CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2025 Eastern Illinois

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

Schedule and results

Eastern Illinois in 2025, game by game: won vs. Dayton 24–14; lost at Indiana State 14–38; lost vs. Illinois State 30–42; won at Western Illinois 31–23; won vs. Tennessee State 31–7; lost vs. Gardner-Webb 10–21; lost at Southeast Missouri State 13–42; lost at Charleston Southern 16–17; lost vs. UT Martin 20–27; lost vs. Tennessee Tech 9–21; lost at Lindenwood 12–42; lost at No. 10 Alabama 0–56+24−56Won 24–14 vs. Dayton+10DaytonLost 14–38 at Indiana State-24Indiana StateLost 30–42 vs. Illinois State-12Illinois StateWon 31–23 at Western Illinois+8Western IllinoisWon 31–7 vs. Tennessee State+24Tennessee StateLost 10–21 vs. Gardner-Webb-11Gardner-WebbLost 13–42 at Southeast Missouri State-29Southeast Misso…Lost 16–17 at Charleston Southern-1Charleston Sout…Lost 20–27 vs. UT Martin-7UT MartinLost 9–21 vs. Tennessee Tech-12Tennessee TechLost 12–42 at Lindenwood-30LindenwoodLost 0–56 at No. 10 Alabama-56No. 10 Alabama
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 28vsDaytonW 24–⁠1454%
Sep 6atIndiana StateL 14–⁠3845%
Sep 13vsIllinois StateL 30–⁠4235%
Sep 27atWestern IllinoisW 31–⁠2344%
Oct 4vsTennessee StateW 31–⁠752%
Oct 11vsGardner-WebbL 10–⁠2152%
Oct 18atSoutheast Missouri StateL 13–⁠4235%
Oct 25atCharleston SouthernL 16–⁠1749%
Nov 1vsUT MartinL 20–⁠2740%
Nov 8vsTennessee TechL 9–⁠2120%
Nov 15atLindenwoodL 12–⁠4233%
Nov 22at10AlabamaL 0–⁠563%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Alabama 56–⁠0; unranked in the final AP poll; 8th in the Big South–OVC Football Association.

In program history: The 39th-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
210–⁠350
Coach
—
Elo
1158 −72 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
−37.1 No. 97 of 129 in FCS
Recruiting class
No. 195
Offensive coordinator
Kyle Derickson
Defensive coordinator
Andrew Strobel

Leaders

Passing yardsConnor Wolf QB1,074 yds
Passing touchdownsConnor Wolf QB8 TD
Rushing yardsCharles Kellom RB716 yds
Rushing touchdownsCole Lacrue QB7 TD
Receiving yardsC.J. Nelson WR393 yds
Receiving touchdownsC.J. Nelson WR3 TD
TacklesMoses Alexander DB13 tkl
InterceptionsMoses Alexander DB3 INT

Top recruits in the 2025 class

Le’Javier Payne CB★★★No. 3124
Brady Ford QB★★No. 3230
Barron Sholl DE★★No. 3230
Tyler Fortis DL★★No. 3325
Reed Blake-Thomas LB★★No. 3430

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

The 2025 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks12.00.790
Defensive line22.00.785
Linebackers32.00.763
Defensive backs13.00.802
Whole class72.10.779

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.

Roster 111

The 2025 roster

111 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2025 line; 45 have a stat line. See the roster

Transfers in 3

The 2025 portal
Cole Lacrue QB★★★from Wisconsin
Bruce Mitchell Sfrom Mississippi Valley State
Charles Kellom RBfrom Akron

Transfers out 3

M.J. Flowers RB★★★to UConn
NiJhay Burt CB★★★to Michigan State
Jacob Horvath Pto North Carolina

2025 Big South–OVC Football Association standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Tennessee Tech8–⁠011–⁠2
UT Martin6–⁠26–⁠6
Gardner-Webb5–⁠37–⁠5
Lindenwood5–⁠36–⁠6
Charleston Southern4–⁠45–⁠7
Southeast Missouri State3–⁠54–⁠8
Western Illinois3–⁠54–⁠8
Eastern Illinois2–⁠63–⁠9
Tennessee State0–⁠82–⁠10

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