Juwon Farri’s 19-yard touchdown run, along with Julian Patino’s extra point, tied last week’s game with McNeese at 28-28. (Photo by Sandy King, EIUPanthers.com)
By Dan Verdun
Coming off a pair of comeback home wins, Eastern Illinois hits the road for its longest trip of the season.
The Panthers edged Illinois State and McNeese in back-to-back weeks to post a 3-1 start to the season for the first time since 2016.
EIU will make a same-day flight to play Northwestern State in a 6 p.m. nonconference matchup in Natchitoches, La.
“That’s one of the challenges this week,” second-year EIU head coach Chris Wilkerson said. “We’ve got to try to ‘win the trip’ if you will.”
Wilkerson has preached a “we versus me” philosophy with his team. The Panthers have responded with strong performances at key moments in wins this season.
Two weeks ago, it was a 93-yard, game-winning touchdown drive backing a stout defensive outing as EIU tipped rival ISU, 14-13.
Last week, the Panthers rallied from a 28-7 deficit to knock off McNeese on Stone Galloway’s 56-yard field goal.
“We didn’t start very well, the first half was not very good football,” Wilkerson said. “We didn’t tackle very well on defense and bogged down in the red zone and (had) some penalties on offense. (We) got the quarterback sacked.”
Yet, EIU kept its composure and the rally began.
“It was a heck of a drive right at the end of the second quarter. We got it (down) to two scores,” Wilkerson said. “We came into halftime and had a chance to rally the troops. We talked to them about hey, let’s go back out here and we get the ball first . . . The guys responded very well.”
M.J. Flowers stepped in for injured starter Kevin Daniels with a 37-carry, 272-yard rushing performance that gained him national freshman of the week honors.
“You go down, 28-7, and you try not to stay low. You’ve got to get back up,” Flowers said. “We came back out with the momentum (in the second half) and battled that adversity and got the win.”
This week’s opponent
Northwestern State (0-3) will be play its fourth straight game in The Pelican State.
Two of the three Demons’ losses were to FBS opponents, Louisiana and Louisiana Tech. Thus, Northwestern State’s allowing 43.3 points per game is a bit misleading.
In fact, the Demons rank in the top 40 in FCS with 18 tackles for loss. Donovan Green leads the way with three TFLs, while Jared Pedraza, Trevion Sneed and Ty Ely all have 2.5.
Four backs have split up the carries this season with Scooter
Adams being the top ball carrier with 128 yards.
Quarterback Tyler Vander Waal has passed for 306 yards. Jaren Mitchell is his top target with seven catches.
(Kickoff: 6 p.m., TV: ESPN-Plus; Radio: WEIU.net)
Key matchup to watch
EIU versus the weather
The Panthers will leave the recent mild temperatures of east-central Illinois for the heat and humidity of the South.
“It’s expected to be in the low 90s with humidity that will be very different than it is here in Charleston this time of year,” Wilkerson said. “The guys understand what we’re in for. Preparation started on Sunday, making sure they hydrate themselves and take care of their bodies (by) putting calories in.”
What’s at stake
A win would give the Panthers their first 4-1 start since 2013, a season in which EIU won the Ohio Valley Conference championship.
Eastern posted a 12-2 record that year and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs. Leading a record-setting EIU offense, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo won the Walter Payton Award that season.
Quick hits
According to Google maps, it is 771 miles from Charleston to Natchitoches, La. … Both coaches are alumni of the universities they coach. Wilkerson is a 1995 graduate of EIU. Brad Laird is a 1998 graduate of Northwestern State, where he played quarterback. … Twenty-two of Flowers’ 37 carries came in the second half. Willie High holds the EIU record with 48 carries against Northern Iowa in 1993. … Linebacker Elijawah Tolbert continues to be consistent and the team leader in tackles for the Panthers defense. Tolbert had a team-high six tackles in Saturday’s win over McNeese. The junior leads the team with 34 tackles this season. Tolbert ranks second in the Big South-OVC in total tackles and 51st in the FCS. … EIU opens its conference schedule Oct. 7, hosting UT Martin.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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