Box Score  |  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

For the second week in a row Eastern Illinois had its football game come down to the final play of the contest. 
 
This week it resulted in an overtime loss to UT Martin as the Panthers fell 27-20 on Family Weekend at O'Brien Field.
 
Eastern Illinois had a chance to win the contest in regulation but missed on a long field goal sending the game to the extra session.
 
UT Martin had the ball first in overtime scoring on a Bryce Bailey six-yard pass from Jase Bauer.
 
During EIU's possession the Panthers had to go for it on a fourth-and-one to keep their drive alive with Keyshawn Johnson breaking through the middle of the line to stuff the run short and hand UTM the win.
 
The score was tied 6-6 at the half with UT Martin scoring on a pair of Cade Hechter field goals.   EIU scored its six points on a Cooper Willman four-yard touchdown pass from Cole LaCrue.  The extra point attempt was blocked.
 
In the second half the two teams traded scores.  EIU went up with 5:50 to play in third on a CJ Nelson touchdown pass from LaCrue.  UTM answered with a Bauer 25-yard pass to Tommy Ansley with seven seconds left in the third.
 
In the fourth quarter the Panthers again scored first with Landers Green hauling in a 25-yard pass from Connor Wolf.  LaCrue (140 yards on 14-of-18 passing) and Wolf (100 yards on 5-of-5 passing) helped move the Panthers offense through the air.
 
The Skyhawks tied the game with 46 seconds left in regulation on a one-yard sneak by Bauer.  Bauer was 22-of-29 for 172 yards.
 
Each team had some big plays come on defensive at different points in the game.  Isaiah Houi made a tackle at the goal line on fourth down to end on UTM drive as part of his nine tackle day.
 
Ja'Wuan Nickson and Tylan Foster both finished with 14 tackles as EIU fell to 3-6 overall, 2-4 in the OVC.
 
Jacob Stevenson led the Skyhawks with seven tackles as UTM improved to 4-5 overall, 4-1 in the OVC.