|
 Redbird running back Marshaun Coprich recorded his
fifth-consecutive 100-plus yard rushing effort, with 124 yards on 21
carries with a touchdown. Quarterback Tre Roberson was steady down
the stretch in the return to his home state, finishing the game
16-for-31 with 170 yards and an interception. Defensively,
linebacker Pat Meehan led the way with 11 stops and Teddy Corwin
chipped in six tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles-for-loss in a
tough win for ISU.
A three-and-out by the Redbirds gave the Sycamores the ball back at
their own 34-yard line with just over three minutes left in the
contest. The Sycamores wasted little time and scored on a 37-yard
pass from Adam to A.J. Johnson to take the lead to 18-17, but missed
on the two-point conversion pass attempt.
The Sycamores attempted a squib kick on the ensuing kickoff, but the
ball hit Redbird linebacker Jalen Battle and he fell on it at the
Indiana State 49-yard line to give the Redbirds great field
position. A pair of pass attempts to Cameron Meredith fell short to
bring up third down, but a 16-yard completion to Neblett gave the
Redbirds a first down and a 27-yard run by Coprich set up another
first down at the Indiana State seven yard line. A run by Coprich on
first down went for no gain and the Redbirds called a time out with
nine seconds left.
As the Redbirds came to the line, the Sycamores called their second
time out of the half. An illegal substitution penalty moved the ball
up to the Indiana State 4-yard line, but another timeout was called
by Indiana State head coach Mike Sanford to try and ice Aussieker’s
field goal attempt. When play resumed, another penalty moved the
ball a yard closer and Aussieker nailed the 20-yard field goal with
three seconds remaining to put the Redbirds up 20-18. Aussieker
squibbed the ensuing kickoff and attempted lateral attempts by the
Sycamores were unsuccessful, as the Redbirds came away with the
tough win.
The first five combined possessions of the day resulted in punts for
both teams, before an Illinois State turnover resulted in the first
scoring opportunity of the day for the Sycamores. Tre Roberson was
intercepted by Alex Stowers at the Redbird 31-yard line and he
returned it to the four-yard line of the Redbirds. The Redbird
defense held though, and limited the Sycamores to a 25-yard field
goal that made the score 3-0 with 31 seconds left in the first
quarter.
Neither team was able to do much offensively in the second quarter
either, with three more punts for each team before the Redbirds
crossed midfield for their best scoring chance of the half. A
28-yard completion from Roberson to Lechein Neblett put the Redbirds
in Sycamore territory at the 40 yard line. However, a nine-yard loss
on a sack on first down put the ‘Birds in a hole, before a 13-yard
completion to James O’Shaughnessy set up a manageable third-down
try.
[to top of second column] |
A pass attempt to Cameron Meredith fell incomplete to bring up
fourth down and head coach Brock Spack decided to roll the dice on
fourth down. Roberson completed a pass to O’Shaughnessy who fought
his way to a yard short of the first down, before he fumbled and the
ball was recovered to turn it over with 2:04 left in the half. The
Sycamores put together an 11-play, 38-yard drive that ended with a
49-yard field goal attempt by Eric Heidorn. As time expired,
Heidorn’s kick narrowly cleared the crossbar and the season-long
make gave Indiana State a 6-0 lead at the half.
Illinois State got on the scoreboard quickly in the third quarter,
after Tevin Allen returned the opening kickoff of the half 73-yards
into Sycamore territory. The drive stalled from there, and Aussieker
was able to put his 34-yard attempt through the uprights to cut the
score to 6-3 in favor of the Sycamores with 12:27 left in the third
quarter.
Following a punt by the Sycamores, a fumble by Coprich on his first
carry of the ensuing drive gave the Sycamores the ball back deep in
Redbird territory at the 27-yard line. However, the Redbird defense
held once again and a 47-yard attempt by Heidorn fell short to keep
the score a 6-3 in favor of the Sycamores.
Illinois State would eventually take the lead and score the first
touchdown of the day, after a 19-yard punt by Indiana State’s Osborn
Umeh gave the Redbirds the ball at the Sycamores’ 33-yard line.
After Roberson completed a 7-yard pass on first down to Neblett,
Coprich raced off tackle for 26 yards untouched down the Illinois
State sideline for the touchdown with 13 seconds left in the third
quarter. Aussieker’s extra point gave the Redbirds a 10-6 lead as
the game went into the fourth quarter.
The Redbirds extended the lead to 17-6 early in the first quarter,
after a methodical 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive. The Redbirds
picked up a pair of first downs on third down, before Roberson
connected on a 33-yard completion to Meredith that put the ball on
the Indiana State 12-yard line. A run by Roberson to the 2-yard line
picked up another first down, and freshman fullback Bryce Holm
punched it in from two yards out on the next play to give the
Redbirds the 11-point advantage.
Indiana State came right back and answered with a touchdown of its
own, an 18-yard pass from Matt Adam to Gary Owens that capped off a
14-play, 70-yard drive that ate nearly four minutes off the clock.
Down 17-12, the Sycamores went for the two-point conversion to cut
the deficit to a field goal, but a sack by David Perkins ended the
try and secured the five-point lead for the Redbirds with 5:41 left
in the game.
Illinois State will play their second-straight road contest next
Saturday, when they travel to Macomb, Illinois, to face in-state
rival Western Illinois. Kickoff at Hanson Field is scheduled for 3
p.m.
[Michael Williams, Illinois State
University] |
