Sept. 3, 2005
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AMES, Iowa -
For the third straight year, the Illinois State football team played toe-to-toe with a Division I-A opponent, as they played even (15-15) with the Iowa State Cyclones for the first 44 minutes of the game in Ames, Iowa. However, the Cyclones put together second half drives of 80 and 72 yards to pull away from the Redbirds to win 32-21 at Jack Trice Stadium.
The first half was a defensive battle, as both teams scored points on defense. The Cyclones got on the scoreboard first after Illinois State's Ryan Hoffman punted the ball off Brent Hawkins' back in his own endzone, giving Iowa State a 2-0 lead with 2:49 left in the first quarter. The Redbird defense was not going to let the Iowa State defense have the only defensive score though, as senior William Rolle forced an Iowa State fumble and sophomore cornerback Jesse Caesar returned it for 69 yards for a touchdown. Running back Pierre Rembert plunged over the goal line on the two point conversion, giving the Redbirds an 8-2 lead going into the second quarter. Iowa State answered quickly after a Luke Drone interception on the Illinois State 5-yard line and running back Ryan Kock plunged over the goalline to knot the score at 8-8 going into the locker room at halftime.
The Cyclones opened the second half with a 10 play, 80 yard drive culminating with a second rushing touchdown from Kock to put the Redbirds down 15-8. However, Illinois State put together an 80 yard drive of their own on the next possession, capped off by a 56 yard touchdown pass from Drone to Laurent Robinson, tying the score at 15-15 at the 5:09 mark in the third quarter.
However, Iowa State's next possession put the Redbirds down for good. The Cyclones drove 72 yards in six plays, bringing the score to 22-15. The third Iowa State touchdown of the half brought the score to 29-15, when Drone connected for 80 yards with Robinson and his second touchdown catch of the day, bringing the score closer at 29-21. However, Iowa State added a field goal for good measure to bring the score 32-21.
Drone finished the day 10-25 for 222 yards and two touchdown passes in his debut as the starting quarterback for the Redbirds. Both of Drone's touchdowns were to Robinson, who finished with a career-high 177 yards on six catches.
The Redbirds return to action in their home opener September 10 against the Drake Bulldogs. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at Hancock Stadium.
