Tweet #LOYALandTRUE

Eastern Illinois (0-1) vs. No. 11 Chattanooga (1-0)
O'Brien Field (10,000)  •   Charleston, Ill.
September 10, 2022   •   6 p.m.   •   TV: ESPN+

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

NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois opened up the 2022 season last Thursday night with a 34-27 loss at defending Mid-American Conference Champion Northern Illinois.  EIU had the ball and drove to the NIU 38 yard line as time expired in the loss.  The 27 points scored by EIU were the most in a season opener since the 2013 season when EIU beat San Diego State 40-19 to open the year.  The 276 yards passing by Jonah O'Brien were the most by an EIU quarterback in a season opener since the 2016 season (Mitch Kimble - 323 vs. Western Illinois).

• Eastern Illinois was efficient on third down in the season opener against Northern Illinois.  EIU was 8-of-12 on 3rd down, good for a 67 percent rate.  The Panthers currently rank tied for second in the FCS in 3rd down conversion rate with Eastern Kentucky and Gardner-Webb.  Samford is the FCS leader at a 73 percent success rate.  Last season EIU's offense ranked 120th in the FCS in 3rd down conversion rate converting at 25.3 percent (42-of-166).

• Stone Galloway was named the Ohio Valley Conference Special Teams Player of the Week following the opener at Northern Illinois.  Galloway was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts connecting from 34 yards and 25 yards in the first half.  He added three extra points accounting for nine of the Panthers 27 points.  Galloway has now made six straight field goals dating back to last season and eight of his last nine.  He is now 15-of-22 for his career and needs one more field goal to move into the EIU career top ten (10th - Dave Straunch... 1982-83, 16 made).

• Running back Markenzy Pierre rushed for 100 yards on 14 carries for a 7.1 yards per carry average in the season opener at Northern Illinois.  The last EIU running back to rush for 100 yards in a game was Jaelin Benefield with 120 on March 14, 2021 at Tennessee State.  The last EIU running back to rush for 100 yards in a season opener was Vincent Webb with 104 yards during the 2004 season opener against Indiana State.  

• Linebacker Elijawah Tolbert recorded 11 tackles to lead the Panthers defense in the opener at Northern Illinois.  Tolbert had one solo tackle and ten assisted tackles while adding 1.5 tackles for loss and a half sack.  Last season EIU had three different players (Colin Bohanek, Jordan Vincent and Jason Johnson) all finish with ten or more tackles in at least one game.