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Eastern Illinois vs. Tennessee State
O'Brien Field (10,000)  •   Charleston, Ill.
November 11, 2023  •   12 p.m.   •   TV: ESPN+

GAME INFO
EIU Game Notes  |  TSU Game Notes  |  Listen Live  |  Live Stats  |  Watch on ESPN+

NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State meet on Saturday at O'Brien Field with both teams still eying a possible at-large bid to the FCS playoffs at the end of the month.  EIU clinched its first winning season since the 2017 campaign with a road win at Lindenwood last Saturday improving to 6-3 on the season, 2-2 in the Big South-OVC.  Tennessee State had its four-game win streak snapped with a road loss at Charleston Southern as the Tigers fell to 6-3 overall, 2-2 in the Big South-OVC.  Both teams enter the week receiving votes in the two major FCS Top 25 polls.

• Eastern Illinois defense came up with three turnovers gained on Saturday as the Panthers are once again tied for the national lead in takeaways this season with 23 (tied with Richmond).   EIU had three interceptions in the game marking the third time this season that they have three or more picks in a game with a season high of four in the opener at Indiana State.   The Panthers have been balanced in their types of turnovers with 13 interceptions and ten fumble recoveries.  It is the highest team turnovers gained total since the 2015 season when EIU ranked second in the nation with 31 turnovers gained.

• Blake Ruffin added his fourth interception of the season in the fourth quarter at Lindenwood as he has the most interceptions in a season since Jourdan Wickliffe had five picks during the 2015 season.  Ruffin leads the Big South-OVC in interceptions and is fourth in the FCS.   The sophomore safety has also been one of the Panthers top tacklers this year with 57 tackles which ranks second on the team.  39 of those 57 tackles have been solo stops which is sixth in the league.  Ruffin has tacked on four tackles for loss, one sack, three pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery to his season totals.

• Pierce Holley passed for more than 240 yards for the fifth consecutive game and the eighth time this season as the Panthers picked up a 16-10 road win at Lindenwood.   Holley was 18-of-34 for 245 yards including one touchdown pass.  The graduate transfer ranks 11th in the FCS in passing yards with 2,394 and needs 189 more this season to crack the EIU single season top ten.  He is 33rd in the FCS with 14 touchdown passes.  Including his two years as a starter at Georgetown, Holley has passed for 6,571 career yards (14th among active FCS QBs) and 35 career touchdowns. 

• Russell Dandy added two more pass break-ups to his season total as the fifth year player continues to be one of the top corners in the Big South-OVC this season.   Dandy now has 15 pass break-ups this season which ties him for second on the EIU single season record list, one behind record holder Ben Brown (2004).  With his one interception this season added in, Dandy currently ranks second in the FCS in passes defended.  A preseason All-Conference player, Dandy has 30 tackles this season with two fumble recoveries.