 The Redbirds fell behind early 14-0, but kept with the Bison until
the closing minutes of the game, when North Dakota State used a
13-play, 71-yard drive, to eat up nearly eight full minutes, before
scoring a touchdown to cap the scoring at 28-10 with 1:03 to go in
regulation. The top-ranked Bison accumulated 394 yards of total
offense, with quarterback Brock Jensen finishing 13 for 22 for 198
yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. John Crockett had
104 rush yards on 20 carries with one touchdown, and Sam Ojuri added
65 rush yards on 11 attempts.
For the Redbirds, Dontae McCoy recorded a career-best 12 tackles,
including nine solo tackles and one tackle for loss. David Perkins
forced one fumble, one of two North Dakota turnovers in the game.
Teddy Corwin blocked a field goal and added a half sack, while
Rickey Simpson collaborated with Corwin for the other half of the
sack.
The Redbirds accumulated 123 rush yards, with senior Cameron Hunt
netting a season-best 72 yards on 11 carries. Marshaun Coprich added
59 yards on 21 carries, with Illinois State's only touchdown. In the
air, quarterback Blake Winkler finished 12 for 21 for 72 yards. Phil
Dudley paced the receivers with three receptions for 16 yards.
The Bison needed just three plays to strike first, notching an
opening-drive touchdown on a 27-yard pass from Jenson to wideout
Zach Vraa. Following an Illinois State fumble, the Bison marched 24
yards for their second touchdown, scoring on a 3-yard pass from
Jensen to Kevin Vaadeland to make it 14-0 with 4:16 to play in the
opening quarter.
Illinois State then cut the deficit to seven points on a 10-play,
61-yard scoring drive early in the second quarter. The Redbirds
converted twice on third down, including a 13-yard strike from
Winkler to Dudley. Hunt broke a season-long 33-yard dash to the
Bison 2-yard line to set up the Illinois State score. Two plays
later, Coprich muscled through the defensive line for the touchdown,
making it 14-7 North Dakota State with 13:45 to play in the opening
half.
[to top of second column] |
The Bison responded with a 52-yard touchdown drive, capped by
a 26-yard pass from Jensen to Vraa. North Dakota State held a
21-7 advantage going into halftime.
ISU had possession of the football to open the second half, but
punted three plays into the drive. The punt return resulted in a
fumble that was recovered by long-snapper Chris Highland, giving
Illinois State possession inside the Bison 20-yard line. Facing
third-and-9 from the 17, Winkler found Chick Chatham on a slant
route for a first down and an 11-yard gain. The Redbirds missed on
their next three pass attempts in the end zone, before Nick
Aussieker drilled a 22-yard field goal attempt to make it 21-10
Bison with 11:23 to play in the third quarter.
The Redbird defense then shut down North Dakota State on three
consecutive possessions, all ending in Bison punts; however, the
Illinois State offense could not muster another score.
The Redbirds conclude the 2013 regular season with a Missouri
Valley Football Conference contest at Southern Illinois on Saturday,
Nov. 16. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m., and a win would secure
Illinois State's fifth consecutive winning season under head coach
Brock Spack.
___
Scoring (PDF)
ISU notes (PDF)
[Text from
news release received from
Illinois State University] |
