Eastern Illinois receiver Eli Mirza, shown here in the season opener at Illinois, and his teammates will travel to Evanston to face Northwestern Saturday. The Panthers play two Big Ten opponents in the same season for the first time in program history. (Photo by Sandy King, EIUPanthers.com)
By Dan Verdun
For the second time in essentially a three-week span, Eastern Illinois will play a Big Ten Conference opponent. That’s something that has never happened in the 133-year history of the school’s football program.
“It’s certainly unique,” EIU third-year head coach Chris Wilkerson said. “But again, we want to control what we can. That’s our attitude and our response.”
Both teams enter Saturday with 1-1 records in the non-conference portions of their schedules.
Northwestern head coach David Braun spoke highly of Wilkerson’s EIU program.
“This is a very well-coached operation with talent,” Braun said. “This is a team on an upward trend.”
Braun came to Evanston in January 2023 as defensive coordinator. He took over as head coach when longtime Wildcat Pat Fitzgerald was dismissed following an investigation into hazing allegations in July 2023.
Prior to NU, Braun spent four seasons as defensive coordinator for FCS national power North Dakota State. During Braun’s tenure, the Bison won two FCS championships and were the No. 1 scoring defense twice.
“Coach Braun has done a phenomenal job,” Wilkerson said. “It was a very unique situation. There was a ton of adversity that they had to overcome, and to create the stability and the confidence (is impressive). Their ability to execute under pressure, all of last year (and) certainly during this season (stands out).”
Balanced approach
The Panthers featured a balanced offense in last week’s 27-20 win against Indiana State. EIU quarterback Pierce Holley threw 16 passes in each half, while leading rusher M.J. Flowers ran the ball 12 times in each half.
“That’s certainly not exactly by plan because we are going to try to take what they (opposing defense) give us on offense,” Wilkerson said. “We would like to be balanced.”
Flowers gained 59 of his 93 rushing yards in the second half against Indiana State.
“It was definitely big to get a win after a loss (to Illinois). We’re looking forward to Northwestern,” Flowers said.
The opponent
Northwestern will play its third straight home game to begin the season at its temporary lakeside venue while Ryan Field is being renovated.
The Wildcats are coming off a 26-20 double-overtime loss against Duke. Northwestern opened the season with a 13-6 win against Miami (Ohio).
Braun announced Monday that redshirt sophomore Jack Lausch will start in place of graduate transfer Mike Wright at quarterback for Saturday’s game. The Wildcats have yet to throw a touchdown pass this season.
Lausch, a dual-threat quarterback, will make his first career start. He was the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year in 2021 at Brother Rice.
“The growth that we’ve seen out of Jack Lausch throughout last fall, but specifically from January on, leads us to have a lot of optimism not only for this week but for the future,” Braun said.
Graduate running back Cam Porter leads Northwestern in rushing with 157 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in two games.
“He’s explosive. He’s got great feet,” Wilkerson said of Porter.
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m.; TV: Big Ten Network; Radio: WEIU.net/hitmix
Key matchup to watch
Turnover margin: Both coaches agree it’s the key to victory nearly every week.
Last season, EIU led the FCS in the category, turning the ball over just 10 times. In this year’s opener at Illinois, the Panthers suffered four turnovers in a 45-0 shutout loss.
Last Saturday, EIU had a +3 turnover margin in its 24-17 win over Indiana State.
Northwestern is even for the season on its turnover margin.
“Valuing the football, that’s something for us to be at our best,” Braun said. “We need to win the turnover margin. It’s something that we emphasize.”
What’s at stake: Eastern Illinois faces another stiff challenge from an FBS opponent.
Quick hits: Eastern Illinois receives a $450,000 guarantee from Northwestern for Saturday’s game. … EIU continues to be among the teams also receiving votes in both FCS national polls. The Panthers were the seventh team also receiving votes in the Stats Perform poll and eighth in the FCS Coaches poll. … Eastern kicker Drew Schiller earned the Big South-OVC Football Freshman of the Week following his performance against Indiana State in the home opener. Schiller made 2-of-3 field goal attempts and all three extra points. … In his weekly conference media address, Wilkerson noted several players on the Northwestern roster are well-known to the EIU staff. “It’s a small world. Lausch’s aunt works with my wife at the University of St. Francis in Joliet,” he said, adding that Lausch was set to attend Notre Dame on a baseball scholarship until the Northwestern football offer presented itself. “He’s a very good athlete.” Wilkerson also knows NU slot receiver A.J. Henning and defensive lineman Sean McLaughlin, both from Lincoln-Way East High School, from the days when the Wilkersons lived in Mokena. “I’m very familiar with a ton of guys of their roster,” Wilkerson said. … When Northern Illinois shocked the college football world last weekend with its win at No. 5 Notre Dame, former EIU player and assistant coach D.J. Bland played a role in the upset. Bland, a Chicago De La Salle product, played at EIU (2010-14) and served as Panther cornerbacks coach (2022) before joining Thomas Hammock’s NIU Huskie staff.
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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