Scoring on four of its first five possessions, Eastern Illinois took a quick 17-0 lead after the first quarter and continued to dominate offensively as the Redbirds managed just one field goal and one touchdown in the Panthers 45-10 win Saturday in front of 10,731 at OBrien Field in Charleston.
Chip Taylors grab at the EIU 15-yard line set up the only Bird TD of the game with 31 seconds remaining. Two plays later and with 18 seconds on the clock, Mike Souza connected on a 14-yard pass to Dwayne Smith for his second touchdown of the season. Stephen Carroll got the Birds the extra point.
Eastern Illinois improves to 2-2 on the year as the Birds take the same mark, 2-2. The 35-point margin of defeat tied the largest Panther win between the two schools in the series history, dating back to 1978 when EIU beat ISU 42-7.
To start the second half, Zouzounis, who replaced starting QB Souza in the first quarter, was picked off by Chad Cleveland on the third play of the half, who returned it to the Illinois State three-yard line. The play setup EIUs fourth TD, a 3-yard scramble by Taylor, his second of the game. Kicker Steve Kuehn secured the extra point for the Panthers, who took a commanding 31-3 lead.
A forced fumble at ISUs 38-yard line by George Lowe on Jon Laurentis catch with 11:18 to play in the third led to another Panther TD, a nine-yard plunge by Nick Eller as the drive went four plays for 47 yards and the Panthers increased their lead to 38-3.
Taylor scored his third touchdown of the game with 1:51 left on the clock in the third. The drive was six plays for 71 yards and EIU went up 45-3.
Stephen Carrolls 24-yard kick with 3.2 seconds left in the first half got the Redbirds on the scoreboard after a fumble by EIUs Andre Raymond was recovered by Boomer Grigsby. It was a small consolation as the Birds trailed 24-0.
Souza was 6-of-14 with one interception before being replaced by Zouzounis in the first quarter. The Panthers scored at the 10:52 mark on a 27-yard field goal before back-to-back touchdowns, first by Raymond on a 10-yard pass from Tony Romo at the 5:41 mark of the first and then Devon ONeal grabbed a 57-yarder from Romo with three minutes left in the first, following a Souza interception.
Leading 17-0, Eastern Illinois increased its lead to 24 on a seven-yard run by JR Taylor. ISU was limited to -20 yards rushing in the first half while the Panthers ran for 77.
Illinois State returns home to Hancock Stadium next weekend as the Redbirds open the Gateway Conference season against the Bears of Southwest Missouri State. A cornerstone of Illinois States homecoming festivities, which take place the weekend of Oct. 5, kickoff of the football game, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
