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Head coach Eddie George's Tennessee State Tigers have dropped their second game in a row after a competitive loss to Eastern Illinois. The Tigers hoped to get back on track following their 35-21 defeat last week at the hands of Charleston Southern, but they came up short again. Despite the impressive 6-4 record, Tennessee State falls to fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference due to their 1-2 conference record. Conversely, the Eastern Illinois Panthers' 2-2 conference record places them third in the OVC.
Eastern Illinois controlled the first quarter completely. They jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead before TSU could blink. On the first touchdown, the Panthers received a poor punt that placed them on TSU's 39-yard line. Quarterback Pierce Holley hit two quick completions for a total of 31 yards. Running back MJ Flowers punched in the touchdown for the first score of the game.
The Panthers got the ball back immediately and in even better field position: right at the goal line. The Tigers offense flamed out, but on the ensuing punt, Eastern Illinois safety NiJay Burt blocked the football and recovered it at TSU's 5-yard line. Flowers ran for his second touchdown to give the Panthers the 14-0 lead.
In the second quarter, the script flipped. At the end of the first quarter, the Tigers' offense finally started moving the ball consistently. The efficiency carried over into the next quarter, both through the run and pass. The Tigers' only negative play on this drive was a one yard loss on a run up the middle. On third down in the red zone, quarterback Deveon Bryant found receiver Dayron Johnson to cut the deficit to seven points.
To tie the game, TSU put together another long, successful drive. This time, Draylen Ellis checked in as the Tigers' play caller. Beginning on their own 35-yard line, Tennessee State again marched down the field with a combination of big plays, like a 22-yard completion to receiver Karate Brenson, and simple completions to move the chains. Repeated runs from Ellis got Tennessee State into the red zone, where he capped off the drive with a touchdown to Brenson to tie the game.
After an explosive opening half of football, both teams cooled off in the third quarter. Tennessee State took a brief 17-14 lead at the 10-minute mark of the quarter. They got the ball at Eastern Illinois' 29-yard line, but took three downs to move three yards, so they settled for a field goal.
It's not a stretch to say that the Panthers' next offensive drive was the turning point of the game. Eastern Illinois' offense stalled again, and they were forced to punt. However, TSU returner Boogie Trotter fumbled the ball a few yards after the catch. The Panthers recovered at TSU's 36-yard line with a new lease on life. On a pivotal third down, Flowers exploded for a 31-yard touchdown run to take the 20-17 advantage.
Eastern Illinois got the ball back after a Tiger three-and-out. For a second, the Tiger defense thought it had done its job: the Panthers stared at a 4th-and-7 on TSU's 37-yard line. Instead of punting, however, Eastern Illinois decided to go for it. Holley completed a 16-yard pass to receiver Eli Mirza for the fourth down conversion. The drive stalled again, but not before the Panthers kicked a field goal for the 23-17 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers couldn't get going offensively. They had a couple possessions as the deficit remained at just six points, but they couldn't capitalize. Meanwhile, it was only a matter of time until Eastern Illinois put points back on the board. With about 10 minutes left in the game, the Panthers leaned heavily on Flowers and the run game. They wanted to run clock while relying on their best offensive player of the day. Events broke poorly for Tennessee State as Panther quarterback Pierce Holley found Mirza for a 22-yard completion to get deep inside the red zone. Flowers finished the drive with his fourth touchdown. Eastern Illinois took a commanding 30-17 lead, and considering how lifeless Tennessee State's offense looked in the second half, the game was already over despite the five remaining minutes. On their final drive, the Tigers couldn't even get a first down.
Eastern Illinois relied heavily on running back MJ Flowers. Flowers had a whopping 31 carries for 201 yards and four touchdowns. Pierce Holley completed 11 of his 28 pass attempts for 121 yards. Eli Mirza hauled in five catches for 72 yards.
The dual quarterbacks for Tennessee State had similar numbers. Deveon Bryant went 10-15 through the air for 86 yards and a touchdown. Draylen Ellis went 10-16 for 68 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Ellis, however, led Tiger rushers with 44 yards on nine carries. Running back Jordan Gant had 40 yards on his 18 carries. Receiver Karate Brenson caught seven passes for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Tennessee State finishes their already successful season next Saturday at home against Tennessee Tech.
