Eastern_Illinois_Panthers_football
Eastern Illinois Panthers football
Intercollegiate American football team
The Eastern Illinois Panthers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Eastern Illinois University located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1899. The team plays its home games at the 10,000 seat O'Brien Field, which is named after former head coach Maynard O'Brien.
| Eastern Illinois Panthers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| First season | 1899 | ||
| Athletic director | Tom Michael | ||
| Head coach | Chris Wilkerson 3rd season, 10–12 (.455) | ||
| Stadium | O'Brien Field (capacity: 10,000) | ||
| Year built | 1970 | ||
| Field surface | Artificial Turf | ||
| Location | Charleston, Illinois | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Ohio Valley Conference | ||
| Past conferences | IIAC (1912–1969) AMCU (1978–1984) GCAC/GFC (1985–1995) | ||
| All-time record | 559–552–42 (.503) | ||
| Bowl record | 0–1 (.000) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 2 (Div. II) 1978, 1980 16 (Div. I FCS) 1982, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015 | ||
| Playoff record | 5–1 (Div. II) 4–16 (Div. I FCS) | ||
| Claimed national titles | 1 – (Div. II): 1978 | ||
| Conference titles | 19 1912, 1913, 1914, 1928, 1948, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013 | ||
| Rivalries | Illinois State (rivalry) | ||
| Colors | Blue and gray[1] | ||
| Fight song | Eastern State March | ||
| Mascot | Billy the Panther | ||
| Marching band | Panther Marching Band | ||
| Outfitter | Adidas | ||
| Website | eiupanthers.com | ||
![[icon]](./File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2018) |
The inaugural football team took the field only three weeks after the first students arrived on campus in 1899.[2]
Classifications
- 1960–1972: NCAA College Division (Small College)
- 1973–1980: NCAA Division II
- 1981–present: NCAA Division I FCS (Formerly Division I-AA)[3]
Conference memberships
- 1899–1911: Independent
- 1912–1949: Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
- 1950–1969: Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
- 1970–1972: NCAA College Division Independent
- 1973–1977: NCAA Division II Independent
- 1978–1984: Association of Mid-Continent Universities
- 1985–1995: Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference/ Gateway Football Conference
- 1996–present: Ohio Valley Conference
National championships
Eastern Illinois has won one national championship, doing so in 1978. They also made an appearance in the Division II National Championship Game in 1980, losing 13–21 to Cal Poly.
| Year | Selector | Coach | Record | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Division II | Darrell Mudra | 12–2 | Delaware | 10–9 |
Conference championships
| Season | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | Charles Lantz | 6–1 | 4–0 |
| 1913 | Charles Lantz | 6–2 | 5–1 | |
| 1914 | Charles Lantz | 8–0–1 | 5–0–1 | |
| 1928 | Charles Lantz | 7–1 | 5–1 | |
| 1948 | Maynard O'Brien | 7–3 | 4–0 | |
| 1980 | Association of Mid-Continent Universities | Darrell Mudra | 11–3 | 4–0 |
| 1981 | Darrell Mudra | 6–5 | 2–1 | |
| 1982 | Darrell Mudra | 11–1–1 | 2–0–1 | |
| 1983 | Al Molde | 9–3 | 3–0 | |
| 1984 | Al Molde | 6–5 | 2–1 | |
| 1986 | Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference | Al Molde | 11–2 | 5–1 |
| 1995† | Gateway Football Conference | Bob Spoo | 10–2 | 5–1 |
| 2001 | Ohio Valley Conference | Bob Spoo | 9–2 | 6–0 |
| 2002† | Bob Spoo | 8–4 | 5–1 | |
| 2005 | Bob Spoo | 9–3 | 8–0 | |
| 2006 | Mark Hutson | 8–5 | 7–1 | |
| 2009 | Bob Spoo | 8–4 | 6–2 | |
| 2012 | Dino Babers | 7–5 | 6–1 | |
| 2013 | Dino Babers | 12–2 | 8–0 | |
† Co-champion
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs
- NCAA Division I Football Championship playoff appearances: 1982, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015
- All time playoff results
| Year | First Round Home Team | First Round Away Team | Second Round Home | Second Round Away | Quarterfinal Home | Quarterfinal Away | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 OT | Eastern Illinois | 16 | Jackson State | 13 | Tennessee State | 20 | Eastern Illinois | 19 | ||||
| 1983 2OT | Indiana State | 16 | Eastern Illinois | 13 | ||||||||
| 1986 | Eastern Illinois | 28 | Murray State | 21 | Eastern Illinois | 22 | Eastern Kentucky | 24 | ||||
| 1989 | Idaho | 21 | Eastern Illinois | 38 | Montana | 25 | Eastern Illinois | 19 | ||||
| 1995 | Stephen F. Austin | 34 | Eastern Illinois | 29 | ||||||||
| 1996 | Northern Iowa | 21 | Eastern Illinois | 14 | ||||||||
| 2000 | Montana | 45 | Eastern Illinois | 13 | ||||||||
| 2001 | Eastern Illinois | 43 | Northern Iowa | 49 | ||||||||
| 2002 | Western Illinois | 48 | Eastern Illinois | 9 | ||||||||
| 2005 | Eastern Illinois | 6 | Southern Illinois | 21 | ||||||||
| 2006 | Eastern Illinois | 13 | Illinois State | 24 | ||||||||
| 2007 | Southern Illinois | 30 | Eastern Illinois | 11 | ||||||||
| 2009 | Southern Illinois | 48 | Eastern Illinois | 7 | ||||||||
| 2012 | South Dakota State | 58 | Eastern Illinois | 10 | ||||||||
| 2013 | Bye | Bye | Eastern Illinois | 51 | Tennessee State | 10 | Eastern Illinois | 39 | Towson | 49 | ||
| 2015 | Northern Iowa | 53 | Eastern Illinois | 17 | ||||||||
NCAA Division II playoffs
The Panthers made two appearances in the Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 5-1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship |
UC Davis Youngstown State Delaware |
W, 35–31 W, 26–22 W, 10–9 |
| 1980 | Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship |
Northern Colorado North Alabama Cal Poly |
W, 21–14 W, 56–31 L, 13–21 |
Eastern Illinois has participated in one bowl game, going 0–1.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Maynard O'Brien | Corn Bowl | Illinois Wesleyan | L 0–6 |
Official record (including any NCAA imposed vacates and forfeits) against all current OVC opponents as of the completion of the 2021 season.[4]
| Opponent | Won | Lost | Pct. | First meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindenwood | 0 | 0 | – | 2022 |
| Murray State | 19 | 19 | .500 | 1946 |
| Southeast Missouri State | 18 | 11 | .621 | 1956 |
| UT Martin | 15 | 12 | .556 | 1995 |
| Tennessee State | 15 | 10 | .600 | 1982 |
| Tennessee Tech | 21 | 7 | .750 | 1975 |
| Totals | 88 | 59 | .599 | 5 opponents |
Illinois State
The Mid-America Classic is the rivalry game between Illinois State and Eastern Illinois. The rivalry began in 1901 and is the oldest in the state of Illinois. For the 100th game in the series, representatives from both schools met and developed the Mid-America Classic renaming for the rivalry. The two schools also collaborated on a traveling trophy, which holds plaques with the results of the previous 100 games in the series and has room for results of future games in the series.[5] The two teams have played 110 times in total, with Illinois State holding a 59–42–9 advantage in the all-time series as of the end of the 2022 game.
| No. | Years | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1899–1901 | Otis Caldwell |
| 2 | 1902 | Thornton Smallwood |
| 3 | 1903 | Thomas Briggs |
| 4 | 1904–1909 | Joseph Brown |
| 5 | 1910 | Harold Railsback |
| 6 | 1911–1934, 44 | Charles Lantz |
| 7 | 1935 | Winfield Angus |
| 8 | 1936–1937, 39–41 | Gilbert Carson |
| 9 | 1938 | Harold Ave |
| 10 | 1942 | Clayton Miller |
| 11 | 1945 | James Goff |
| 12 | 1946–1950, 52–55 | Maynard O'Brien |
| 13 | 1951 | Rex Darling |
| 14 | 1956 | Keith Smith |
| 15 | 1957–1964 | Ralph Kohl |
| 16 | 1965–1971 | Clyde Biggers |
| 17 | 1972–1974 | Jack Dean |
| 18 | 1975–1977 | John Konstantinos |
| 19 | 1978–1982 | Darrell Mudra |
| 20 | 1983–1986 | Al Molde |
| 21 | 1987–2005, 07–11 | Bob Spoo |
| 22 | 2006 | Mark Hutson |
| 23 | 2012–2013 | Dino Babers |
| 24 | 2014–2018 | Kim Dameron |
| 25 | 2019–2021 | Adam Cushing |
| 26 | 2022–present | Chris Wilkerson |
# Interim head coach
1st Team All Americans
Selectors: AP-Associated Press, AFCA-American Football Coaches Association, FBG-FB Gazette, SN-Sports Network, WC-Walter Camp Football Foundation[6]
| Player | Year | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Nate Anderson | 1972 | AFCA |
| Ted Petersen | 1976 | AP |
| James Warring | 1978 | AP, AFCA |
| Pete Catan | 1979, 1980 | AP, AFCA |
| Poke Cobb | 1979 | AP, AFCA |
| Kevin Gray | 1981 | AFCA |
| Robert Williams | 1982, 1983 | AP, AFCA |
| Bob Norris | 1982 | AP |
| Chris Nicholson | 1983 | AP |
| Jerry Wright | 1984 | AFCA |
| Roy Banks | 1986 | AP, AFCA |
| John Jurkovic | 1988, 1989 | AP, AFCA, SN |
| Tim Lance | 1990 | AP, SN, WC |
| Dan Dee | 1992 | WC, SN |
| Tim Carver | 1995 | FBG |
| Willie High | 1995 | FBG |
| J.R. Taylor | 2002 | AP, FBG, SN, WC |
| Nick Ricks | 2002 | AP, FBG, SN |
| Kevin Hill | 2002 | FBG, SN, WC |
| Tony Romo | 2002 | AP, AFCA, SN, WC |
| Clint Sellers | 2005 | AFCA, FBG |
| Tristan Burge | 2006 | AFCA |
| Erik Lora[7] | 2012, 2013 | AP, AFCA, SN, WC |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | 2013 | AP, AFCA, SN, WC |
| Collin Seibert[8] | 2013, 2014 | AP, AFCA, SN, WC |
| Dino Fanti[9] | 2015 | AFCA |
Award winners
- Walter Payton Award
- Tony Romo - 2002
- Jimmy Garoppolo - 2013
- Walter Payton Award finalists
- Tim Lance - 1990...3rd
- Willie High - 1994...15th
- Tony Romo - 2000...11th
- Tony Romo - 2001...10th
- Jimmy Garoppolo - 2012...10th
- Erik Lora - 2012...4th
- Erik Lora - 2013...7th
- Alexander Hollins - 2018...21st
College Football Hall of Fame members
Eastern Illinois has two inductees in the College Football Hall of Fame as of 2021.
| Name | Position | Years | Inducted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell Mudra | Coach | 1978–1982 | 2000 | [10] |
| Tony Romo | QB | 1999–2002 | 2021 | [11] |
| No. | Player | Pos. | Career | No. ret. | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Tony Romo | QB | 1999–2002 | October 17, 2009 | [12] |
| 18 | Sean Payton | QB | 1983–1986 | September 11, 2010 | [13] |
Announced schedules as of November 23, 2023.[14]
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs Indiana State | vs Dayton | at Minnesota | at Illinois | at Kentucky |
| at Illinois State | at Indiana State | vs Indiana State | ||
| at Illinois | vs Illinois State | |||
| at Alabama | ||||
Notable alumni include the following.
- "EIU BRANDING, MARKETING & LOGOS". Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- "2017 NCAA FCS Records" (PDF).
- "Illinois State, Eastern Illinois unveil Mid America Classic trophy - WJBC - the Voice of Central Illinois". Archived from the original on 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- "Division I EIU All Anericans" (PDF). p. 71.
- "JSU's Dunn, EIU's Fanti Named to AFCA FCS All-American Team". ovcsports.com.
- "Darrell Mudra (2000) - Hall of Fame". National Football Foundation.
- Kilhoffer, Kevin. "Sean Payton Jersey Retirement". JG-TC.com.
- "Eastern Illinois Panthers Football Schedules and Future Schedules". Retrieved September 7, 2022.
