Eastern Illinois announces 2025 football schedule

By Kevin Kelley -

The Eastern Illinois Panthers have announced their 2025 football schedule, which features a game against Alabama.

Eastern Illinois previously announced its OVC-Big South Football Association schedule for next season, and all four of its non-conference opponents were also known. The date for the season-opener at home against the Dayton Flyers at O’Brien Field in Charleston, Ill., has been moved up two days to Thursday, Aug. 28.

The following week on Sept. 6, Eastern Illinois will travel to face the Indiana State Sycamores. Next, the Panthers return home to host the rival Illinois State Redbirds in the annual Mid-America Classic on Sept. 13.

Eastern Illinois wraps up the non-conference portion of its 2025 slate when it plays a season-finale on the road against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Nov. 22.

After an open date, Eastern Illinois kicks off OVC-Big South action on the road against Western Illinois on Sept. 27. Other road conference contests include Southeast Missouri on Oct. 18, Charleston Southern on Oct. 25, and Lindenwood on Nov. 15.

OVC-Big South foes set to visit O’Brien Field this fall include Tennessee State on Oct. 4, Gardner-Webb on Oct. 11 (Homecoming), UT Martin on Nov. 1, and Tennessee Tech on Nov. 8.

Below is Eastern Illinois’s complete schedule for the 2025 season, plus a link to their schedule page which will be updated with kickoff times and TV as they are announced:

2025 Eastern Illinois Football Schedule

  • 08/30 – Dayton
  • 09/06 – at Indiana State
  • 09/13 – Illinois State
  • 09/20 – OFF
  • 09/27 – at Western Illinois*
  • 10/04 – Tennessee State*
  • 10/11 – Gardner-Webb*
  • 10/18 – at Southeast Missouri*
  • 10/25 – at Charleston Southern*
  • 11/01 – UT Martin*
  • 11/08 – Tennessee Tech*
  • 11/15 – at Lindenwood*
  • 11/22 – at Alabama

* Big South-OVC contest.

Eastern Illinois finished the 2024 season 3-9 overall and 2-6 in OVC-Big South action. The Panthers are entering their fourth season under head coach Chris Wilkerson, who has a 13-21 overall record at the school.

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