Mid-America Classic

Mid-America Classic
Sport Football
First meeting November 25, 1901
EIU 28, ISU 0
Latest meeting September 17, 2016
EIU 24, ISU 21
Next meeting 2017
Trophy Mid-America Classic Trophy
Statistics
Meetings total 105
All-time series Illinois State leads, 54–42–9
Largest victory ISU, 48–7 (1992)
Longest win streak EIU, 8 (1924–31)
Current win streak EIU, 1 (2016–present)
Illinois State University
Eastern Illinois 
University
Locations in Illinois

The Mid-America Classic is a long-standing American college football rivalry game played in most years since 1901 between the Panthers of Eastern Illinois University and the Redbirds of Illinois State University. The 2017 season will mark the 106th meeting between the two teams with Illinois State leading the series 54-42-9.

History

The rivalry between the two schools began in 1901 and is the oldest in the state of Illinois. It has continued almost completely uninterrupted through the years as the Panthers and Redbirds played in the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference until it disbanded in 1970. They would play in different conferences until 1985 when they both joined the newly formed football arm of the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference, previously a league that sponsored only women's sports. After the Gateway merged with the Missouri Valley Conference in 1992, its football side was spun off into the Gateway Football Conference (now the Missouri Valley Football Conference), with both teams remaining in that league until the Panthers moved their entire athletic program to the Ohio Valley Conference in 1995. Even though annual meetings are no longer assured, the two sides have met almost every year since, including twice in 2006. The two teams have played 105 times in total, with Illinois State holding a 54–42–9 advantage in the all-time series.

For the 100th game in the series, in 2012, representatives from the two schools met and decided to give the rivalry the name of Mid-America Classic. The two schools also collaborated on a traveling trophy, which holds plaques with the results of the previous 100 games in the series and has room for results of future games in the series.[1]

Notable games

October 27, 1906 – Illinois State's six-hour bus drive to Charleston, Ill., was only made worse by an 11–6 defeat.[2]

November 3, 1915 – Both teams fumbled inside each other's 10-yard line in this 0–0 game played at EIU.[2]

November 11, 1916 – EIU visited Normal, Ill., for the first ever Homecoming game on Illinois State's campus. ISU scored its only points on a 45-yard blocked punt by Ritter in a 24–7 loss.

November 5, 1921 – ISU rolled to a 42–3 victory in its Homecoming game, as five different ISU players scored a touchdown (Brown, Stewart, Clark, Jensen, Frkyman).[2]

November 14, 1959 – Illinois State linemen wear gloves for the first time on a snowy, icy day, as Dave Babcock scored the only Illinois State touchdown in a 6–6 tie.[2]

September 30, 1961 – Illinois State's Keith Reiger's touchdown pass to Bill Monken "probably set an IIAC record for the shortest TD pass: 18 inches" in the Redbirds' 18–0 win.[2]

September 29, 1962 – Paul Whitmore's 91-yard punt return was the only score in this 6–0 Redbird victory. It still remains the longest punt return for a touchdown in Illinois State history.[2]

October 10, 1981 – ISU reserve Andy Fladung came off the bench to intercept a school-record four passes in the Redbirds' 25–3 win.[2]

September 16, 2006 – Marked the first time in the history of the Illinois State-Eastern Illinois series where both teams were nationally ranked. The Redbirds entered the game No. 7 and Panthers were ranked No. 18. ISU trailed, 10–0, after the first quarter, but a 23-point second quarter put the 'Birds in control of a 44–30 win. Pierre Jackson had a career-high 132 receiving yards on six catches.[2][3]

November 25, 2006 – Two months after facing each other in the regular season, ISU and EIU met each other in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs. ISU's Jason Tate (41 yards) and Jesse Caesar (45 yards) each returned interceptions for touchdowns in the 24–13 Redbird win.[2][4]

September 15, 2012 – Matt Brown accounted for seven touchdowns, and his fifth scoring pass of the game, a 25-yarder to Tyrone Walker in the second overtime period, capped a career-high 473-yard performance and gave Illinois State a 54–51 victory over Eastern Illinois.[5]

Game results

Eastern Illinois victories
Illinois State victories
Tie games
Date Site Winning team Losing team Series
November 25, 1901Neutral Eastern Illinois28Illinois State0EIU 1–0
November 3, 1905Charleston Illinois State6Eastern Illinois 4Tied 1–1
October 27, 1906Charleston Eastern Illinois11Illinois State 6EIU 2–1
November 16, 1907Normal Eastern Illinois6Illinois State 6EIU 2–1–1
October 17, 1908Bloomington Illinois State31Eastern Illinois 0Tied 2–2–1
November 16, 1912Normal Eastern Illinois32Illinois State 3EIU 3–2–1
November 15, 1913Charleston Eastern Illinois26Illinois State 7EIU 4–2–1
November 14, 1914Normal Eastern Illinois13Illinois State 6EIU 5–2–1
November 3, 1915Charleston Eastern Illinois0Illinois State 0EIU 5–2–2
November 11, 1916Normal Eastern Illinois24Illinois State 7EIU 6–2–2
November 17, 1917Charleston Eastern Illinois13Illinois State 7EIU 7–2–2
November 6, 1920Charleston Illinois State20Eastern Illinois 7EIU 7–3–2
November 5, 1921Normal Illinois State42Eastern Illinois 3EIU 7–4–2
November 4, 1922Charleston Eastern Illinois0Illinois State 0EIU 7–4–3
November 2, 1923Bloomington Illinois State13Eastern Illinois 0EIU 7–5–3
November 1, 1924Charleston Eastern Illinois3Illinois State 0EIU 8–5–3
October 31, 1925Normal Eastern Illinois7Illinois State 0EIU 9–5–3
November 25, 1926Charleston Eastern Illinois12Illinois State 0EIU 10–5–3
October 1, 1927Normal Eastern Illinois6Illinois State 0EIU 11–5–3
November 10, 1928Charleston Eastern Illinois19Illinois State 0EIU 12–5–3
September 20, 1929Normal Eastern Illinois33Illinois State 0EIU 13–5–3
October 4, 1930Charleston Eastern Illinois15Illinois State 0EIU 14–5–3
November 4, 1931Normal Eastern Illinois7Illinois State 6EIU 15–5–3
October 8, 1932Normal Illinois State39Eastern Illinois 0EIU 15–6–3
October 14, 1933Charleston Illinois State32Eastern Illinois 6EIU 15–7–3
November 9, 1934Normal Illinois State13Eastern Illinois 0EIU 15–8–3
October 19, 1935Charleston Illinois State13Eastern Illinois 0EIU 15–9–3
October 24, 1936Normal Illinois State13Eastern Illinois 0EIU 15–10–3
October 23, 1937Charleston Eastern Illinois0Illinois State 0EIU 15–10–4
October 22, 1938Normal Illinois State19Eastern Illinois 0EIU 15–11–4
October 21, 1939Charleston Eastern Illinois0Illinois State 0EIU 15–11–5
October 19, 1940Normal Illinois State30Eastern Illinois 12EIU 15–12–5
October 18, 1941Charleston Illinois State26Eastern Illinois 7EIU 15–13–5
October 17, 1942Normal Illinois State32Eastern Illinois 0EIU 15–14–5
November 10, 1945Normal Illinois State12Eastern Illinois 6Tied 15–15–5
October 26, 1946Charleston Illinois State26Eastern Illinois 13ISU 16–15–5
October 25, 1947Charleston Eastern Illinois13Illinois State 6Tied 16–16–5
October 23, 1948Normal Eastern Illinois13Illinois State 7EIU 17–16–5
October 8, 1949Charleston Eastern Illinois7Illinois State 6EIU 18–16–5
October 14, 1950Normal Illinois State23Eastern Illinois 21EIU 18–17–5
November 10, 1951Normal Illinois State28Eastern Illinois 28EIU 18–17–6
November 15, 1952Charleston Illinois State27Eastern Illinois 26Tied 18–18–6
November 14, 1953Normal Illinois State20Eastern Illinois 0ISU 19–18–6
November 13, 1954Charleston Illinois State13Eastern Illinois 7ISU 20–18–6
October 8, 1955Normal Illinois State16Eastern Illinois 13ISU 21–18–6
October 6, 1956Charleston Eastern Illinois14Illinois State 6ISU 21–19–6
November 9, 1957Normal Illinois State39Eastern Illinois 7ISU 22–19–6
November 8, 1958Charleston Eastern Illinois20Illinois State 12ISU 22–20–6
November 14, 1959Normal Eastern Illinois6Illinois State 6ISU 22–20–7
November 12, 1960Charleston Illinois State26Eastern Illinois 6ISU 23–20–7
September 30, 1961Normal Illinois State18Eastern Illinois 0ISU 24–20–7
September 29, 1962Charleston Illinois State6Eastern Illinois 0ISU 25–20–7
October 12, 1963Normal Eastern Illinois14Illinois State 13ISU 25–21–7
October 17, 1964Charleston Illinois State25Eastern Illinois 23ISU 26–21–7
October 9, 1965Normal Eastern Illinois8Illinois State 7ISU 26–22–7
October 8, 1966Charleston Eastern Illinois0Illinois State 0ISU 26–22–8
October 14, 1967Charleston Illinois State28Eastern Illinois 6ISU 27–22–8
October 12, 1968Normal Illinois State41Eastern Illinois 14ISU 28–22–8
October 18, 1969Normal Illinois State37Eastern Illinois 0ISU 29–22–8
October 17, 1970Charleston Illinois State29Eastern Illinois 20ISU 30–22–8
October 9, 1971Normal Illinois State17Eastern Illinois 6ISU 31–22–8
October 7, 1972Charleston Illinois State38Eastern Illinois 11ISU 32–22–8
October 20, 1973Normal Illinois State17Eastern Illinois 0ISU 33–22–8
October 19, 1974Charleston Eastern Illinois14Illinois State 9ISU 33–23–8
November 22, 1975Charleston Illinois State31Eastern Illinois 13ISU 34–23–8
November 20, 1976Charleston Illinois State13Eastern Illinois 8ISU 35–23–8
September 3, 1977Normal Illinois State20Eastern Illinois 0ISU 36–23–8
November 4, 1978Charleston Eastern Illinois42Illinois State 7ISU 36–24–8
November 10, 1979Normal Eastern Illinois24Illinois State 0ISU 36–25–8
October 4, 1980Charleston Eastern Illinois31Illinois State 14ISU 36–26–8
October 10, 1981Normal Illinois State25Eastern Illinois 3ISU 37–26–8
September 9, 1982Charleston Eastern Illinois27Illinois State 14ISU 37–27–8
September 3, 1983Normal Eastern Illinois38Illinois State 7ISU 37–28–8
October 6, 1984Charleston Illinois State34Eastern Illinois 21ISU 38–28–8
October 21, 1985Charleston Eastern Illinois21Illinois State 14ISU 38–29–8
August 30, 1986Normal Illinois State23Eastern Illinois 20ISU 39–29–8
September 19, 1987Charleston Eastern Illinois15Illinois State 9ISU 39–30–8
September 3, 1988Normal Eastern Illinois16Illinois State 7ISU 39–31–8
September 30, 1989Charleston Eastern Illinois14Illinois State 13ISU 39–32–8
September 29, 1990Normal Illinois State28Eastern Illinois 7ISU 40–32–8
October 19, 1991Charleston Eastern Illinois37Illinois State 28ISU 40–33–8
September 26, 1992Normal Illinois State48Eastern Illinois 7ISU 41–32–8
October 23, 1993Charleston Illinois State17Eastern Illinois 17ISU 41–32–9
November 5, 1994Normal Eastern Illinois16Illinois State 13ISU 41–34–9
October 28, 1995Charleston Eastern Illinois32Illinois State 10ISU 41–35–9
September 27, 1997Normal Eastern Illinois25Illinois State 14ISU 41–36–9
October 17, 1998Charleston Illinois State36Eastern Illinois 22ISU 42–36–9
September 13, 1999Charleston Illinois State24Eastern Illinois 17ISU 43–36–9
September 11, 2000Normal Illinois State44Eastern Illinois 41ISU 44–36–9
September 28, 2002Charleston Eastern Illinois45Illinois State 10ISU 44–37–9
September 20, 2003Charleston Illinois State21Eastern Illinois 14ISU 45–37–9
September 18, 2004Normal Illinois State35Eastern Illinois 31ISU 46–37–9
September 17, 2005Charleston Illinois State27Eastern Illinois 6ISU 47–37–9
September 16, 2006Normal Illinois State44Eastern Illinois 30ISU 48–37–9
November 25, 2006Charleston Illinois State24Eastern Illinois 13ISU 49–37–9
September 15, 2007Charleston Illinois State24Eastern Illinois 21ISU 50–37–9
September 20, 2008Normal Eastern Illinois25Illinois State 21ISU 50–38–9
September 3, 2009Charleston Eastern Illinois31Illinois State 6ISU 50–39–9
November 13, 2010Normal Illinois State27Eastern Illinois 23ISU 51–39–9
September 1, 2011Charleston Eastern Illinois33Illinois State 26ISU 51–40–9
September 15, 2012Normal Illinois State54Eastern Illinois 51ISU 52–40–9
September 14, 2013Charleston Eastern Illinois57Illinois State 24ISU 52–41–9
September 13, 2014Normal Illinois State34Eastern Illinois15ISU 53–41–9
September 20, 2015Charleston Illinois State34OTEastern Illinois31ISU 54–41–9
September 17, 2016Normal Eastern Illinois24Illinois State 21ISU 54–42–9
September 16, 2017Charleston

References

  1. ↑ "Illinois State and Eastern Illinois unveil Mid-America Classic Trophy". Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091112aad.html
  3. ↑ "Eastern Illinois Panthers vs. Illinois State Redbirds – Box Score – September 16, 2006 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  4. ↑ "Illinois State Redbirds vs Eastern Illinois Panthers – Recap". ESPN.com.
  5. ↑ "Eastern Illinois Panthers vs Illinois State Redbirds – Recap". ESPN.com.
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