NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State football team's frantic comeback in the final minutes fell short, as the Redbirds (10-3) fell by a score of 39-27 to Richmond (10-3) to see their season come to an end in the FCS Quarterfinals, Friday night, at Hancock Stadium.
After going down 32-14 with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Redbirds converted back-to-back touchdown drives to pull within five points at 32-27. ISU quarterback Tre Roberson connected with running back Marshaun Coprich for a 12-yard score. Then, after Roberson went down after taking a wicked hit and had to sit out one play, backup quarterback Jake Kolbe scrambled for a 17-yard score on his first, and only, offensive snap of the game. The two-point conversion attempt on a Roberson draw play fell short.
Richmond then sealed the win with a 28-yard rushing touchdown from running back Jacobi Green that clinched the game and sent the program to the FCS Semifinals against the winner of North Dakota State and Northern Iowa. The Redbirds were unable to contain the passing attack of the Spiders, whose quarterbacks threw for a combined 399 yards. Kyle Lauletta was tremendous, completing 18-of-30 attempts for 369 yards and touchdown. The Spiders also outran the Redbirds, 163-78, while converting 7-of-13 third down attempts.Â
ISU was led by the passing attack of Roberson, who was solid and accurate throughout most of the night on his way to a 25-of-42 finish for 370 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. His main target, Anthony Warrum, finished with nine catches for 152 yards and one score, while Christian Gibbs hauled in a career-best eight catches for a career-high 96 yards. However, the running game was completely shut down by Richmond, as Coprich was bottled up for just 30 yards on 14 carries with one score. On the other side, Richmond running back Jacobi Green rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries.
The Spiders got off to a hot start, taking the ball 73 yards down the field on their opening drive, but the Redbird defense held them to a field goal attempt, which was converted by Peter Yoder from 19 yards out. After a quick three-and-out by ISU, the Spiders capped off another long drive (nine plays, 82 yards) with a Broadus rushing score from 13 yards out for a 10-0 lead heading into the second quarter.Â
Roberson led the ISU offense on a bounce-back touchdown drive, connecting with Warrum from 20 yards on a corner route toward the back of the end zone. The Spiders were then held to another Yoder field goal, this time from 24 yards out, for a 13-7 lead. It looked like that would be the score heading into the break, but a lightning-quick 87-yard drive in under two minutes capped off by a two-yard touchdown run from Jacobi Green gave the Spiders a 19-7 lead at halftime.
ISU struck first in the second half with a five-yard touchdown run by Coprich, set up by a 26-yard catch from Warrum and a 23-yard grab by Gibbs. The Spiders quickly answered, though, when Lauletta hit Green on a wide open screen pass in which the running back sprinted 35 yards for a score and a 25-14 lead. Green would later add an insurance touchdown with a 27-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter for the 32-14 lead.
It seemed like that would be the end of it, but the Redbirds fought back to make it a close game, but the rally fell just short. Illinois State finished the season with 10 wins and a second-straight MVFC championship, the first time in school history the program has captured back-to-back conference titles.
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