Coming off of a 31-28 Homecoming win over Ohio Valley Conference rival Jacksonville State, the Panthers find themselves involved in a conference title race as they enter their lone bye week of the season.

Against Jacksonville State, the Panthers did not get their typical production out of their high-powered offense, but strong defensive play and timely offensive production had the Panthers recording their first Homecoming win since the 2009 season.

Led by junior quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, red-shirt senior running back Jake Walker and a number of game-changing defensive plays, the Panthers erased a 14-point deficit and outscored the Gamecocks 31-14 in the final three quarters en route to the win.

“I am really excited for the defense and I’m really excited for our offensive football team,” head coach Dino Babers said. “The offense was a little bit off, not operating on all cylinders, but a great football team finds a way to win when everything is just not right.”

Garoppolo posted sub-par numbers, totaling a season low 220 passing yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions, but rose to the occasion when needed most, completing the eventual game-winning touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Chris Wright in the corner of the end zone.

“I thought there were a couple throws that were off, and we had some huge drops that could have broken the game wide open,” Babers said. “But, to see the guys battle and battle and to see Jimmy (Garoppolo) throw a strike to good ole’ steady Chris Wright over on the flag route in the corner of the end zone was real big.”

Along with timely production out of Garoppolo, the Panthers also saw production in the running game as Walker and red-shirt sophomore running back Taylor Duncan combined to total 155 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Walker totaled a team-leading 103 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while Duncan posted 52 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Walker’s 103-yard effort marks the third time in the last four games that he has eclipsed the 100-yard mark.

Eastern’s red-shirt junior wide receiver Erik Lora also got involved in the offense, totaling a team-leading 128 yards on 11 receptions, setting the program record for catches in a season in the process.

The Panthers also saw a number of game-changing plays on the defensive side of the ball as an interception returned for a touchdown, a fourth quarter interception and good all-around defense on the Gamecocks final drive clinched a Homecoming victory for the Panthers.

With the win, the Panthers improve to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the OVC. Their 3-1 conference record has them in a three-way tie for second place as they enter the stretch run of the season.

“It hasn’t been like this in a while,” Wright said. “Those last two seasons were hard to swallow, and it was tough to be around. We tried to make the best of it, but now we have a team. We have people believing in each other and I think we have a lot more pieces then we did in the past. It’s just good to get back on the winning path.”

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-2812 or jbpottorff@eiu.edu.