2025 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team

2025 Eastern Illinois Panthers football
ConferenceBig South–OVC
Record0–0 (0–0 Big South–OVC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorKyle Derickson (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorCollin Geier (2nd season)
Home stadiumO'Brien Field
Seasons
← 2024
2026 →
2025 Big South–OVC football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Charleston Southern   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Eastern Illinois   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Gardner–Webb   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Lindenwood*   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Southeast Missouri State   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Tennessee State   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Tennessee Tech   0 – 0     0 – 0  
UT Martin   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Western Illinois   0 – 0     0 – 0  
  • Note: Lindenwood ineligible for Big South–OVC title and FCS postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II.
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2025 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team will represent Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Big South–OVC Football Association during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Panthers were led by fourth-year head coach Chris Wilkerson and play their home games at O'Brien Field located in Charleston, Illinois.

Offseason

Transfers

Outgoing

Player Position Destination
Nijhay Burt DB Michigan State
MJ Flowers RB UConn
Kaelin Drakeford DB Unknown
Cody Silzer DE Unknown
Nick Coates S Unknown
Aaron Rice WR Unknown
Joshua Johnson OL Unknown
Malik Rainey DB Unknown

[1][2][3]

Recruiting class

Name Position Height Weight Hometown High School
Kennyan Chandler LB 5-10 230 Kankakee, IL Kankakee
Michael Curry RB 5-10 180 Louisville, KY Atherton
Brady Ford QB 6-0 195 Toledo, OH Whitmer
Tyler Fortis DL 6-2 265 Park Ridge, IL Maine South
Dejan Guzina OL 6-8 345 Delta, B.C. (Canada) Football North Canada
Davian Humphrey LB 6-1 200 Chicago, IL Phillips
Carlyun Neal WR 5-11 180 Cincinnati, OH Withrow
Le'Javier Payne DB 5-8 170 Chicago, IL Chicago Mt. Carmel
Jett Reese LB 6-2 220 Chicago, IL DePaul College Prep
Barron Sholl DL 6-4 240 Rockford, IL Boylan Central Catholic

[4]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteTVResult
August 30Dayton*
TBA
September 6at Indiana State*
TBA
September 13Illinois State*
TBA
November 22at Alabama*
TBA
  • *Non-conference game

[5]

Game summaries

vs. Dayton

See also: 2025 Dayton Flyers football team
Game One – Dayton Flyers (0–0) at Eastern Illinois Panthers (0–0) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Flyers 0 0 000
Panthers 0 0 000

at O'Brien Field • Charleston, IL

  • Date: Saturday August 30, 2025
  • Game time: TBA
  • TV announcers (TBA): TBA
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Statistics DAY EIU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Dayton Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Eastern Illinois Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at Indiana State

See also: 2025 Indiana State Sycamores football team
Game Two – Eastern Illinois Panthers (0–0) at Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Panthers 0 0 000
Sycamores 0 0 000

at Memorial Stadium • Terre Haute, IN

  • Date: Saturday September 6, 2025
  • Game time: TBA
  • TV announcers (TBA): TBA
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Statistics EIU INST
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Eastern Illinois Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Indiana State Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs. Illinois State

See also: 2025 Illinois State Redbirds football team
Game Three – Illinois State Redbirds (0–0) at Eastern Illinois Panthers (0–0) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Redbirds 0 0 000
Panthers 0 0 000

at Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL

  • Date: Saturday September 13, 2025
  • Game time: TBA
  • TV announcers (TBA): TBA
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Statistics ILST EIU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Illinois State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Eastern Illinois Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at (FBS) Alabama

See also: 2025 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
Game Four – Eastern Illinois Panthers (0–0) at (FBS) Alabama Crimson Tide (0–0) – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Panthers 0 0 000
(FBS) Crimson Tide 0 0 000

at Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL

  • Date: Saturday November 22, 2025
  • Game time: TBA
  • TV announcers (TBA): TBA
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Statistics EIU ALA
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
Team Category Player Statistics
Eastern Illinois Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Alabama Passing
Rushing
Receiving

References

  1. ^ "2025 FCS-to-FCS Transfers". herosports.
  2. ^ "2025 FBS-to-FCS Transfers". herosports.
  3. ^ "2025 FCS-to-FBS Transfers". herosports. December 14, 2024.
  4. ^ "Football Adds Ten On December Signing Day". eiupanthers. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  5. ^ "2025 Eastern Illinois Football Schedule". FBSchedules. Retrieved December 24, 2024.