Eastern Illinois opens football season at Gophers

CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) — Eastern Illinois will open its first season under new head coach Kim Dameron with an Aug. 28 trip to Minnesota.

The Panthers' 2014 schedule includes one other date at a Football Bowl Championship school, Sept. 27 at Ohio.

Eastern Illinois released its full schedule Friday.

Other non-conference games include a Sept. 15 contest at Illinois State and the Sept. 6 home opener against Southern Illinois.

Ohio Valley Conference play starts Sept. 20 at home against Austin Peay.

The Panthers were conference champions in 2013. They finished 12-2 after losing in the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals to Towson.

Dameron took over for Dino Babers, who is now head coach at Bowling Green.