THURSDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Illinois 22, @Indiana State 20
@Murray State 67, Kentucky Wesleyan 7
Tennessee State 17, @Georgia State 10
@UT Martin 36, Clarion 0
@Cincinnati 26,
Austin Peay 14
#25 Western Illinois 41,
@Tennessee Tech 14
EASTERN ILLINOIS 22, INDIANA STATE 20
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - After several dropped passes earlier in the game, Eastern Illinois wide receiving corps came up big in the final minutes as EIU scored with three seconds remaining to beat Indiana State, 22-20 in the season opener at Memorial Stadium.
ISU had a chance to add to a 20-16 lead but missed on a 48-yard field goal attempt giving the Panthers the ball with 1:52 to play and the ball on their own 31-yard line. Mitch Kimble slowly moved the offense down the field and then connected with Alexander Hollins for a 17-yard pass to allow EIU to take a crack at the end zone after being sacked on the previous play. Kimble then found Dennis Turner on a slant route for the game winning score. EIU took a knee on the extra point after they were forced to use a series of back-up kickers.
Eastern Illinois offense went 3-and-out on its first offensive possession. Indiana State drove 64-yards on its first offensive drive to take a 7-0 lead on an Isaac Harker 8-yard pass to LeMonte Booker.
EIU’s offense and defense clamped down the remainder of the first half as the Panthers took a 16-7 lead into halftime.
The Panthers defense allowed only 49 yards the remainder of the first half with Mark Williams helping turn the momentum with a 73-yard interception return for touchdown with 4:42 to play in the first quarter. It was the first EIU interception returned for a touchdown by EIU since 2015 when Jarvis Williams had an interception return for touchdown against Tennessee Tech.
Following its stalled offensive drive to open the game, EIU moved the ball 75 yards on ten plays on its next drive to tie the game at 7-7. Isaiah Johnson capped the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run. Johnson finished the night with 65 yards rushing. Freshman Matt Severino made the extra point as he was called to action after senior Nick Bruno was injured in pregame warm-ups. Severino would miss on the extra point following Williams’ defensive score.
The Panthers pushed the lead to 16-7 as time expired in the first half as Nick Wilson made his first collegiate field goal, a 22-yard attempt. On the drive, Kimble rushed for a first down in the red zone as the Panthers faced a fourth-and-ten in the final minute. Kimble finished the day 27-of-44 passing for 204 yards.
In the second half the Sycamores made a change at quarterback with Cade Sparks indeed sparking the ISU offense. The Sycamores drove for a pair of Jerry Nunez field goals from 43 and 19 yards to make it a 16-13 EIU game early in the fourth quarter.
Booker put ISU on top with 4:54 left in the game scoring his second touchdown of the game with a six yard run. Booker had 154 yards rushing on 31 carries. The touchdown was set up by a big punt return by Dimitri Taylor.
Tray Mitchell led EIU with 11 tackles including three tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble. Mitchell had a 19-yard interception for touchdown nullified by an EIU penalty. Brad Dewberry added eight tackles.
Jonas Griffith and Katrell Moss each had 13 tackles for ISU as they finished with five team sacks.
MURRAY STATE 67, KENTUCKY WESLEYAN 7
MURRAY, Ky. (AP) - Shuler Bentley threw four touchdown passes and Murray State beat Division-II Kentucky Wesleyan 67-7 on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
Bentley led a 12-play, 81-yard scoring drive on the first possession that ended with a 3-yard scoring pass to D.J. Penick. Bentley connected with Jordon Gandy, who finished with 90 yards and three touchdowns, on a 2-yard TD on the next possession.
Before the first quarter ended, Dylann Boone intercepted Mike McGee for a 60-yard touchdown to make it 22-0. Boone was one of four Racers defenders with an interception.
Backup quarterback Corey Newble relieved Bentley early in the second and promptly threw a 52-yard score to Gandy with 12:08 before halftime to make it 29-0.
McGee threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ladarrius Dunn to put the Panthers on the board with 10:54 left in the third.
TENNESSEE STATE 17, GEORGIA STATE 10
ATLANTA (AP) - The first college football game at Georgia State Stadium looked a lot like so many of those baseball playoff games at Turner Field.
A dismal performance from the home team.
A raucous celebration for the visiting team.
Seth Rowland and Treon Harris each had a touchdown run and Tennessee State came up with a huge defensive stand, ruining Georgia State's debut at the refurbished stadium formerly known as Turner Field with a 17-10 victory Thursday night.
Before a crowd of 24,333 -- one of the largest turnouts in the history of the Panthers' still-fledgling program -- Georgia State turned it over four times and managed only 49 yards rushing against the FCS school.
The Panthers were eager to make a good impression at the former home of the Braves, whose decision to build a new stadium in the suburbs left Georgia State with a huge gift -- a major league-quality stadium near its downtown campus, a facility that is only 21 years old but filled with plenty of history. It started out as Centennial Olympic Stadium, the centerpiece of the 1996 Atlanta Games, and spent the past two decades as a 50,000-seat baseball park.
Now, it's known as Georgia State Stadium, at least until the school lands a corporate benefactor. No matter the name, the Panthers feel like they finally have a true home field after renting out the Georgia Dome for their first seven seasons, usually laying before sparse crowds in the massive facility.
"You want to start your new stadium with a win," nose guard Julien Laurent said. "You can't get that first one back. So, yeah, it does hurt."
While the Braves had plenty of success at Turner Field, making 12 playoff appearances, they never won a World Series. Most notably, nine of their postseason appearances ended with a loss on their home field.
Turner Field became known as the place where other teams came to celebrate.
This time, it was the Tennessee State band blaring away from the end zone -- what used to be the first-base line -- while several thousand Tiger fans danced in a small section of seats built across right field in the hasty conversion from baseball to football.
"Any loss is going to hurt, but the stadium is obviously incredible and we had an amazing crowd that came out to support us," Panthers center Gabe Mobley said. "Hopefully they'll give us another chance."
Rowland scored on a 4-yard run in the second quarter and broke off a 59-yard gain right up the middle to set up Harris' 12-yard scoring play late in the third. The big run came two plays after the Tigers, clinging to a 10-3 lead, stopped burly Kyler Neal about an inch shy of the stick on a fourth-down run at the Tennessee State 4.
The referee initially signaled a first down for the Panthers, before deciding to call for a measurement. After hovering over the ball, looking for any sign of daylight between the ball and the marker, the call was changed.
First down, Tennessee State.
The Panthers gave themselves a chance, finally reaching the end zone on a 36-yard touchdown pass from second-string quarterback Aaron Winchester to Taz Bateman with 11 1/2 minutes to go. But a fumble near midfield deprived Georgia State of a shot at the tying score, and an interception by Dajour Nesbeth clinched it for the Tigers.
Winchester finished the game after starting QB Conner Manning went out in the second half with a ding to the head. Elliott said it wasn't diagnosed as concussion, but the senior felt a bit dizzy so he didn't go back in.
Just another blow for the Panthers on a tough opening night.
"We all sat there and watched it," Elliott said, shaking his head. "A very, very poor performance."
UT MARTIN 36, CLARION 0
MARTIN, Tenn. - While heavy and persistent rain fell from the sky throughout the day, the University of Tennessee at Martin football team posted a strong showing in its season opener, notching the program’s first shutout victory since 2011 with a 36-0 win over Division-II foe Clarion University on Thursday evening at Hardy M. Graham Stadium.
The Skyhawks (1-0) picked up their first win of the season behind 457 yards of total offense while holding their opponent to just 146 yards. The shutout victory marked the first for the Skyhawks since defeating Union College on Sept. 15, 2011 by a final score of 63-0. The game also moved the Skyhawks to 11-1 in home openers and 10-0 against non-Division-I teams during the Jason Simpson era.
With individual statistics subdued with less than ideal playing conditions, the offense was led by senior quarterback Troy Cook who completed 13-of-28 passes for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns. While Cook headlined the offense going into the season opener, junior newcomer Ladarius Galloway stole the show for the offensive unit with 17 carries for 157 yards and a touchdown. The junior college product averaged 9.2 yards per carry while also tallying three catches for 41 yards.
A total of five different players scored touchdowns for the Skyhawks. Galloway tallied a 29-yard scamper for a touchdown while Ty Brown (13 carries, 42 yards) and Deashun Fields (two carries, 15 yards) each notched scores on the ground. In the passing game, it was sophomore Jaylon Moore who tallied a pair of receptions and a team-high 49 yards receiving while hauling in a 37-yard touchdown strike. Senior receiver Londell Lee also caught a touchdown pass for three yards.
While the offense put the only points on the board, it was UT Martin’s stingy defense which held the opponent out of the endzone. After ranking as one of the best defenses in the nation a year ago, the Skyhawks looked to their darkside to seal the victory. The Skyhawks allowed just nine first downs on the day while limiting the Golden Eagles to just 146 yards of total offense and forcing three turnovers.
UT Martin’s defense would especially flex its muscles in the third quarter, forcing turnovers on three consecutive drives. The Skyhawks would look to get a stop on fourth down when a botched snap resulted in a recovered fumble by Garrett Wall to squash a rally attempt. On the following drive it would be Chris Williams-Hall who tallied an acrobatic interception off a tipped ball by Kevin Prather, Jr. while Tae Martin later notched the third interception of his career to stall yet another Clarion drive as the offense sandwiched 10 points off said turnovers.
The defense would be led statistically by Prather who paced the squad with eight tackles, including three tackles for loss totaling seven yards, while recording a pair of quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. Fellow linebacker James Gilleylen also posted a big night, tallying seven tackles – including three tackles for loss and one sacks. Senior safety Joseph Este joined in the action with five tackles out of the secondary while notching a pair of tackles for loss and five pass breakups.
CINCINNATI 26, AUSTIN PEAY 14
CINCINNATI - Quarterback JaVaughn Craig finished with 155 yards and threw for a touchdown as Austin Peay State University’s football team opened the 2017 with an impressive statement in a 26-14 loss to Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium.
After the teams played to a scoreless stalemate in the first quarter, Cincinnati took advantage of a short field to score the game’s first touchdown. Bearcats quarterback Hayden Moore found Thomas Geddis for a 16-yard catch-and-carry touchdown for an early 7-0 lead.
However, Austin Peay responded on the ensuing drive as Craig marshalled the Governors to an impressive 10-play, 81-yard scoring drive that was the longest of the contest. The Bearcats assisted Austin Peay with two personal foul penalties during the drive. Craig made Cincinnati pay for the second penalty, completing a 13-yard pass to Josh Alexander and then a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kentel Williams to tie the game.
Cincinnati (1-0) again capitalized on a short field, needing just five plays to score from a drive that started on the Austin Peay 43-yard line. Bearcats running back Mike Boone did the heavy lifting on the drive, opening with a 25-yard rush and running for 37 yards. Moore found paydirt with a pass to Kahlil Lewis from six-yards out for the 14-7 lead
The Governors got the ball back with 2:06 left in the first half and marched down the field in just nine plays, getting to the Cincinnati two-yard line. But Craig’s pass was intercepted leaving the Govs trailing by seven at the halftime break.
Cincinnati would add to its lead on the fifth drive of the second half – another short 58-yard push that required only eight plays. Moore was responsible for the bulk of the work, completing 4-of-6 passes for 49 yards, including a six-yard dart to Tyler Cogswell for a 20-7 lead.
Austin Peay turned to quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall for its second touchdown drive, again in an immediate response to the Cincinnati score. He completed 2-of-4 passes for 26 yards and ran for another 15 yards. But it was his handoff to Josh Alexander that narrowed the deficit as the Govs running back slashed his way 11 yards to the end zone.
Cincinnati’s defense pinned the Govs deep in their own territory on their next drive and made the defensive stand pay off with their best field position of the contest. Starting from the APSU 42-yard line, Boone opened the ensuing drive with a 26-yard run and capped it with a three-yard dash for a 26-14 Bearcats lead.
The Governors had one more opportunity to close the gap, with Cincinnati gifting a drive that started on the Austin Peay 40-yard line. With Craig under center, Austin Peay moved down the field in 10 plays, getting to the Cincinnati three-yard line with a 4th-and-1 opportunity. However, Cincinnati stacked up the Govs running back to deny the score and seal the contest.
Austin Peay’s defense held Cincinnati to just 248 offensive yards and the Bearcats could only muster 97 rushing yards against the Govs. It was the first time since 2012 the Govs held an opponent to under 100 rushing yards and the first time since 2015 it held a foe under 300 total yards.
Craig’s 155-yard outing paced the Govs 313-offensive yard performance. His 92 rushing yards led a running back corps that saw nine runners amass 224 yards. Williams finished with 74 yards – 40 rushing and 34 receiving.
#25 WESTERN ILLINOIS 41, TENNESSEE TECH 14
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - If anything was true for the Tennessee Tech football team on Thursday night, it was definitely a learning experience.
Squaring off with the FCS No. 25-ranked Western Illinois Leathernecks, the Golden Eagles had a tough time putting together offense against a tough defense. However, there were plenty of positives for Tech to continue to build on following the 41-14 loss at Tucker Stadium.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Andre Sale took his first career snaps for the Golden Eagles in a tough situation and made the best of it, throwing two touchdown passes as he completed a 61-strike to Darrius Stafford to get Tech on the scoreboard, then a 52-yard scoring pass to Dontez Byrd.
Sale ended the game with 223 yards of passing on an 11-for-22 night, a solid effort for the young QB.
However, the Golden Eagles were stymied on the run. Tech was held to zero yards on 21 carries, Andrew Goldsmith led Tech with six carries for 14 yards, with four players held to negative gains to neutralize the total.
Tech kept the game close early on, allowing just a 41-yard field goal from Sam Crosa in the first quarter, then the Leathernecks extended their lead with a one-yard touchdown run from Khalen Saunders to make it 10-0 in favor of WIU at the half.
But in the third, the Leathernecks extended their lead with 24 unanswered points. Crosa added a 20-yd field goal, then Jaelon Acklin rushed for a 16-yard score. Former Cookeville Cavalier Vic Johnson entertained his family and hometown fans with a 16-yard touchdown run, then Mike Viti scored on a 45-yard interception return just before the third quarter ended.
WIU added one more tally to the scoreboard as Sean McGuire threw a 17-yard pass to Acklin early in the fourth.
Defensively, Tech put together a valiant effort to counter the Leatherneck offense. The Golden Eagles had three players with double-digit tackles, led by Elliott Normand with a career-high 18 stops – five shy of the school record set by Jim Youngblood against UT Martin in 1972. Deontay Wilson had 11 tackles, while Deven Sullivan had 10.
Nick Madonia had a good effort trying to control the field position battle, punting a 65-yarder – one yard shy of his career-longest last season at Jacksonville State -- and pinned WIU inside the 20 twice.