CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) _ Willie Watts scored on a 29-yard run to break a 17-17 tie Saturday and hand Illinois State to a 24-17 win over Eastern Illinois.

The Redbirds (9-2), Gateway champs and ranked seventh in the latest I-AA poll, were playing their regular-season finale and hoping for home field advantage in the playoffs. The Panthers (1-10) lost for the seventh straight time. They end the season next weekend at Eastern Kentucky.

Eastern jumped off to a 10-0 lead on Chad Larner's 47-yard field goal and a 10-yard pass from Anthony Buich to Nathan Kreke.

Illinois State tied it at 10 on a 9-yard rum by Aveoin Cason and 43-yard field goal by Jake Strader with 1 second left in the half.

Buich put the Panthers ahead 17-10 with a 10-yard run in the third quarter but Cason's 2-yard plunge early in the fourth knotted the score again.

Buich was 22-of-40 passing for 244 yards. He threw two interceptions and was sacked twice. He also ran 14 times for 37 yards.

Watts carried 19 times for 120 yards.