1996 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team

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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[edit]

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

[2]

References[edit]

  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.