2026 schedule
Eastern Illinois Panthers
2026 season so far
Eastern Illinois is 2-6 against the 46th-toughest schedule so far, scoring 16.8 and allowing 31.6 points per game (-14.8 per game).
Eastern Illinois plays below the FBS level, so its projections against FBS opponents include the measured gap between divisions.
Next up: at UT Martin in Week 9. We project Eastern Illinois 20, UT Martin 30 — Eastern Illinois wins 25% of the time.
Projections are statistical estimates for entertainment and analysis only. They are not betting advice and nothing here guarantees any result.
Regular season
12 games- at
Murray State Racers
0-1 · SOS #15
Win 28-14
Week 1
Our number· pregame
Murray State by 3.3
Total 52.9
Book line
Not posted
Final Eastern Illinois by 14. 42 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ Roy Stewart Stadium - at
Minnesota Golden Gophers
1-0 · SOS #75
Loss 7-59
Week 1
Our number· pregame
Minnesota by 36.1
Total 49.3
Book line
Not posted
Final Minnesota by 52. 66 points. No book line was saved for this game.
Peacock Huntington Bank Stadium - vs
Indiana State Sycamores
1-2 · SOS #19
Loss 35-42
Week 2
Our number· pregame
Eastern Illinois by 3.5
Total 51.9
Book line
Not posted
Final Indiana State by 7. 77 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ O'Brien Field - at
Illinois State Redbirds
4-0 · SOS #89
Loss 13-49
Week 3
Our number· pregame
Illinois State by 16.2
Total 59
Book line
Not posted
Final Illinois State by 36. 62 points. No book line was saved for this game.
ESPN+ Hancock Stadium - at
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
4-1 · SOS #52
Loss 7-42
Week 4
Our number· pregame
South Dakota State by 27.8
Total 57
Book line
Not posted
Final South Dakota State by 35. 49 points. No book line was saved for this game.
Game-time weather: Fog/mist, 64°F, Wind 8 mph SSE.Observed during the game · National Weather Service (KBKX)ESPN+ Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium - at
Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs
2-5 · SOS #54
Win 21-7
Week 6
Our number· pregame
Gardner-Webb by 17.1
Total 53.7
Book line
Not posted
Final Eastern Illinois by 14. 28 points. No book line was saved for this game.
Game-time weather: Rain, 62°F, Wind 6 mph NNE.Observed during the game · National Weather Service (KEHO)ESPN+ Ernest W. Spangler Stadium - vs
Lindenwood Lions
2-4 · SOS #98
Loss 13-20
Week 7
Our number· pregame
Eastern Illinois by 2.5
Total 53.3
Book line
Not posted
Final Lindenwood by 7. 33 points. No book line was saved for this game.
Game-time weather: Clear, 55°F, Wind calm.Observed during the game · National Weather Service (KMTO)ESPN+ O'Brien Field - vs
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
5-3 · SOS #70
Loss 10-20
Week 8
Our number· pregame
Southeast Missouri State by 5.5
Total 50.5
Book line
Not posted
Final Southeast Missouri State by 10. 30 points. No book line was saved for this game.
Game-time weather: Clear, 72°F, Wind 7 mph ESE.Observed during the game · National Weather Service (KMTO)ESPN+ O'Brien Field - at
UT Martin Skyhawks
3-5 · SOS #45
Sat, Oct 31, 7:00 PM
Week 9
Proj 20-30 · 25%
Our number
UT Martin by 10
Total 50
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
Kickoff forecast: Mostly cloudy, 75°F, Wind 5 mph SE, 6% rain.Kickoff forecast · National Weather Service, updated Oct 29, 2:38 AM EDTESPN+ Hardy M. Graham Stadium - vs
Western Illinois Leathernecks
4-4 · SOS #95
Sat, Nov 7, 8:00 PM
Week 10
Proj 24-33 · 27%
Our number
Western Illinois by 9
Total 57
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
ESPN+ O'Brien Field - at
Tennessee State Tigers
2-6 · SOS #33
Sat, Nov 14, 8:30 PM
Week 11
Proj 22-24 · 46%
Our number
Tennessee State by 2
Total 46
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
ESPN+ Nissan Stadium - vs
Charleston Southern Buccaneers
4-4 · SOS #61
Sat, Nov 21, 6:00 PM
Week 12
Proj 19-26 · 33%
Our number
Charleston Southern by 7
Total 45
Book line
Not posted
No book line posted yet.
ESPN+ O'Brien Field
Times shown in your local time
Eastern Illinois Panthers stats: basic, advanced and situational
Power rating
-33.7
Adj. offense
8.5
pts vs avg defense
Adj. defense
42.2
pts allowed vs avg offense
Basic stats
Box-score numbers per game.
| Stat | 2026 | FBS rank |
|---|---|---|
| Points per gameEvery point scored, every game. | 16.8 | — |
| Points allowed per gameEvery point conceded, every game. | 31.6 | — |
| Yards per playScrimmage yards divided by scrimmage plays (sacks count as pass plays). | 4.79 | — |
| Yards per play allowedThe same measure for opponents. | 6.11 | — |
| Rushing yards per gameDesigned runs and scrambles. | 124.9 | — |
| Net passing yards per gamePassing yards minus sack yardage. | 134.4 | — |
| Rushing yards allowed per gameOpponents' rushing yards. | 198.6 | — |
| Net passing yards allowed per gameOpponents' net passing yards. | 237.4 | — |
| Turnovers per gameInterceptions thrown and fumbles lost. | 0.63 | — |
| Takeaways per gameInterceptions and fumble recoveries. | 1.13 | — |
| Sacks per gameSacks by this defense. | 0.88 | — |
| Sacks allowed per gameSacks taken by this offense. | 1.75 | — |
Advanced stats
Efficiency from play-by-play, garbage time removed: expected points added (EPA), success rate, explosiveness, havoc, finishing drives, field position and pace.
| Stat | 2026 | FBS rank |
|---|---|---|
| EPA per playExpected points added per snap, garbage time removed. Zero is average; +0.10 is very good. | -0.00 | — |
| EPA per play allowedExpected points the defense gives up per snap. Lower is better. | +0.08 | — |
| Success rateShare of plays that stay on schedule: 50% of the distance on 1st down, 70% on 2nd, all of it on 3rd and 4th. | 35.5% | — |
| Success rate allowedOpponents' success rate. | 43.5% | — |
| Explosive play rateRuns of 12+ yards and passes of 16+ yards, as a share of plays. | 11.0% | — |
| Explosive plays allowedThe same rate for opponents. | 14.2% | — |
| Havoc rateShare of snaps with a tackle for loss, sack, forced fumble, interception or pass break-up. | 12.3% | — |
| Havoc allowedHow often this offense suffers a havoc play. | 16.8% | — |
| Points per scoring opportunityFinishing drives: points per possession that reaches the opponent's 40. | 3.99 | — |
| Points per opportunity allowedHow well the defense holds once opponents cross its 40. | 4.27 | — |
| Average starting field positionWhere this offense's drives begin, on average. | opp 10 | — |
| Opponents' starting field positionWhere opponents' drives begin. | opp 7 | — |
| Offensive plays per game (pace)Scrimmage snaps per game; a tempo measure. | 54.1 | — |
Situational stats
Run vs pass splits, passing downs, third downs and the red zone.
| Stat | 2026 | FBS rank |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing EPA per playExpected points added on runs. | -0.04 | — |
| Passing EPA per playExpected points added on dropbacks, sacks included. | +0.04 | — |
| Rushing EPA allowedRun defense, per play. | +0.06 | — |
| Passing EPA allowedPass defense, per dropback. | +0.11 | — |
| Rushing success rateShare of runs that stay on schedule. | 30.7% | — |
| Passing success rateShare of dropbacks that stay on schedule. | 35.5% | — |
| Run stuff rateRuns stopped at or behind the line. | 26.2% | — |
| Passing-down success rateSuccess on 2nd-and-8+ and 3rd/4th-and-5+. | 25.8% | — |
| Passing-down success allowedHow often opponents escape long-yardage downs. | 31.8% | — |
| Third-down conversion rateThird downs converted by the play itself. | 30.8% | — |
| Third-down rate allowedOpponents' third-down conversions. | 46.3% | — |
| Red-zone touchdown rateDrives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown. | 63.2% | — |
| Red-zone TD rate allowedOpponents' red-zone touchdown rate. | 66.8% | — |
Power rating = projected margin against an average FBS team on a neutral field, from our opponent-adjusted efficiency model. How it works and how accurate it has been.
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