Box Score CHARLESTON, Ill. – Elijah Owens threw three touchdown passes and nearly willed Indiana State to a late comeback against Eastern Illinois as the Sycamores fell to the host Panthers on Saturday night at O'Brien Field, 27-20.
 
Owens guided Indiana State (0-2) on a 17-play, 80-yard drive late in the second half as the Sycamores mounted a comeback trailing 27-13 late in the contest. The redshirt freshman quarterback highlighted the drive by keeping his composure and his pants before finding Zavion Taylor for a nine-yard touchdown pass with 55 seconds remaining in the contest to make it a one-score game.
 
Owens completed passes to five different receivers over the 17-play drive as the Sycamores took over on their own 20-yard line following a missed Eastern Illinois (1-1) field goal attempt. He went 12-for-13 through the air on the drive and converted three 3rd-and-long situations including a 28-yard pass to Zavion Taylor down the right sideline on 3rd-and-12 to set up the touchdown.
 
The Sycamores set up for the onside kick and Sebastian Lopez got the bounce into the second level of the EIU return team before Eli Mirza jumped on the loose ball to let the Panthers run out the clock and secure the win.
 
Owens guided the Sycamores to a pair of first half touchdown drives as Indiana State overcame three turnovers in the first 30 minutes to enter the break trailing 17-13. Rashad Rochelle (16-yard) and Plez Lawrence (14-yard) both hauled in their first touchdown catches of the season to help the Sycamores nearly offset a Moses Alexander 60-yard fumble recovery scoop-and-score that put the Panthers on top early.
 
EIU running back MJ Flowers recorded 93 rushing yards and a touchdown to put Eastern Illinois ahead early in the contest and Cooper Willman added a late touchdown reception for the Panthers in securing the win.
 
Owens went 30-of-37 through the air for a career-high 260 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions in the loss. The redshirt freshman added a team-high 12 carries for 44 yards on the ground.
 
Nine different receivers posted catches in the contest led by Kevin Barnett's five receptions for 45 yards. Taylor and Rochelle both added matching stat lines of four catches, 45 yards, and a touchdown, while Plez Lawrence added a career-high seven receptions for 41 yards and a score.
 
Geoffrey Brown led the Indiana State defense with nine tackles and three quarterback hurries. Gianini Belizaire added six stops and 1.0 tackles-for-loss, while Kendrick Milford added five tackles, 2.0 TFL, and his first sack as a Sycamore. Additional defensive highlights included Maddix Blackwell's first interception of the season, while Jack Sherman added 1.5 TFLs.
 
EIU quarterback Pierce Holley went 19-of-32 through the air for 268 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Terrance Gibson had a game-high six catches for 100 yards, while Cooper Willman finished with three receptions, 30 yards, and a score in the win.
 
NiJhay Burt led the Panther defense with nine tackles, 1.0 TFLs, and two interceptions. Elijawah Tolbert added eight stops and a third interception, while Nicholas Oliveira-Chace added 2.0 sacks in the win.
 
How They Scored

• Eastern Illinois moved 99 yards down the field with MJ Flowers capping off the drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge to put the Panthers ahead 7-0 with 2:22 left in the first quarter. The drive was highlighted by Pierce Holley's 47-yard pass to DeAirious Smith to swing the field.
• Elijah Owens was flushed from the pocket to the right, but threw it back across his body to a wide-open Rashad Rochelle going left inside the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown pass to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive and tie the game up at 7-7 with 12:57 to play in the second quarter. Key play on the drive came as Owens found Kai Rios for a 26-yard reception near midfield to keep the drive alive.
• EIU's defense put the Panthers back in the lead with 10:27 remaining in the second quarter as Moses Alexander picked up a Sycamore fumble and returned it 60 yards down the left sideline to give Eastern Illinois the 14-7 lead.
• Elijah Owens found Plez Lawrence for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:51 left in the second quarter as the Sycamore running back went around the left corner and out-raced the EIU defender to the pylon. The score was sparked by Maddix Blackwell's interception that set Indiana State up with the ball at the Panthers' 30-yard line. The score was 14-13 after the Sycamore missed extra-point.
• EIU kicker Drew Schiller connected on a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to end a nine-play, 72-yard drive and make it a 17-13 game at the break.
• Schiller added to the EIU lead with a 40-yard field goal at the 7:48 mark in the third quarter to end a six-play, 20-yard drive and make it a 20-13 Panther lead.
• Pierce Holley found Cooper Willman for a five-yard touchdown pass in the left flat giving Eastern Illinois a 27-13 lead with 1:21 remaining in the third quarter. The touchdown pass capped a 10-play, 63-yard drive after an Indiana State punt.
• The Sycamores nearly rallied back in the closing minutes as Elijah Owens escaped the EIU pass rush, and rolled out to the left before finding Zavion Taylor for a nine-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead down to 27-20 with 0:55 remaining. The touchdown capped a 17-play, 80-yard drive to provide the final scoring margin.

 
News & Notables

• Elijah Owens' touchdown pass to Rashad Rochelle in the second quarter marked Indiana State's first offensive touchdown of the 2024 season.
• Rochelle's 16-yard touchdown reception marked his first touchdown at Indiana State.
• Maddix Blackwell continues to find the ball as the Sycamore safety recorded his first interception of the season on a tipped pass in the second quarter. It marked his second turnover of the 2024 season after forcing a fumble last week against Purdue. He was involved in seven turnovers in the 2023 season (two interceptions, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries).
• Elijah Owens' three-touchdown game marked the first by a Sycamore quarterback since Cade Chambers recorded the same back on October 15, 2022, at Youngstown State.
• Elijah Owens' 30 completions marked Indiana State's first quarterback to post a 30-competion game since Isaac Harker (35-of-52) achieved the feat back on October 1, 2016, against Missouri State.
• Eastern Illinois recorded their third defensive touchdown in the last two games against Indiana State following Moses Alexander's 60-yard fumble recovery scoop-and-score in the second quarter. EIU returned two pick-sixes in the contest in the 2023 season.
• Indiana State's nine players with catches in the contest marked the most Sycamores to post at least one catch in the same game since November 18, 2023, against Illinois State when 11 different players recorded at least one reception.

Postgame Press Conference

 
Up Next
Indiana State makes its 2024 home debut next weekend in Memorial Stadium as the Sycamores welcome Dayton to Terre Haute on Saturday, September 14. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Flyers is set for 6 p.m. ET with the game to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
 
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