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Box Score

MURRAY, Ky. –  Eastern Illinois rushed for 339 yards on Saturday afternoon led by quarterback Dom Shoffner and running back Kendi Young as the Panthers won 35-21 at Murray State in their Ohio Valley Conference opener.

EIU improved to 1-3 on the season, 1-0 in the OVC as they snapped a nine-game losing streak.  Murray State fell to 0-4 on the year, 0-1 in the OVC.

Dom Shoffner came in for the second series of the game for Eastern Illinois and led the offense to 24 first-half points as the Panthers held a 24-14 lead at the break.

Shoffner rushed for 51 yards in the opening half including tying the game at 7-7 with a 1-yard touchdown run with 6:41 to play in the opening quarter.

Shoffner would find Justin Thomas for a 2-yard touchdown pass to give EIU a 14-7 lead before Kendi Young ripped off a 36-yard run with just under a minute to play in the opening half to give the Panthers the halftime lead.  Young rushed for 79 first half yards, finishing with 160 for the game. 

Murray State was led by quarterback Jayden Stinson, making his first start of the season.  Stinson led the Racers to a score on their opening drive hitting DeQuan Dallas for a 12-yard touchdown pass.  Stinson later found Taylor Shields for a 28-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter.

Stinson passed for 334 yards in the game but EIU was able to force two first half turnovers with interceptions by Jordan Vincent and Elijawah Tolbert.  Vincent's interception set up the Panthers final first half score. 

The teams played a scoreless 3rd quarter setting up a dramatic finish to the contest.  Following Stone Galloway's second field goal of the game with 6:23 left in the game, EIU led 27-21.

Murray State took the ball with 3:09 left in the game with Tolbert picking off his second pass of the game to end that drive.  EIU would cash in to ice the game with a Shoffner 8-yard rush with 2:46 left in the game.  Shoffner finished with 88 yards on the ground.

Mark Aitken would pick off a pass on the next Racers drive for the fifth turnover gained of the game for the Panthers.   Tolbert had six tackles to go with his two interceptions.  Colin Bohanek led the EIU defense with 10 tackles.

Jamari Dailey had nine tackles for Murray State.  Dallas had nine catches for 97 yards.