The 2024 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Big South–OVC Football Association during the 2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Panthers were led by third-year head coach Chris Wilkerson and played their home games at O'Brien Field located in Charleston, Illinois. They finished the season 3–9, 2–6 in Big South–OVC play to finish in eighth place.
Preseason Preseason poll The Big South-OVC Conference released their preseason poll on July 17, 2024. The Panthers were picked to finish second in the conference.
Schedule
Game summaries at Illinois (FBS)
Statistics EIUILL First downs 9 27 Total yards 196 488 Rushing yards 49 246 Passing yards 147 242 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16-32-2 21–29–0 Time of possession 23:59 36:01 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 16–32, 147 yards, 2 INT Rushing MJ Flowers 9 carries, 28 yards Receiving DiAirious Smith 5 receptions, 63 yardsIllinois Passing Luke Altmyer 19–24, 213 yards, 4 TD Rushing Kaden Feagin 16 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD Receiving Pat Bryant 5 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TD
Indiana State
Statistics INSTEIU First downs 20 16 Total yards 334 354 Rushing yards 74 86 Passing yards 260 268 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–37–3 19–32–1 Time of possession 31:15 28:41 Team Category Player StatisticsIndiana State Passing Elijah Owens 30/37, 260 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT Rushing Elijah Owens 12 carries, 44 yards Receiving Rashad Rochelle 4 receptions, 45 yards, 1 TDEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 19/32, 268 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing MJ Flowers 24 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD Receiving Terrance Gipson 6 receptions, 100 yards
at Northwestern (FBS)
Statistics EIU NW First downs 13 22 Total yards 207 450 Rushing yards 40 203 Passing yards 167 247 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–31–1 21–32–0 Time of possession 24:28 35:32 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 17/31, 167 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jay Pearson 8 carries, 29 yards Receiving Cooper Willman 6 receptions, 66 yardsNorthwestern Passing Jack Lausch 20/31, 227 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cam Porter 15 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD Receiving A.J. Henning 7 receptions, 117 yards, 1 TD
at No. 17 Illinois State (Mid-America Classic)
Statistics EIU ILST First downs 9 28 Total yards 192 518 Rushing yards 105 253 Passing yards 87 265 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–22–2 22–28–1 Time of possession 24:03 35:57 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 10/19, 72 yards, 2 INT Rushing MJ Flowers 19 carries, 117 yards, 1 TD Receiving Eli Mirza 2 receptions, 19 yardsIllinois State Passing Tommy Rittenhouse 17/22, 228 yards, 3 TD Rushing Wenkers Wright 25 carries, 150 yards, 1 TD Receiving Daniel Sobkowicz 7 receptions, 93 yards, 2 TD
Lindenwood
Statistics LINEIU First downs 20 25 Total yards 453 458 Rushing yards 170 132 Passing yards 283 326 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–19–1 26–44–0 Time of possession 29:22 30:38 Team Category Player StatisticsLindenwood Passing Nate Glantz 14/19, 283 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT Rushing Cortezz Jones 20 carries, 104 yards Receiving Jeff Caldwell 4 receptions, 115 yards, 4 TDEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 26/43, 326 yards, 2 TD Rushing MJ Flowers 28 carries, 123 yards Receiving Terrance Gipson 9 receptions, 93 yards
No. 13 Southeast Missouri State
Statistics SEMOEIU First downs 26 19 Total yards 426 385 Rushing yards 61 19 Passing yards 364 366 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–43–1 27–42–0 Time of possession 34:02 25:58 Team Category Player StatisticsSoutheast Missouri State Passing Paxton DeLaurent 30/43, 364 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Darrell Smith 18 carries, 63 yards Receiving Tristan Smith 8 receptions, 124 yards, 1 TDEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 27/42, 366 yards, 2 TD Rushing MJ Flowers 14 carries, 48 yards, 2 TD Receiving MJ Flowers 11 receptions, 72 yards
at Tennessee State
Statistics EIU TNST First downs 23 20 Total yards 435 365 Rushing yards 75 128 Passing yards 360 237 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–51–1 21–33–0 Time of possession 31:54 28:06 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 28/46, 338 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing MJ Flowers 21 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD Receiving Cooper Willman 8 receptions, 141 yardsTennessee State Passing Draylen Ellis 20/32, 224 yards, 4 TD Rushing Jaden McGill 9 carries, 47 yards Receiving Karate Brenson 6 receptions, 121 yards, 1 TD
at UT Martin
Statistics EIU UTM First downs 23 20 Total yards 396 460 Rushing yards 48 212 Passing yards 348 248 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 36–54–3 16–23–0 Time of possession 32:16 27:44 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 36/54, 348 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing MJ Flowers 14 carries, 49 yards Receiving Cooper Willman 11 receptions, 143 yards, TDUT Martin Passing Kinkead Dent 16/22, 248 yards, 3 TD Rushing Patrick Smith 13 carries, 87 yards, 2 TD Receiving Max Dowling 3 receptions, 70 yards, 2 TD
Western Illinois
Statistics WIU EIU First downs 24 22 Total yards 395 534 Rushing yards 86 196 Passing yards 309 338 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 29–43–0 19–27–0 Time of possession 30:30 29:30 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Illinois Passing Nathan Lamb 29/43, 309 yards, 3 TD Rushing Cameren Smith 17 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD Receiving Elijah Aragon 9 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TDEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 19/27, 338 yards, 5 TD Rushing MJ Flowers 27 carries, 194 yards, 1 TD Receiving Alex Ginnever 6 receptions, 100 yards, 2 TD
at Gardner–Webb
Statistics EIU GWEB First downs 21 25 Total yards 465 464 Rushing yards 7 127 Passing yards 458 337 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–36–1 26–34–0 Time of possession 27:46 32:14 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 20/36, 458 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT Rushing MJ Flowers 15 carries, 45 yards Receiving Cooper Willman 11 receptions, 291 yards, 3 TDGardner–Webb Passing Tyler Ridell 26/34, 337 yards, 1 TD Rushing Carson Gresock 9 carries, 50 yards, 2 TD Receiving Taylor Shields 3 receptions, 86 yards
Charleston Southern
Statistics CHSO EIU First downs 11 17 Total yards 201 232 Rushing yards 125 64 Passing yards 76 168 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–19–0 17–26–2 Time of possession 27:05 27:34 Team Category Player StatisticsCharleston Southern Passing Rob McCoy Jr. 7/13, 52 yards Rushing Autavius Ison 12 carries, 42 yards Receiving Chris Rhone 1 reception, 18 yardsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 17/23, 168 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing MJ Flowers 22 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD Receiving Quenton Rogers 5 receptions, 66 yards
at Tennessee Tech
Statistics EIU TNTC First downs 18 17 Total yards 241 328 Rushing yards 80 200 Passing yards 161 128 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–28–1 11–20–0 Time of possession 30:23 29:37 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Illinois Passing Pierce Holley 14/20, 129 yards Rushing Jay Pearson 11 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD Receiving Cooper Willman 9 receptions, 86 yardsTennessee Tech Passing Dylan Laible 9/16, 88 yards Rushing Jalen Mitchell 20 carries, 131 yards Receiving Torin Baker 3 receptions, 49 yards
References