NORMAL, Ill. - Tyrone Walker set a career-high with 10 catches for 143 yards and one touchdown, as Illinois State held off South Dakota State for a 20-13 victory Saturday night at Hancock Stadium. The Redbirds improve to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, while the Jackrabbits fall to 1-3 and 0-1.
Redbird cornerbacks Otis Merrill and Mike Banks each set career-highs with eight and seven tackles, respectively. Merrill's tackle-count was a team-best. Illinois State quarterback Matt Brown finished the evening 22-for-34 with 214 yards and one touchdown. SDSU's Austin Sumner was 18-for-32 with 194 yards. Ashton Leggett led the Redbird rushing attack with 29 carries for 98 yards and two touchdowns. South Dakota State's Tyrel Kool carried the ball 10 times for 47 yards.
Leggett put the Redbirds on the board early, scoring with a four-yard touchdown run to finish ISU's opening six-play, 58-yard drive. The extra point attempt by Nick Aussieker was blocked by SDSU. Later in the first quarter, the Redbird defense forced South Dakota State to go three-and-out and punt from its own one yard line.
Near the end of the first quarter, ISU advanced the ball inside South Dakota State's one-yard line, but on the first play of the second quarter, the Jackrabbits held the Redbirds out of the end zone on third-and-goal. However, the Redbirds scored on fourth down, as Leggett powered through the middle for a touchdown. This time Aussiker's kick was good, increasing Illinois State's lead to 13-0 with 14:16 to play in the second quarter.
South Dakota State scored its first touchdown later in the second quarter, as Leggett fumbled a pitch from Brown, and SDSU's Mike Lien returned it 40 yards for the score. Kyle Harris' extra point attempt was blocked by the Redbirds. With less than three minutes to play before halftime, the ISU defense forced its first turnover of the night. Colton Underwood sacked Sumner, and Eric Brunner recovered the ball at the Jackrabbits' 48 yard line. However, neither team added points before halftime, making the score 13-6.
Illinois State started the second half with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Walker. Aussieker's kick increased ISU's lead to 20-6. With rain beginning to fall at Hancock Stadium on SDSU's next possession, Austin Davis forced Kool to fumble, and Ben Ericksen recovered on the Jackrabbits' 37-yard line. However, SDSU got the ball back on a fumble by Leggett, and South Dakota State's Erich Feller returned it to the nine-yard line.
The Jackrabbits could not get the ball past ISU's 40 yard line before they were forced to punt. But after the Redbirds punted on their next possession, SDSU marched the ball 86 yards on 14 plays for a one-yard touchdown dive by Sumner. Kyle Harris' kick was good, pulling South Dakota State within 20-13 with 11:02 to play in the game.
Then with the Jackrabbits threatening to tie the game, Erickson forced SDSU's Brandon Hubert to fumble the ball on ISU's four-yard line, and Banks recovered with 6:08 left in the game. The Redbirds advanced the ball to its own 30 before punting on fourth down with 1:58 to play. ISU's defense held the Jackrabbits, and ultimately forced South Dakota State to turn the ball over on downs at the ISU 39-yard line with 1:36 to play. After a seven-yard run by Leggett, Brown took a knee, and Leggett rushed for another 13-yard gain and a first down. A final quarterback kneel sealed the Redbird victory.
Illinois State flies to Fargo, N.D., next weekend for an MVFC matchup at North Dakota State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
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