Despite a fourth quarter deficit, the Illinois State football team came back on two late touchdowns, which resulted in a 35-31 victory Saturday at Hancock Stadium.
The Redbirds move to 2-1 on the season and will face Florida Atlantic on the road next Saturday.
Eastern Illinois got on the board first when quarterback Andrew Harris executed a 14-play, 80-yard opening drive, resulting in a 1-yard touchdown run by Vincent Webb on fourth-and-goal.
The Panthers went three-and-out on their next possession with Boomer Grigsby and James Temple each picking up a sack. The defensive stop led to the Redbirds first score when Laurnt Robinson (2 catches, 22 yards) made a leaping grab in the corner of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown catch from Yance Vaughan (19-30, 214 yards, 3 TDs), tying the game 7-7.
Illlinois State took the lead 14-7, after Vaughan connected with Jason Horton (3 catches, 36 yards), but a Ben Brown interception on Vaughan late in the second quarter led to an Adam Parsill touchdown catch, tying the game 14-14.
The Redbirds quickly regained the momentum when Josh Chrestmans sack and forced fumble on Harris resulted in a Grigsby recovery at the Panther 11. The turnover resulted in another score for the Redbirds. Dave Mordis hauled in Vaughans third touchdown pass of the game from 2-yards out, giving the Redbirds a 21-14 lead.
A third quarter touchdown and fourth quarter field goal put the Panthers up 24-21, and they were given some breathing room when Chad Cleveland forced a LaShawn Bullock fumble at the Illinois State 30. The ball sailed into the hands of Jamarr Day, who ran 30 yards down the sideline and into the end zone for a 30-21 lead.
However, the Redbirds gained the lead back on two touchdowns, one a 2-yard run by Earl Newby, the other a 3-yard quarterback keeper by Vaughan, making the score 35-31. The Vaughan touchdown was set up when Eastern Illinois fumbled a kickoff at their own 22, which was recovered by Pierre Jackson.
Game Notes:
With a sack in the first quarter, Boomer Grigsby moved into a tie for fifth place on ISUs all-time career tackles for loss list. The sack was Grigsbys third of the season.
Grigsby moved into second place on the Redbirds career tackles list (481) with 14 tackles against Eastern Illinois.
Yance Vaughans touchdown pass to Dave Mordis in the third quarter was his third of the game, marking the first time Vaughan has thrown three or more touchdown passes in a game.
Offensive lineman Mike Stegeman returned to the line up against Eastern after an ACL tear during the spring season sidelined him for the first two games of 2004.
