Eastern Illinois at Murray State
Roy Stewart Stadium (16,800)  •   Murray, Ky.
August 27, 2026  •   6 pm   •   TV: ESPN+ 

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Game Notes - Eastern Illinois  |  Murray State

NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois opens the 2026 season on the road as the Panthers play an FCS Week Zero game at Murray State.  The Panthers won their 2025 season opener against Dayton and have won two straight season openers against FCS level opponents.  This marks the fifth straight season EIU has opened with a Thursday night contest.   The August 27 calendar opening date is the earliest season opener in program history.

• Offensive lineman Rahfeeq Katumbusi has been named a preseason FCS third team All-American by Phil Steele in its preseason publication.  Katumbusi was a second team All-OVC selection last year starting the final eleven games of the season at center.  He ended the year earning first team FCS Freshmen All-America honors.  

• Eastern Illinois had a total of nine players named to the Phil Steele preseason All-OVC team this season.  Rahfeeq Katumbusi (OL), Alex Ginnever (TE), Trevon Piggee (DL) and Ja'Wuan Nickson (LB) were all selected to the preseason first team.  Four Panthers were on the preseason second team with Charles Kellom (RB), Aidan Archibald (DL), Saipeti Maiava (SAF) and Drew Schiller (K).  Landers Green (WR) was the final selection landing on the preseason third team.  

• Eastern Illinois has a rebuilt roster for the 2026 season with nearly half of its players set to dress for the Panthers for the first time on Thursday night at Murray State.  EIU added 56 new players to its roster this season with a mixture of four-year transfers (23), junior college transfers (22) and high school players (11).  EIU does return 19 players that started at least one game last season to this year's roster.

• Eastern Illinois had five total players start all 12 games last season with a total of 40 different players making at least one start. Two of those five players return this season in senior captains Charles Kellom and Ja'Wuan Nickson.  Kellom made all 12 starts at running back last season leading the Panthers in rushing with 711 yards and three touchdowns.  Nickson was the Panthers leader on defense last year making 12 starts at linebacker.  He earned second team All-OVC honors finishing the year with 95 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss. 

• Eastern Illinois looks to replace All-American punter Mason Miller after he set the EIU single season record for punting average.  Brought in this season to compete for that position are a pair of FCS transfers in Cade Cox and Jacob Gettman.  Cox comes to EIU from UC Davis where he was a four-year member of the Aggies team.  Gettman is a transfer from Samford where he was a two-year member of the Bulldogs program.