1996 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team

1996 Eastern Illinois Panthers football
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 16
Record8–4 (6–2 OVC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRoy Wittke (7th season)
Home stadiumO'Brien Stadium
Seasons
← 1995
1997 →
1996 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Murray State $^   8 – 0     11 – 2  
No. 16 Eastern Illinois ^   6 – 2     8 – 4  
Eastern Kentucky   6 – 2     6 – 5  
Middle Tennessee   4 – 4     6 – 5  
Tennessee Tech   4 – 4     5 – 6  
Tennessee State   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Southeast Missouri State   3 – 5     3 – 8  
Austin Peay   1 – 7     1 – 10  
Tennessee–Martin   1 – 7     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1996 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Bob Spoo, the Panthers compiled and overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the OVC. Eastern Illinois was invited to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they lost to Northern Iowa in the first round.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
August 29at Western Michigan*No. 25
W 28–20
September 7No. 2 (D-II) Pittsburg State*No. 24
W 41–31
September 14Indiana State*No. 17
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 35–16
September 28at Tennessee–MartinNo. 9
W 38–0
October 12Western Illinois*No. 7
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
L 7–1010,133[1]
October 19No. 8 Murray StateNo. 14
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
L 28–35
October 26at Tennessee TechNo. 18
W 35–27
November 2at Austin PeayNo. 17
W 42–7
November 9at Southeast Missouri StateNo. 17
W 41–21
November 16at Middle TennesseeNo. 14
L 24–31
November 23Eastern KentuckyNo. 19
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 45–21
November 30at No. 3 Northern Iowa*No. 16
L 14–21

[2]

References

  1. ^ "Western Illinois hands Eastern Illinois defeat". The Pantagraph. Associated Press. October 13, 1996. p. F5. Retrieved November 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "EIU Football Online Guide, 2019" (PDF). Eastern Illinois athletics.