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Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – A tale of two halves on Saturday for Eastern Illinois football as the Panthers lost their Family Weekend contest to Tennessee Tech 20-17.
 
EIU led 17-3 at the break and seemed to have all the momentum heading its direction as they closed the half with a blocked field goal by Jordan Vincent which was scooped up by Mark Aitken and returned 65 yards for a score as time expired in the opening half.
 
Tennessee Tech regrouped at the half and used a methodical drive to open the second half and cut into the Panthers advantage at 17-10 as Jeremiah Oatsvall connected with Quinton Cross for a 16-yard touchdown with 9:09 left in the half.
 
The Golden Eagles inched closer midway through the third quarter with a Hayden Olsen 46-yard field goal cutting EIU's lead down to 17-13 with 6:56 to play in the third.  The field goal was set up by a forced fumble by TTU.
 
Early in the fourth quarter EIU elected to go for it on fourth down at the TTU 32 yard line instead of attempting a long field goal.  The fourth down attempt was no good giving TTU the ball.
 
Oatsvall marched TTU down the field covering 68 yards in 12 plays capped with a 7-yard pass to Bradley Clark on fourth and goal putting TTU up 20-17 with 6:45 remaining.
 
EIU would have two more drives in the second half.  One resulted in the Panthers coming up short on a fourth and one at the TTU 34 and the other a sack and forced fumble to end the game with 12 seconds remaining.
 
The Panthers had jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening quarter on Stone Galloway's tenth made field goal this season, extending his streak to 14 consecutive made field goals dating back to last year.
 
After TTU tied the game on an Olsen 20-yard field goal, EIU pushed its lead to 10-3 on a Jonah O'Brien 1-yard run with 7:10 left in the half.  EIU's special teams provided the final score of the half for the 17-3 halftime lead.
 
O'Brien started the game but did not play in the second half due to injury.  Zach Weir passed for 63 yards playing in the second half.  Jaelin Benefield had 79 yards on the ground to lead the rushing attack.
 
Colin Bohanek led the Panthers defense with 15 tackles including two forced fumbles.  Vincent had seven tackles, two pass break-ups and the blocked field goal.  Colby Smith added an interception, the 12th of the season for EIU's defense.
 
David Gist rushed for 99 yards for TTU.  Oatsvall passed for 181 yards.  Cameron Hudson had seven tackles including a fumble recovery.
 
EIU falls to 2-6 on the season, 1-2 in the OVC.   TTU improves to 2-6 on the season, 1-3 in the OVC.