PHILADELPHIA - Eastern Illinois added a second player to the Walter Payton Award Watch List as junior wide receiver Erik Lora was named one of the twenty candidates for the award on Tuesday.  Lora joins teammate Jimmy Garoppolo on the list making EIU the only school in the nation with two candidates.

Lora currently leads the nation in both pass receptions (83) and receiving yards (1,129) as the Panthers are ranked second in the nation in total offense and scoring offense while ranking fifth in passing offense.  Lora has recorded seven straight 100-yard receiving days this season including a pair of days over 200 yards.

He set the OVC and EIU single game record for receptions with 21 in an overtime win over Murray State.  In that game Lora set the school record with 269 yards and three touchdowns.  He won the game by completing a two-point conversion pass to Von Wise in the overtime period.  Lora was named the National Player of the Week for his efforts.

This season Lora has five games with double digit receptions.  He broke the EIU school record for single season receptions held by Jerry Wright with 76 receptions in 1984. 

EIU returns to action this weekend at No. 18 Eastern Kentucky.  The game will be a battle for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference as EKU is 4-1 in the league, EIU is 3-1.  The game will be televised nationally on FOX College Sports Atlantic.

Former EIU quarterback Tony Romo is the only OVC player to ever win the Walter Payton Award taking home the nation's top FCS honor in 2002.

Other nominees on the Watch List are quarterbacks Casey Brockman of Murray State, Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois, Taylor Heinicke of Old Dominion, DeNarius McGhee of Montana State, Wynrick Smothers of Central Arkansas and Brad Sorensen of Southern Utah; running backs Zach Bauman of Northern Arizona, Shakir Bell of Indiana State, Jamaine Cook of Youngstown State, Matt Denham of Eastern Kentucky, Timothy Flanders of Sam Houston State, Miguel Maysonet of Stony Brook, Andrew Pierce of Delaware, Terrance West of Towson, Deonte Williams of Cal Poly and Zack Zenner of South Dakota State; fullback Eric Breitenstein of Wofford; and wide receivers Aaron Mellette of Elon and Cordell Roberson of Stephen F. Austin.

Bios of all 20 players can be found at http://tiny.cc/264bhw