 Brown's game-winning score was set up when Brown threw a lateral to
wide receiver Phil Dudley, who fired a 50-yard pass to Lechein
Neblett that put the Redbirds at the YSU 2-yard line. Brown scored
three plays later, while Colton Underwood sealed the victory with a
fourth-down sack of YSU quarterback Kurt Hess on the ISU 26-yard
line with 1:06 remaining.After surrendering touchdowns on the
Penguins' first four possessions en route to the 21-point deficit,
the Illinois State defense stiffened, holding YSU scoreless over its
last eight possessions. Underwood led all players with 11 tackles
and added a sack and three tackles for loss, while Mike Zimmer
recorded 10 tackles, his fourth double-digit tackle game this
season.
Down 28-7 with the first half winding down, the Redbirds cut into
the deficit with an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive that
culminated in an 8-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Neblett. On
third down, Brown found James O'Shaughnessy with a 29-yard pass, a
career high for the ISU tight end. After a 27-yard completion to
Donovan Harden got the Redbirds inside the 10-yard line, Brown
avoided the YSU pressure before finding Neblett in the right side of
the end zone to make the score 28-14 heading into the break.
The touchdown pass was the 63rd of Brown's career, moving him
into sole possession of first place on the program's all-time
touchdown passes list. Brown added two more passing scores to finish
the day with 65 career touchdown passes.
The Redbirds continued their comeback on the first possession of
the second half, scoring on a nine-play, 66-yard drive that ended
with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Harden. Brown used his
legs again to avoid the pressure on third down before finding
Harden, this time in the left side of the end zone, to bring the
Redbirds within seven at 28-21.
With the Penguins driving on the next series, the Redbird defense
buckled down. Evan Frierson recorded a sack, and then Underwood
secured a tackle for loss on Hess to set up third-and-long. On third
down, Hess could not connect on a deep pass that was defended by Ben
Ericksen and Dominic Clarke. The Penguins elected to go for it on
fourth down, completing a pass, but ending up 1 yard shy of the
marker, giving the ball back to ISU.
After being held scoreless for two possessions entering the
fourth quarter, Brown fired his third touchdown pass of the game.
After completing a third-down pass to Harden and being roughed on
the play to put the Redbirds in the red zone, Brown found Tyrone
Walker with a 14-yard strike to even the score at 28-28.
[to top of second column] |
After the Redbird defense forced a three-and-out to give ISU the
ball back, Brown and Harden misconnected on a throw out wide that
was ruled a lateral. The Penguins pounced on the loose ball, giving
them possession on the ISU 41-yard line. However, Shelby Harris
stuffed Jamaine Cook on third down before Hess misfired on fourth
down to give the Redbirds the ball back with 5:51 remaining, setting
up the eventual game-winning drive.
The Penguins got off to an early 14-0 lead, as Cook scored on a
7-yard rushing touchdown on the game's first series, while Hess
found Kintrell Disher with a 2-yard touchdown pass on the Penguin's
next possession to put them up 14-0.
Freshman Marshaun Coprich provided the Redbirds the spark they
needed to get the offense going, returning the ensuing kickoff 42
yards to the Redbirds' 49-yard line. Brown found Harden with a
22-yard completion on third down to keep the drive alive before
Darrelynn Dunn converted his second carry of the game into an
11-yard touchdown run, cutting the YSU lead in half at 14-7.
The Penguins responded, however, with 14 more unanswered points
on two more touchdown runs by Cook. The YSU senior capped a 10-play,
75-yard drive with his second touchdown of the afternoon before
scoring again on a 14-yard scamper to give the Penguins a 28-7 lead
with 9:41 remaining in the second quarter.
The 21-point deficit tied the Redbirds' biggest come-from-behind
victory of all time. ISU last overcame a three-score deficit on Oct.
23, 1999, at Southern Illinois, winning 55-48.
Illinois State concludes its three-game homestand next week
against Missouri State, with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
___
Postgame notes
[Text from
news release received from
Illinois State University]
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