TSU Football Storms Back to Defeat EIU, 41-40

PHOTO GALLERY

Game 2: Tennessee State 41, Eastern Illinois 40

Records: TSU (2-0, 1-0 OVC), EIU (0-4, 0-1 OVC)

Venue: O'Brien Stadium

Location: Charleston, Ill.

Weather: Cloudy, 63

Kickoff Time: 2:24 p.m.

Attendance: -- 7,670

CHARLESTON, Illinois --- Trailing by as many as 21 points in the second quarter, the Tennessee State football team stormed all the way back to earn a hard-fought 41-40 road victory over Eastern Illinois on Saturday at O’Brien Field in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for both teams.

Saturday marked the first win for TSU (2-0, 1-0 OVC) over EIU (0-4, 0-1 OVC) since the 2011season.

TSU took its first lead of the game with 7:31 to go in the fourth quarter when Demry Croft hit DeVon Johnson for a 49-yard touchdown pass for a 35-34 advantage.

After EIU responded with a touchdown just over a minute later, Earl Harrison capped a TSU drive with what proved to be the game-winning four-yard touchdown run with 3:06 left in the fourth.

On EIU’s final possession, Justin Culpepper blocked a 47-yard field goal attempt to preserve the victory.

FIRST QUARTER

• EIU took advantage of good field position, traveling 34 yards on 10 plays to take a 3-0 lead
• The Panthers scored 20 seconds later after a fumble recovery on the kick return.
• The Tigers surrendered their first touchdown of the season at 7:26 of the first quarter.
• The Big Blue turned the ball over for the second time in the first quarter, leading to EIU’s second touchdown.
• The two turnovers were the first two of the season by the Tigers and the first ones forced by EIU in four games.
• The Tigers outgained the Panthers 105-102 in the first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

• The Tigers opened the second quarter with a 37 yard field goal by Antonio Zita.
• The kick cut the Panthers lead to 17-3.
• EIU needed less than two minutes to cross the goal line, taking a 24-3 lead on a 71 yard touchdown pass.
• The Tigers put together its longest drive of the game, using 14 plays to move 53 yards.
• TSU settled for a 36-yard field goal by Zita, making the score 24-6 with 6:13 remaining in the half.
• Chris Rowland tried to spark the Tigers with a 43 yard punt return to the Panthers 32.
• The Tigers fell victim to their third turnover of the half at the EIU 12, halting a potential scoring drive.
• The two teams traded a pair of five play drives, giving the Panthers the ball at their own 24 with 30 seconds remaining.
• On EIUs first play, Mekhi Brown came around the left side and knocked the ball out of the hands of the Panther quarterback.
• Dante’ Ferguson came up with the ball giving the Tigers the ball at the EIU 18.
• TSU struck on the first play as Treon Harris took a handoff from Demry Croft and sprinted to the right where he pulled up and tossed an 18 yard scoring pass to Chris Rowland.
• Zita converted the extra point, allowing TSU to enter the locker room trailing 24-13.
• The Tigers outgained the Panthers, 227-220 in the first half.
• TSU had the ball for 17:43 of the first 30 minutes.

THIRD QUARTER

• DeVon Johnson took the second half kickoff 51 yards to give the Tigers a short field, starting at the EIU 47.
• DeMarco Corbin crashed through the line for a two yard touchdown run, making it a one possession game, 24-19.
• The game continued to go back and forth as the Panthers needed just five plays to cross the goal line, increasing the lead to 31-19.
• The Tigers followed by producing the longest touchdown drive of the game, needing 2:39 to produce a 30 yard scoring connection from Croft to Harris.
• The Tigers continued to outgain EIU through three quarters, 378-349.

FOURTH QUARTER

• The Tiger defense held strong, forcing EIU to attempt a 48-yard field goal.
• Panther kicker Nick Bruno split the uprights for a career long three-pointer, to create an eight point gap, 34-26, with 11:55 remaining in the contest.
• Croft returned as quarterback of the drive and hit Steven Newbold for 13 yards, as well as Miles Cavitt for 17 yards, to move deep into EIU territory.
• Zita came on and connected on his third field goal of the game, a 37 yarder, bringing the Tigers back within five.
• After a defensive stop, Croft went over the top and found DeVon Johnson down the left sideline for a 49 yard strike.
• The Tigers took their first lead of the game with 7:31 remaining.
• On a 3rd and eight at their own 28, EIU connected on their second 70-plus yard touchdown pass, to regain the advantage.
• Once again, the Tigers answered, traveling 65 yards on 10 plays as Earl Harrison finished off the drive with a four yard touchdown run.
• TSU missed their third two-point conversion attempt to keep the score at 41-40 with 3:06 to go in regulation.

NOTES

• Tennessee State was playing its first game since the Sept. 1 win over Bethune-Cookman in the John Merritt Classic to open the season. The last two games for TSU had been cancelled due to weather concerns.
• TSU captains were Micheal Hughes, Demry Croft, Thomas Burton and LaQuarius Cook.
• TSU won the coin toss and elected to kickoff to start the game.
• The Tigers are 18-26 in road games under Head Coach Rod Reed.
• TSU is 9-14 in the all-time series versus Eastern Illinois.
• Saturday’s game streamed live on ESPN+.

WHAT’S NEXT:The Tigers will return to Nashville for a non-conference tussle with SEC opponent, Vanderbilt. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. at Vanderbilt Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 29.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS