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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Eastern Illinois ended the opening half with a flurry with not one, but two interceptions returned for touchdown as the Panthers defeated Indiana State 27-0 to open the season.
Leading 6-0 late in the first quarter,
Tyris Harvey picked off a pass at the 19-yard line and returned it for a touchdown with 55 seconds left in the opening half. EIU went for two as they were without the services of starting kicker
Stone Galloway.
NiJhay Burt added to the Panthers turnover party just 30 seconds later picking off a pass and returning it 67 yards to put the Panthers ahead 18-0 at the half. Burt's interception return for touchdown was the tenth longest in program history.
EIU's defense was effective in the opening half limiting the Sycamores to just 99 yards of total offense. Indiana State finished the day with 217 total yards.
Quarterback
Pierce Holley had a solid debut for EIU going 19 of 30 for 244 yards. He opened the scoring with a 35-yard touchdown strike to Justin Bowick with 10:08 to play in the first quarter. Holley's top target on the day was
Eli Mirza with four catches for 82 yards.
EIU scored midway through the third quarter following a bad snap through the endzone by Indiana State on a punt from inside the Sycamores 20-yard line. The Panthers cashed in following the turnover driving down for their fourth touchdown of the game, a short Holley flip to
Anthony Manaves putting EIU up 27-0.
Elijawah Tolbert led EIU's defense on the day with 11 tackles. EIU forced six turnovers in the game with the two interceptions for touchdown, a third interception by
Anthony Shockey and forced fumbles by
Elijawah Tolbert and
Colby Smith. Tolbert put a bow on things with yet another interception to end the Sycamores' final drive.
The victory was the Panthers' first shutout since November 19, 2016, when they won 24-0 at Eastern Kentucky.
