Eastern Illinois (1-1) vs. Indiana State (0-2)
O'Brien Field (10,000)  •   Charleston, Ill.
September 12, 2026  •   6 pm   •   TV: ESPN+

GAME INFORMATION
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NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois opened the 2026 season with a 28-14 win over Murray State on August 27 in the earliest calendar date game ever for the Panthers program.  EIU lost this past week on the road at Minnesota as the Panthers dropped to 1-1 on the season.   This week EIU opens its home schedule as the Panthers host regional rival Indiana State on Saturday night.  This will be the 91st meeting between the two schools separated by just 45 miles.  Indiana State enters the weekend at 0-2 on the season following a weekend loss at Purdue. 

• Running back Tyren Buggs became the third different Panthers player to score a touchdown this season with his eight-yard second quarter touchdown reception at Minnesota.  Buggs had two catches for 38 yards with a long reception of 30 yards earlier in that same scoring drive.  A transfer from Andrew College, Buggs is third on the team with three receptions for 44 yards while rushing the ball ten times this season.  

• Lonnie Burt finished as the Panthers leader in tackles in Thursday night's game at Minnesota as he finished with six tackles.  Burt posted 2.5 tackles for loss among those six stops as he currently ranks tied for 50th in the FCS in tackles for loss this season.  Burt is a transfer from Portland State where he made 37 tackles in 12 games last season.   He has nine tackles through the first two games this season at EIU.

• Eastern Illinois played its second straight game of clean football to open the season as the Panthers have not committed a turnover this season.  EIU is currently one of 15 teams in the FCS that have not turned the ball over this season including three in the Ohio Valley Conference (EIU, Lindenwood and Tennessee State).  Last season the Panthers had five games where they did not turn the ball over committing 16 total turnovers for the year, a total that ranked EIU 56th in the FCS and sixth in the OVC.

• Eastern Illinois opens the 2026 home schedule on Saturday night hosting Indiana State.  The Panthers have won their last three home openers beating Dayton last season, Indiana State in 2024 and Illinois State in 2023.  The last time EIU lost a home opener at O'Brien Field was Sept. 10, 2022 against Chattanooga.  EIU and Indiana State have met eight previous times for EIU's home opener at the NCAA Division level, EIU is 6-2 in those games.

• Charles Kellom was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week following his week 1 performance against Murray State with 171 yards and three touchdowns.  Despite limited touches last week at Minnesota, Kellom remains ranked among the FCS leaders in total rushing yards (15th) and rushing touchdowns (8th).  Kellom is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing at EIU entering the Indiana State game with 902 yards.  Including his time at Akron prior to transferring to EIU, Kellom has 1,286 career rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.