CHARLESTON, Ill. - Illinois State quarterback Drew Kiel was nearly perfect, completing 20-of-22 passes, but the effort wasn't enough to keep pace with Eastern Illinois in a 31-6 season-opening loss at O'Brien Field Thursday night.
Kiel, who started the game with 15 consecutive completions, threw for 140 yards and connected with Ben Graves for a score in the fourth quarter - the Redbirds' lone tally of the contest. On the other side, Jake Christensen threw three touchdown passes in his Eastern Illinois' debut and the Panthers used a varied ground attack to outgain the Redbirds 384-186 in total yards.
Geno Blow was the Redbirds top rusher with 13 carries for 37 yards as the Panthers limited the Illinois State ground game to 20 total yards. Kiel connected with seven different receivers in the game, most frequently Casey Cline, who finished with six catches for 69 yards. Graves and Eyad Salem each had five catches in the loss. Jermaine Malcolm led the Redbirds defensively with a career-high 10 tackles.
Kiel finished the first half 10-for-10 and moved the Redbirds into Eastern territory on the team's first two drives of the game, but a botched field goal attempt and a lost fumble left ISU with nothing to show for the effort.
Illinois State's defense stopped the Panthers on their first two drives, but a six-yard run by Mon Williams gave Eastern Illinois a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter. Illinois State cornerback EJ Jones picked off Christensen in the end zone for his first career interception, but EIU went up 14-0 after Christensen hit Jimmy Potempa with 14 seconds left in the first half. Christensen and the Panthers pushed the lead to 21-0 with another strike to early in the third quarter.
Kiel threw his first incomplete pass deep inside Panther territory after 15 attempts, but later put Illinois State in the end zone with a three-yard toss to Graves. The extra point failed after another snap mishap.
Eastern Illinois added another touchdown at the beginning of the fourth and kicked a field goal to reach the final score. Williams finished with 87 yards on the ground for the Panthers and Chavon Walker carried 10 times for 68 yards. The Panthers rushed for 217 yards as a team.
The loss was the worst to the Panthers since a 45-10 defeat in 2002, also on the road. The Redbirds have lost back-to-back games to EIU for the first time since losses in 1995 and '97.
Illinois State continues its early season slate next weekend when the Redbirds face Illinois in Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m.
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