious Smith scooped up the loose ball and returned it seven yards for a touchdown. It was the second straight year EIU has blocked a punt and returned it for a score. Â
⢠Eastern Illinois pass defense limited Illinois State to just 54 yards passing on Saturday night as the Panthers are ranked sixth in the FCS in passing defense allowing just 115 yards per game. It was the second time this season EIU has held an opponent under 100 yards passing after Indiana State had 87 yards in the Week Zero opener. Â
