Cook sparks Dayton to 17-10 comeback win over E. Illinois

Updated Sep. 11, 2021 5:17 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Jack Cook passed for one touchdown and ran for another on back-to-back possessions in a turnaround third quarter, lifting Dayton to a 17-10 victory Saturday against Eastern Illinois.

The touchdowns helped the Flyers reach an NCAA all-division record of scoring in 488 straight games.

Dayton's (1-0) season opener against Robert Morris was canceled due to COVID concerns, so Saturday's game was being called the season re-opener. It was Dayton's first game in 658 days.

Eastern Illinois (0-3) took a 3-0 lead into halftime on Stone Galloway's 36-yard field goal, but the Panthers ran only five offensive plays in Dayton's dominating 17-point third quarter.

Cook, who passed for 134 yards, drove the Flyers 71 yards on the opening drive of the second half, eating up 7:24 and taking the lead with a 10-yard pass to Jake Chisholm. The Flyers then forced an Eastern Illinois fumble and Cook ran it in from the 1-yard line three minutes later. Dayton ended the quarter with a Sam Webster 31-yard field goal.

Otto Kuhns cut the gap with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Robbie Lofton with 19 seconds left. Kuhns had replaced Chris Katrenick, who passed for 129 yards with an interception.

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