Sept. 23, 2006
Final Stats
MURRAY, Ky. -
In the team's final non-conference game of the season, the Illinois State Redbirds traveled to Murray State to take on the Racers. It was the second time in two weeks that the Redbirds faced off against an Ohio Valley Conference member, and the result was similar as the `Birds (3-1, 0-0) came away with a 35-14 win over the Racers (1-3, 0-0) at Roy Stewart Stadium. Pierre Rembert paced the Redbirds with a career-high 39 carries and amassed 184 yards and added two touchdowns, as the `Birds outran the Racers 186 yards to 28.
On the first play from scrimmage, Illinois State quarterback Luke Drone connected with wide receiver Laurént Robinson to extend his consecutive games with a catch streak to 28. The streak is just one behind the all-time record of 29 set by Vito Golson, and the catch was Robinson's first in two games as he sat out against Central Arkansas and Eastern Illinois to rest a sore ankle. Unfortunately for the Redbirds, the drive stalled and Bobby Kelsey pinned the Racers deep in their own end with a 25-yard punt.
ISU scored the first points of the game with 3:41 left in the first quarter. Drone capped off a seven-play, 50-yard drive on a one-yard quarterback sneak to put the `Birds up 6-0 and a Kevin Mazur extra point then extended the lead to 7-0. The score would remain that way and the Redbirds would take the one-score advantage into the second quarter.
Drone would then lead the Redbirds 75 yards down the field in their first possession of the second quarter to extend the lead to 14 points. Rembert took a Drone handoff and ran five yards into the end zone to make the score 13-0. Mazur's second extra point try was good and the lead jumped to 14-0 with 12:56 left in the half.
Murray State would cut the lead in half with just over seven minutes left in the half on a 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Zach Barnes to Dante Woods. Gary Crass' extra point conversion then cut the lead to seven points at 14-7 with 7:10 left in the first half.
The Racers would then tie the score with just 22 seconds left in the half on a touchdown pass from Barnes, this time to Rod Harper. Crass' second extra point conversion knotted the score at 14-14 and the score stayed that way heading into the locker room at halftime.
Coming out of the locker room, the Redbird defense made an immediate impact, as Ronnie Tate forced a Barnes fumble and then recovered the fumble on the Murray State nine yard line. On the very next play, Rembert dashed nine yards for his second touchdown run of the day to put the Redbirds up 20-14 and Mazur tacked on the extra point to make the score 21-14 with 12:39 left to play in the third quarter.
On the next Racer possession, Leon Kittrell intercepted the first pass of his career to give ISU the ball back. The `Birds would take advantage of the turnover once again, as Drone connected with Robinson for a 26-yard touchdown pass and Mazur's fourth PAT conversion gave ISU a 14-point advantage at 28-14. The touchdown reception was the 25th of Robinson's career, extending his school record in that category.
In the fourth quarter, Drone and Robinson connected on their second touchdown reception of the game and the ISU lead jumped out to three touchdowns. Mazur's PAT conversion widened the lead to 35-14 with 9:57 left in the game. The score would stay the way for the remainder, and the Redbirds came away with a 35-14 victory over the Racers. The win marked the sixth straight ISU victory over an OVC opponent.
ISU has an off-week next week and then travel back to Kentucky, this time to Bowling Green, to face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the team's Gateway Conference opener on October 7 at 6 p.m.
