Eastern Illinois (2-6, 1-2 OVC) at UT Martin (3-5, 2-1 OVC)
Graham Stadium (10,000)  •   Martin, Tenn.
October 31, 2026  •   2:00 pm   •   TV: ESPN+

GAME INFORMATION 
* EIU Complete Game Notes
* UT Martin Notes
* Watch ESPN+
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* Live Stats

NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois returns to the road to close out the month of October with a rare Halloween game on Saturday at UT Martin.  EIU lost its homecoming contest this past Saturday to Southeast Missouri, 20-10, falling to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the OVC race.  UT Martin was knocked from the ranks of the OVC unbeaten teams with a road loss at Western Illinois.  The loss dropped UTM to 3-5 overall, 2-1 in the OVC.  

• Make it eleven straight games with at least one turnover gained for the Eastern Illinois defense as the Panthers came up with an interception against Southeast Missouri.  EIU opened OVC play with a six takeaway game in a road win at Gardner-Webb on Oct. 10.  EIU has 14 total turnovers gained this season which ranks the Panthers 22nd in the FCS and first in the OVC.  EIU enters the week ranked sixth in the FCS and first in the OVC in turnover margin at 1.00 with just six turnovers lost this season.

• Corner Jerry Addo-Boateng came up with the first half interception for the Panthers as the fifth year player picked off his second pass of the season.  Addo-Boateng had his first interception of the season two weeks ago in the road win at Gardner-Webb.  He is now tied for the team lead in interceptions with Ja'Wuan Nickson and Brandon Worsley, all three players with two interceptions, a total tied for sixth in the OVC.  For Addo-Boateng it was his sixth career interception after picks at two of his previous college stops - Anderson University (1) and Defiance College (3).

• A rare Halloween game day for Eastern Illinois football as the Panthers will be playing an October 31 contest for just the sixth time as a NCAA Division I school.  EIU is 2-3 all-time in those previous contests with four of the five on the road.  EIU has won its last two Halloween contests with both played against Murray State on the road.  EIU won 34-20 in 2015 and 16-10 in 2009.  EIU's other Halloween games as a Division I school are 1998 against Tennessee State (L, 21-27), 1992 at Youngstown State (L, 19-28) and 1981 at Northern Iowa (L 17-38).

• Wide receiver Samuel Gonzalez became the latest Panthers player to record a touchdown this season as the junior hauled in an 18-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter against Southeast Missouri.  Gonzalez is the seventh different EIU player with a touchdown reception this season.  He is currently third on the team with 13 receptions for a team-high 243 yards.  Gonzalez was a first-team All-Conference receiver last year at MidAmerica Nazarene leading the NAIA program with 52 catches for 828 yards and eight touchdowns. 

• Alex Koulovatos finished as the Panthers defensive leader in tackles on Saturday making eight tackles in the homecoming game against Southeast Missouri.  It was the second big tackle game of the season for the transfer safety after he made 11 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss at No. 2 South Dakota State.  Last season he was a second team All-Conference performer at Long Beach City College after redshirting the 2024 season at East Carolina.