JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The football team opened the 2025 season on the road Thursday night, falling to Illinois College 28-9. A strong defensive effort, highlighted by a sack from RJ King and consistent tackling from Julian O'Malley, Elias Velasquez, and Terrance Lawless, kept the Panthers competitive throughout.

How it Happened:

Illinois College took an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but LaShawn Williams sparked the offense with a 35-yard kickoff return that set up the Panthers' first scoring opportunity.

Greenville got on the board in the second quarter after Nick Newton recovered a fumble deep in Blueboy territory, and Derek De Haan converted a 21-yard field goal to make it 7-3.

Illinois College extended their lead to 14-3 before halftime. RJ King's third-down sack late in the second quarter helped stall an Illinois College drive and gave Greenville some momentum going into halftime.

After the break, Illinois College pushed ahead to 28-3.

Terrel Graves led a determined Panther ground attack in the fourth quarter. Max Lynch then threw a long 60-yard touchdown pass to Shemari Thomas, cutting the deficit to 28-9.

Despite the late score, Greenville was unable to close the gap.

On defense, O'Malley, Velasquez, and Lawless each made multiple tackles and disrupted plays at the line of scrimmage. Lawless also added two key pass deflections, while King recorded Greenville's lone sack of the day.

Up Next:

The Panthers (0-1) travel to face Lakeland University next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.