2021 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team

2021 Eastern Illinois Panthers football
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Record1–10 (1–5 OVC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJohn Kuceyeski (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorChris Bowers (3rd season)
Home stadiumO'Brien Field
Seasons
← 2020
2022 →
2021 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 13 UT Martin $^   5 1     10 3  
Southeast Missouri State   4 2     4 7  
Austin Peay   4 2     6 5  
Tennessee State   3 3     5 6  
Murray State   3 3     6 5  
Eastern Illinois   1 5     1 10  
Tennessee Tech   1 5     3 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2021 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by Adam Cushing in his third and final season as head coach, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 1–10 with a mark of 1–5 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the OVC. The team played home games at O'Brien Field in Charleston, Illinois.

Preseason

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Preseason coaches' poll

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The OVC released their preseason coaches' poll on July 19, 2021. The Panthers were picked to finish in last place.[1]

Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Murray State 64 (7)
2 Austin Peay 60 (4)
Southeast Missouri 60 (3)
4 UT Martin 38
5 Tennessee State 32
6 Tennessee Tech 28
7 Eastern Illinois 12

Preseason All-OVC team

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The Panthers had two players selected to the preseason all-OVC team.[2]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 285:00 p.m.at Indiana State*ESPN+L 21–265,540
September 46:00 p.m.at South Carolina*ESPN+/SECN+L 0–4664,868
September 1112:00 p.m.at Dayton*L 10–172,008
September 186:00 p.m.Illinois State*ESPN+L 24–316,424
September 251:30 p.m.at Tennessee TechESPN+W 28–143,125
October 24:00 p.m.at Murray State*ESPN+L 6–229,502
October 162:00 p.m.No. 17 UT Martin
  • O'Brien Field
  • Charleston, IL
ESPN+L 17–283,189
October 232:00 p.m.Tennessee Statedagger
  • O'Brien Field
  • Charleston, IL
ESPN+L 0–286,300
October 301:00 p.m.at Southeast Missouri StateESPN+L 15–383,773
November 62:00 p.m.at Austin PeayESPN+L 26–424,088
November 2012:00 p.m.Murray State
  • O'Brien Field
  • Charleston, IL
ESPN+L 13–201,850
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[3]

Game summaries

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at Indiana State

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at South Carolina

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Game Two – Eastern Illinois Panthers (0-1) at South Carolina Gamecocks
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Eastern Illinois 0 0 000
South Carolina 15 14 31446

at Williams-Brice StadiumColumbia, South Carolina

  • Date: Saturday, September 4, 2021
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Clear • Temperature -
  • Game attendance: 64,868
  • TV announcers (SECN+): Unknown
  • Box Score
Game information
First quarter
  • (10:23) SC – Nick Muse 4-yard pass from Zeb Noland (Nick Muse 2PT Run). South Carolina 8-0. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 3:33.
  • (3:25) SC – Jaheim Bell 3-yard pass from Zeb Noland (Parker White Kick). South Carolina 15-0. Drive: 10 plays, 43 yards, 5:04.
Second quarter
  • (11:49) SC – Josh Vann 12-yard pass from Zeb Noland (Parker White Kick). South Carolina 22-0. Drive: 8 plays, 38 yards, 4:00.
  • (0:34) SC – ZaQuandre White 10-yard pass from Zeb Noland (Parker White Kick). South Carolina 29-0. Drive: 6 plays, 52 yards, 0:59.
Third quarter
  • (3:10) SC – Parker White 36-yard field goal. South Carolina 32-0. Drive: 15 plays, 66 yards, 6:12.
Fourth quarter
  • (10:24) SC – ZaQuandre White 63-yard run (Mitch Jeter Kick). South Carolina 39-0. Drive: 4 plays, 86 yards, 1:51.
  • (7:44) SC – Jordan Burch 61-yard interception return (Mitch Jeter Kick). South Carolina 46-0.
Statistics EIU SC
First downs 9 22
Plays–yards 44–109 74–439
Rushes–yards 31 254
Passing yards 78 185
Passing: compattint 13–22–2 18–27–0
Time of possession 25:20 34:40
Team Category Player Statistics
EIU Passing Chris Katrenick 13/22, 78 yards, 2 INT
Rushing Harrison Bey-Bule 5 carries, 12 yards
Receiving Tyler Hamilton 5 receptions, 32 yards
SC Passing Zeb Noland 13/21, 121 yards, 4 TD
Rushing ZaQuandre White 12 carries, 128 yards, TD
Receiving ZaQuandre White 4 receptions, 39 yards, TD

References

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  1. ^ "Murray State Picked as 2021 OVC Football Favorites". ovcsports.com. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "2021 Preseason All-OVC Football Team Announced; APSU's Ellis and Jackson Named Preseason Players of the Year". ovcsports.com. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "2021 Football Schedule". Eastern Illinois University. Retrieved June 11, 2021.