Eastern Illinois at Illinois
Memorial Stadium (60,670) • Champaign, Ill.
August 29, 2024 • 8:10 pm • TV: Big Ten Network
GAME INFO & LINKS
RADIO: Panther Radio Network
TV: Big Ten Network
LIVE STATS: EIUPanthers.com
GAME NOTES: EASTERN ILLINOIS |
ILLINOIS
NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois came up just short of making its 17th FCS Playoff appearance last season as EIU posted an 8-3 record and was listed as one of the first four teams left out of the NCAA Championship field. EIU was ranked No. 24 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Top 25 poll. This season EIU returns a good number of key contributors on both sides of the football but a second place prediction in the preseason Big South / OVC Football poll had the Panthers listed as the third team also receiving votes in both this year's STATS Perform Media Top 25 and FCS Coaches Top 25 polls.
• Eastern Illinois opens its 123rd season of collegiate football on August 29 as the Panthers will kick off under the lights at Memorial Stadium against Big Ten member Illinois. It will mark the fourth time in program history EIU has opened a season against a member of the Big Ten Conference. EIU opened last season with a 27-0 win at Indiana State snapping what had been a five-game losing skid in season openers. EIU head coach
Chris Wilkerson enters his third season and is 1-1 in season openers with the Panthers. He was named the Big South / OVC Football Association Coach of the Year last season and finished sixth in voting for the Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year Award.
• A key piece to the early season excitement about Eastern Illinois football is returning quarterback
Pierce Holley. Holley was a second team All-Big South/OVC selection last year after passing for 2,741 yards and 17 touchdowns. Those numbers landed him on the EIU single season top ten list in several categories including passing yards (7th). Holley was named the Big South/OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for 2024 and to the watch list for the 2024 Walter Payton Award.
•
Elijawah Tolbert tested the waters of the transfer portal following an All-Big South/OVC season last year spending spring practice at Missouri State. Tolbert transferred back to EIU during the summer and has been named a third team preseason All-American. The senior linebacker, who is a two-time first team All-Conference selection, was also named to the watch list for the 2024 Buck Buchanan Award. Tolbert made a team-high 87 tackles last season with seven tackles for loss.
• Eastern Illinois defense was one of the best in the FCS last season in terms of generating turnovers. EIU finished the season ranked second in the nation with 25 turnovers gained. The Panthers had 14 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. EIU returns eight starters from that defensive unit including the front seven. EIU must replace two All-American starters at both safety and corner as only graduate student
Mark Aitken returns as a starter in the backfield. In addition to being returning starters, all eight are veteran players in the EIU program and currently either graduate students or seniors.
