Box Score
MARTIN, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois football went toe-to-toe with the No. 25 ranked UT Martin Skyhawks on Saturday but came up just short in an upset bid losing 34-31 at Graham Stadium.
Dom Shoffner led a valiant effort at quarterback passing for 315 yards and rushing for another 64 as the Panthers finished with 426 yards of total offense.
Trialing 21-17 at the half, two third quarter turnovers allowed UT Martin to push the lead out to double figures. In both instances the Panthers defense was able to hold the Skyhawks offense in check allowing just two Tyler Larco field goals. The second one from 27-yards out gave UTM a 27-17 lead with 8:43 left in the third quarter.
EIU answered with a drive that ended with a Shoffer 40-yard touchdown strike to Justin Bowick, their second connection the game. The touchdown grab came with 4:46 left in the third quarter bringing the UTM lead to 27-24.Â
Bowick was big all day for EIU as the freshman finished with six catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown reception came with 3:03 to play in the first quarter which gave EIU a 17-14 lead to end an explosive first quarter that saw both teams combine for nearly 400 yards of total offense.
The game opened with a Sam Franklin 4-yard run. UTM was held to just 82 yards rushing in the game, but 35 of them came on the final Skyhawks offensive drive.
EIU answered with a Shoffner 84-yard touchdown pass to
Jaelin Benefield to knot the game at 7-7. Dresser Winn had a big pass completion on the next UTM drive to set up a 1-yard Zak Wallace score with 9:19 to play in the first quarter.Â
Stone Galloway tacked on a 42-yard field goal for EIU in the first before Bowick's touchdown grab.
Winn passed for 227 yards for in the game hitting Colton Dowell for a 52-yard pass with 6:08 to play in the second quarter which gave the Skyhawks the halftime lead.
Winn scored on a 2-yard run early in the fourth to make it 34-24 before Shoffner countered with a 2-yard run for EIU to make it 34-31 with 8:24 left.
EIU had one more opportunity taking over the ball at their own eight-yard line with just over a minute to play. EIU had one completion to
Nile Hill but the game would end with UT Martin's fourth turnover gained in the contest.
Jordan Vincent and
Colin Bohanek led EIU with six tackles each. Vincent had a forced fumble while Bohanek had two pass break-ups.
John Ford had 11 tackles for UTM.Â
EIU ends the season at 2-9, 1-4 in the OVC. UTM ends the season at 7-4, 5-0 in the OVC finishing as the co-champions in the conference.
