CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2024 Eastern Illinois

3–⁠9 (2–⁠6 Big South–OVC Football Association).

Schedule and results

Eastern Illinois in 2024, game by game: lost at Illinois 0–45; won vs. Indiana State 27–20; lost vs. Northwestern 7–31; lost at Illinois State 7–31; lost vs. Lindenwood 25–28; lost vs. Southeast Missouri State 27–38; lost at Tennessee State 17–41; lost at UT Martin 17–52; won vs. Western Illinois 45–38; lost at Gardner-Webb 28–31; won vs. Charleston Southern 16–13; lost at Tennessee Tech 6–23+7−45Lost 0–45 at Illinois-45IllinoisWon 27–20 vs. Indiana State+7Indiana StateLost 7–31 vs. Northwestern-24NorthwesternLost 7–31 at Illinois State-24Illinois StateLost 25–28 vs. Lindenwood-3LindenwoodLost 27–38 vs. Southeast Missouri State-11Southeast Misso…Lost 17–41 at Tennessee State-24Tennessee StateLost 17–52 at UT Martin-35UT MartinWon 45–38 vs. Western Illinois+7Western IllinoisLost 28–31 at Gardner-Webb-3Gardner-WebbWon 16–13 vs. Charleston Southern+3Charleston Sout…Lost 6–23 at Tennessee Tech-17Tennessee Tech
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 29atIllinoisL 0–⁠4521%
Sep 7vsIndiana StateW 27–⁠2073%
Sep 14vsNorthwesternL 7–⁠3122%
Sep 21atIllinois StateL 7–⁠3134%
Sep 28vsLindenwoodL 25–⁠2865%
Oct 5vsSoutheast Missouri StateL 27–⁠3837%
Oct 12atTennessee StateL 17–⁠4136%
Oct 26atUT MartinL 17–⁠5220%
Nov 2vsWestern IllinoisW 45–⁠3862%
Nov 9atGardner-WebbL 28–⁠3131%
Nov 16vsCharleston SouthernW 16–⁠1369%
Nov 23atTennessee TechL 6–⁠2326%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Tennessee Tech 23–⁠6; unranked in the final AP poll; 8th in the Big South–OVC Football Association.

In program history: The 35th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 47 on file).

Record
3–⁠9
Conference
2–⁠6 8th in Big South–OVC Football Association
AP final
Unranked
Points
222–⁠391
Coach
—
Elo
1195 −107 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−35.0 No. 87 of 129 in FCS
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Kyle Derickson
Defensive coordinator
Collin Geier

Leaders

Passing yardsPierce Holley QB3,125 yds
Passing touchdownsPierce Holley QB18 TD
Rushing yardsM.J. Flowers RB865 yds
Rushing touchdownsM.J. Flowers RB7 TD
Receiving yardsCooper Willman WR955 yds
Receiving touchdownsCooper Willman WR8 TD
TacklesElijawah Tolbert LB20 tkl
InterceptionsNiJhay Burt CB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2024 class

David Ajose ATH★★★No. 2492
Daniel Ajose ATH★★★No. 2492
Rahfeeq Katumbusi OL★★No. 3253
Connor Wolf QB★★No. 3414
Isaiah Hare DL★★No. 3490

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2024 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks12.00.760
Offensive line12.00.770
Defensive line12.00.750
Athletes and specialists23.00.820
Whole class52.40.784

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Transfers in 3

The 2024 portal
C.J. Nelson WR★★★from Houston
Ryan Kilburg S★★★from Western Michigan
Surahz Buncom WR★★★from Kansas

Transfers out 2

Blake Ruffin S★★★to Louisville
Justin Bowick WR★★★to Ball State

2024 Big South–OVC Football Association standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Southeast Missouri State6–⁠29–⁠4
Tennessee State6–⁠29–⁠4
UT Martin6–⁠29–⁠5
Tennessee Tech6–⁠27–⁠5
Lindenwood4–⁠45–⁠7
Western Illinois3–⁠54–⁠8
Gardner-Webb3–⁠54–⁠8
Eastern Illinois2–⁠63–⁠9
Charleston Southern0–⁠81–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.