NORMAL, Ill. - The 25th ranked Illinois State football team earned a thrilling 44-41 double-overtime win over visiting Missouri State, Saturday night at Hancock Stadium. The Bears tied the game with a field goal at the end of regulation, but kicker Steven Fetzer was the hero for the Redbirds when he connected on a 39-yard attempt to give ISU the victory.
The Redbirds set the tone early, as sophomore Ben Ericksen returned the opening kickoff 89 yards to the Missouri State 4 yard line. Junior Ashton Leggett put ISU on the board on the first play from scrimmage, scoring on a four-yard scamper to the left side, his third of the season. Fetzer's point after attempt was blocked by Mikel Ruder, as Illinois State took a 6-0 lead less than 30 seconds into the game.
After the Redbird defense forced a three-and-out, the offense needed just four plays to find the end zone for the second time. Sophomore quarterback Matt Brown completed a 51-yard toss to junior Marvon Sanders to put ISU in scoring position and then capped the drive with a 23-yard touchdown strike to fellow sophomore Tyrone Walker. Fetzer tacked on the extra point to extend the Illinois State lead to 13-0 at the 11:34 mark in the opening quarter.
Missouri State responded with a 54-yard kickoff return from Julian Burton that put the Bears on the ISU 30 yard line. MSU needed just five plays to cover the 30 yards, scoring on Stephen Johnston's one-yard run touchdown run to cut the Redbird advantage to 13-7.
Illinois State attempted to add to their lead with 1:55 remaining in the first quarter, but Brian Berry blocked Fetzer's 39-yard field goal attempt. On the very next play, senior Kelvyn Hemphill picked off a Cody Kirby pass to regain possession for the Redbirds at the Missouri State 17 yard line.
However, the Bears then forced a turnover of their own, when Jimmie Strong intercepted a Brown pass and returned it 47 yards to the ISU 45. Missouri State used the turnover to trim the Redbird lead to 13-10 early in the second quarter, capping a six-play scoring drive with a 34-yard field goal from Jordan Chiles.
On the ensuing drive, the Redbirds answered with a field goal of their own, as Fetzer nailed a career-long 51-yard attempt to push the Illinois State lead back to six. Missouri State took its first lead of the game with 7:34 remaining in the half on a one-yard touchdown run by Kirby. The six play, 77-yard drive was highlighted by a 50-yard completion from Kirby to Jermaine Saffold.
Illinois State regained the lead on Leggett's second rushing touchdown of the evening, a five-yard run up the middle into the end zone. Fetzer once again added the point after to give the Redbirds a 23-17 lead with just over four minutes left before halftime. The lead was short lived, as the Bears scored just over a minute later when Kirby broke free and sprinted across the goal line on a 56-yard draw play. Missouri State took a 24-23 into the locker room, after a 54-yard field goal attempt from Fetzer fell just short to end the half.
MSU struck first in the second half, when Kirby found Matt Thayer in the back of the end zone for a two-yard touchdown pass with 5:24 remaining in the third. Chiles added the extra point to put the Bears up 31-23.
Senior defensive back E.J. Jones made his second interception of the season, and the eighth of his career, early in the fourth quarter to give the Redbirds possession with 14:03 remaining in the game. The Illinois State offense used the turnover to manufacture three points, as Fetzer capped the ensuing ISU drive with a 20-yard field goal to cut the Missouri State lead to 31-26 with 9:15 on the clock.
Leggett scored his third touchdown of the game on a 15-yard run up the middle to with 2:08 remaining, finishing off a 96-yard drive, to reclaim the lead for ISU. The Redbirds converted on the two-point try when Brown rolled to the right and found Sanders in the front of the end zone to give Illinois State a 34-31 lead.
After the Redbirds held the Bears out of the end zone on the final drive of regulation, Missouri State forced overtime when Chiles connected on a 26-yard field goal as time expired.
On the first possession of the overtime period, Illinois State needed just two plays to find the end zone. Brown completed a 19-yard pass to Sanders and Leggett carried a host of Bears across the goal line for his fourth touchdown rush of the game. MSU answered right back, retying the game at 41-41 when Kirby completed a 24-yard toss to Thayer and then finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run, his second of the contest.
In the second overtime, the ISU defense forced a three-and-out and Missouri State settled for a field goal attempt. However, Chiles pushed the attempt wide left, opening the door for Illinois State. The Redbirds capitalized and earned the victory when Fetzer split the uprights on a 39-yard field goal try, his third of the game.
Brown led the Redbird offense with 391 passing yards, the fifth-best single-game performance by an ISU quarterback, completing 30 of his 50 pass attempts around two interceptions. Sanders led the Illinois State receiving corps, hauling in 12 passes for 167 yards. Walker added nine catches for 114 yards, including a touchdown grab.
Leggett led the ISU rushing attack, carrying the ball 24 times for 86 yards and four touchdowns. Erik Smith added 42 yards on nine carries.
Hemphill led the charge defensively for the Redbirds, tallying 12 tackles, an interception and a pair of pass breakups. Eric Brunner contributed seven tackles, with three for a loss, and a sack.
Kirby led the way for the Bears on offensive, completing 16 of his 30 passes for 187 yards through the air and rushing for 84 yards on 11 carries. Stephen Johnson added 88 yards on 19 carries to lead the Missouri State rushing attack, while Saffold led all MSU receivers with 83 yards on four catches.
The Redbirds improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play, while Missouri State falls to 1-2 on the season and 0-1 in the MVFC. Illinois State will return to action next Saturday at 1 p.m. when it hosts rival Southern Illinois.
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