>>Eastern Holds Off Indiana State

 

Mitch Kimble fired a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Turner with 3 seconds left to give Eastern Illinois a 22-20 win over Indiana State in the season opener Thursday night, spoiling Curt Mallory's debut as the Sycamore's coach in the first night game at Memorial Stadium since 2010.

LeMonte Booker scored his second touchdown of the game after missing all of 2016 due to injury, giving Indiana State a 20-16 lead with just under five minutes to play. Jerry Nunez missed a 48-yard field goal attempt to pad the lead with 2:14 left.

 

Kimble drove the Panthers 69 yards in 11 plays for the game-winner, finishing 27 of 44 passing for 204 yards.

 

Mark Williams gave Eastern Illinois the lead in the first quarter, picking off an Isaac Harker pass and returning it 75 yards for a touchdown.

 

Booker finished with 154 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries.

 

>>Western Routs Tennessee Tech

 

Jaelon Acklin had a touchdown rushing and receiving in the second half and Western Illinois opened the season with a 41-14 win over Tennessee Tech on Thursday night.

 

Defensive end Khalen Saunders added a 1-yard touchdown and Mike Viti returned an interception 45 yards for a score as the Leathernecks led 34-0 after three quarters.

 

Saunders bulled his way into the end zone in the second quarter and Sam Crosa added two field goals to make it 13-0.

 

Acklin scored on a 21-yard end around and Vic Johnson added a 16-yard run before the interception return in the third.

 

Andrew Sale threw TD passes of 61 and 52 yards in the fourth quarter for the Golden Eagles.

 

Max Norris had 133 yards on 19 carries for Western Illinois, which piled up 298 yards on the ground and 443 overall. The defense forced three turnovers and Quentin Moon had 3½ tackles for loss and a forced fumble among his 10 tackles.

 

Tech had 252 yards, all in the air. Elliot Normand had 18 tackles.