The Panther football team can call itself something it’s worked toward all season – champions.

No. 23 Eastern clinched at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference title in the final regular season home game for Eastern’s 15 seniors with a 31-20 win against Tennessee Tech Saturday at O’Brien Stadium, despite committing four turnovers.

But don’t expect the celebration to last too long; the Panthers must travel to Jacksonville State this Saturday and can clinch a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs with a win.

Fighting off tears, Eastern head coach Bob Spoo said the team’s unity makes his third OVC championship special. The Panthers’ other two OVC titles came in 2002 and 2003.

“We got a share of the OVC Championship,” he said. “We found a way to win – that’s all that counts.

“We’re going down there (to Jacksonville State) now with the biggest hurdle we have to cover next Saturday. We’ll be ready.”

Tennessee Tech was ready for the Panthers (8-2, 7-0 OVC), as it limited Eastern’s primary offensive weapon – its running game.

The Golden Eagle defense limited junior running back Vincent Webb to 70 yards on 28 carries and two scores and forced the OVC’s third-best runner to fumble twice. On the game, Tennessee Tech recovered three fumbles and intercepted one pass.

“If somebody would’ve told me that we’d turn them over four times, I would’ve been feeling really good about an upset,” TTU head coach Mike Hennigan said.

With Webb struggling, the Panthers turned to sophomore quarterback Mike Donato – Eastern’s biggest question mark heading into the season.

Donato threw for a career-high 327 yards on 16-of-24 passing with two touchdowns.

Donato said the Eastern offense showed their versatility against Tennessee Tech (3-7, 2-5).

“If we got to run the ball, we run the ball; if we have to throw the ball, we throw the ball,” Donato said. “The beginning of the season, we said we were going to be a balanced offense. We don’t have to run for 200 (yards) and we don’t have to throw for 200.

“Whatever is getting it done that game is what we’re going to do.”

Both of Donato’s scoring throws ended in the hands of his favorite target, junior wide receiver Ryan Voss.

Voss caught five balls from Donato for a game-high 127 yards receiving – his highest output of the season.

Voss was able to use his 6-foot-4 frame against Tennessee Tech’s secondary, which stood an average of 6 inches shorter than the Panthers’ leading receiver.

Voss said the Panthers’ offensive line was able to protect Donato, allowing him to lock onto a large target.

“The offensive line was giving (Donato) time, and he’d throw it up there for me to make a play,” Voss said. “That’s just the confidence and togetherness this offense has.”

While the Panther offense made plays through the air, the Eastern defense kept TTU sophomore quarterback and its passing game grounded.

Junior linebackers Clint Sellers and Lucius Seymour intercepted passes deep in Panther territory to kill two potential scoring drives. Seymour grabbed a pass deflected by Sellers at the Eastern 12 in the second quarter and Sellers made a diving interception in the end zone to keep Eastern ahead 21-17 early in the third quarter.

Seymour and Sellers led the Panthers with 14 and 13 tackles, respectively.

“Our linebackers, (Sellers) and Lucius Seymour, are probably the quickest linebackers we’ve ever had, with the greatest reaction,” Spoo said.

Britton finished 13-of-24 for 151 yards passing.

The Panthers were able to force another turnover in the second half, and again, it came at a crucial time.

Leading 24-20 with 8 minutes and 24 seconds left in the game, the Panther defense got to Britton for the first time all game. Senior defensive end Kory Lothe crashed into TTU’s quarterback from behind, jarring the ball loose. Sophomore middle linebacker Donald Thomas dove on the ball, and one play later, Donato found Voss for a 39-yard touchdown strike, giving Eastern an 11-point lead.

“We finally got a little pressure. It was a big play and we needed one,” Lothe said.

Lothe said the Panthers’ defensive line pressured Britton much better as the game went on.

“The first half, it was a little under our expectations,” he said. “I think in the second half, we turned it up a notch and played like how we were supposed to.”

In the first half, Tennessee Tech was able to make big plays against the Panthers’ big-play defense.

Freshman running back Cameron Kirnes scored on runs of 16 yards and 72 yards on his way to a game-high 134 yards rushing.

But with the Panther defense struggling, the Eastern offense stepped up. Donato said it’s how the Eastern football team operates.

“This is probably the closest team I’ve ever been a part of, and I think it shows out there on the field,” he said. “When the offense is struggling, the defense steps up and makes a play. When the defense lets up a big one, the offense will come down and score again.”

Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said he’s been trying not to get caught up in the emotions he feels toward Eastern’s veterans because the team isn’t finished.

“I’ve been trying not to think about the seniors and Senior Day because I still think we’re going to play a lot of football,” he said. “I’m going to get really emotional when I think about those guys because we’ve been through so much with them from the top to the bottom.

“And, now we’re on our way back to the top.”