Eastern Illinois University Athletics

2009 SCHEDULE

CHARLESTON, Ill. – A trip to Rose Bowl participant Penn State and a home Thursday night opener against Illinois State highlight the 2009 Eastern Illinois football schedule released today. The Panthers are under the leadership of head coach Bob Spoo who returns for his 22nd season at EIU.

The Oct. 10 game at Penn State will match two of the longest tenured Division I head coaches against each other. Joe Paterno is the leader on that list serving at Penn State since 1966. Spoo has been on the EIU sidelines as the head man since 1987. The two are separated by Bob Ford (at Albany since 1973), Bobby Bowden (at Florida State since 1976), Andy Talley (at Villanova since 1985) and Frank Beamer (at Virginia Tech since 1987). This also marks the second straight season that EIU has faced the Big Ten’s representative from the Rose Bowl.

The Panthers kick off the season on Thursday night, Sept 3, when they host Illinois State in the 98th edition of the in-state rivalry. Kick off is set for 7 p.m. at O’Brien Field with the Redbirds led by new head coach Brock Spack, a former assistant coach at EIU under Bob Spoo.

EIU will then hit the road for three straight games in September with a Sept. 12 game at Indiana State, Ohio Valley Conference opener at Southeast Missouri on Sept. 19 and road contest at Austin Peay on Sept. 26.

Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech are home games with the Penn State game sandwiched in between. EIU hosts EKU for Family Weekend on Oct. 3 at 1:30 p.m. The Panthers host TTU on Oct. 17 for the 93rd homecoming contest with kick off also at 1:30 p.m.

Road conference games at Jacksonville State on Oct. 24 and Murray State on Oct. 31 wrap up the month of October.

EIU has an open date on Nov. 7 before closing the regular season at home against UT Martin and Tennessee State. UT Martin comes to O’Brien Field on Nov. 14 for a 1:30 p.m. kick off with the game serving as the Panthers Hall of Fame Game. Senior Day will take place on Nov. 21 against Tennessee State with a Noon kick off.

The 2009 FCS playoffs begin with first round action on Nov. 28 and the NCAA FCS Championship game taking place on Dec. 18 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Season tickets for the 2009 football season will go on sale in mid-March through the EIU ticket office at (217) 581-2106. EIU director of athletics Barbara Burke has announced that season ticket prices will not increase for the 2009 season.