SETTING THE SCENE
Date: Oct. 27, 2018
Time: 12:05 p.m. CT
Site: Normal, Illinois
Stadium: Hancock Stadium
Capacity: 13,391
Series: Series tied 4-4
Watch: Valley Football on ESPN3
Listen: WJBC 1230 AM / 93.7 FM / TuneIn
THE GAME
A pair of nationally-ranked teams look to rebound from tough road losses to ranked foes last weekend, as No. 9 Illinois State (5-2, 2-2 MVFC) hosts No. 7 South Dakota State (4-2, 2-2 MVFC) in a crucial matchup midway through the conference slate.
REDBIRDS GIVE BACK
The Illinois State Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) will be conducting a food drive in support of the School Street Food Pantry on campus. Items will be collected outside the gates to Hancock Stadium by SAAC representatives and stored for collection at the School Street Food Pantry. While all non-perishable food items will be accepted, high need items include gluten free and vegetarian options, vegan foods and personal hygiene products.
THE SERIES
The Redbirds and the Jackrabbits will meet for the ninth time, with series knotted at four games apiece. The two squad have split the last four contests, with each team winning on its home field. ISU has won the last two games against SDSU at Hancock Stadium by a combined total of 83-31 and have won four out of the last six contests against the Jacks overall.Â
THE COACHES
Illinois State: Brock Spack (Purdue, 1983) is in his 10th season as the head coach at Illinois State (73-42). Spack has led the Redbirds to four FCS playoff appearances, including three-straight from 2014-16 and guided the Redbirds to back-to-back shares of the MVFC title in 2014-15. His 2014 team advanced to the NCAA FCS National Championship game, the first in the program's history.
South Dakota State: John Stiegelmeier (South Dakota State, 1979) is in his 22nd season as the head coach at SDSU (152-99). Stiegelmeier has led his teams to winning records in 17 of his 21 full seasons, including 12 of 14 at the FCS level. He has led the Jackrabbits to seven FCS playoff appearances (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) and was named the 2016 Bruce Craddock MVFC Coach of the Year, after leading Jacks to their first conference title.
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
- South Dakota State University is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and has an enrollment of 12,527 students. The Jackrabbits are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
- The Jackrabbits are ranked as high as No. 7 in this week's STATS FCS Top 25 poll and have been as high as No. 2 in the poll as recently as last week.
- SDSU is off to a 4-2 start to the season, with wins over Montana State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Indiana State and Youngstown State. The losses have come at the hands of No. 1 North Dakota State and last week at No. 25 UNI.
- Northern Iowa held South Dakota State out of the end zone, allowing just three field goals, to hand the Jackrabbits to their second loss of the season, 24-9, last Saturday at the UNI Dome.
- Senior quarterback Taryn Christion became SDSU's career leader in passing yards Oct. 6 against Indiana State and moved to the top of the MVFC charts for total offense on Oct. 13. He enters the week with 10,000 passing yards, second on the MVFC list behind former Illinois State quarterback Matt Brown, who holds the league passing yardage record at 10,591 yards.
- STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award watch list selection and All-American junior linebacker Christian Rozeboom leads the way for the Jackrabbit defense. Rozeboom has totaled 38 tackles on the season, with 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception on the year. The defense is extremely balanced, as eight different players have recorded 20 tackles or more on the season.
LAST TIME VS. THE JACKRABBITS (11/11/17)
No. 5 South Dakota State needed overtime to come away with the home win over No. 17 Illinois State. The Redbirds scored late to tie the game, before the Jackrabbits secured the victory with a field goal in overtime, 27-24, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Running back James Robinson punched in his second score of the day to knot the score at 24-24 with 2:14 left in the game, but Chase Vinatieri won the game with a 43-yard field in overtime for the Jackrabbits.
ROBINSON STILL ROLLING
On the week he was named to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List, James Robinson faced possibly his toughest test of the season in the form of the vaunted North Dakota State defense. Heading into the game, the Bison were only allowing 84.8 yards per contest and had only allowed one running back to rush for over 100 yards. Robinson was certainly up to the challenge, as he recorded his third-consecutive 100-plus yard effort and his fifth in the last six games when he rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown against the Bison. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry and his 128 yards are the most for a back against the NDSU defense so far this season.
TO BE THE BEST, YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE BEST
If the Redbirds have any hopes of getting a bid into the FCS playoff field, they will have to go through two of the best teams in the MVFC and the country in the next two weeks. Coming off a hard-fought loss at No. 1 North Dakota State last week, the Redbirds return home to host No. 7 ranked South Dakota State (4-2) this week at Hancock Stadium. To make matters worse, the Redbirds then travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Nov. 3 to face No. 17 Northern Iowa (4-3) team, who defeated the Jackrabbits at home last weekend.
MR. RELIABLE
Each week, when the passing game needs a big play it seems like Spencer Schnell always steps up. Throughout his career at ISU, Schnell has been one of the most reliable players on the field and his numbers this year are proving that once again. The Elkhart, Indiana, native recorded 112 yards on five receptions with a touchdown against the Bison last week, his second 100-plus yard performance of the season. Schnell is currently tied for first in the MVFC in receptions (38) and receptions per game (5.4) and ranks second with 584 receiving yards and six touchdowns. With his performance against the Bison, Schnell moved up to No. 5 on the ISU career receptions list (148) and into the top 10 in career receiving yards (1,742). With 258 more yards, Schnell will become just the ninth player in school history to record 2,000 career receiving yards.
REDBIRDS RANK AMONG THE BEST
After a tough road loss at No. 1 North Dakota State, Illinois State fell to No. 9 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and to No. 11 in the STATS FCS Top 25 this week. ISU remained there because it boasts the seventh-best scoring defense in the country (14.3 points per game) and is fourth in team pass efficiency defense (97.52). The Redbirds also rank fourth in the country in turnovers lost (4) and 10th in turnover margin (1.14).
FLIPPING THE FIELD
Special teams play is vital to a team's success, and thanks to some strong punting by sophomore JT Bohlken, the Redbirds are off to a great start. The Jefferson City, Missouri, native has been impressive in his first full season as the team's primary punter, averaging 45.1 yards per punt. That mark leads Valley Football, and Bohlken also leads the league in punts over 50 yards (17) and punts downed inside the 20 yard line (16).Â
GROUND AND POUND
The Redbird running back duo of James Robinson and Markel Smith have combined to give opposing defenses fits all season, and they helped ISU rush for over 400 yards in its 51-3 Homecoming win over Southern Illinois. Each set career highs and scored a touchdown, as Robinson (202) and Smith (143) tallied 345 of the team's 409 rushing yards against the Salukis. It marked the second time in as many seasons that each rushed for over 100 yards in the same contest and the 409 yards gained on the ground were the fifth-most in a game for a Redbird team in school history.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
For the second time this season, Redbird quarterback Brady Davis tossed four touchdown passes as ISU rolled to its win over Southern Illinois. Davis also made sure to spread the wealth around to his receivers, as four different pass catchers hauled in scores on the afternoon. Andrew Edgar was the first recipient, as he hauled in his second score of the year on a 10-yard pass in the second quarter. Just two minutes later, Davis found tight end Robert Gillum in the end zone for a three-yard touchdown, also his second of the year. Braxton Haley capped off the explosive second quarter with his first touchdown reception at ISU, a four-yard score just before half. Mr. Reliable Spencer Schnell was the final beneficiary of Davis' generosity on the day, as he hauled in a 16-yard grab for his fifth score of the season. Overall, seven different ISU players have caught a touchdown pass this season.
STATE CHAMPIONS
Each year, one of the goals set forth by the Redbird seniors is to win the 'state championship' by defeating in-state rivals Eastern Illinois, Southern Illinois and Western Illinois. It's a task that has proved elusive, having not accomplished the feat since 2015. However, ISU made it look easy in 2018 by outscoring their in-state rivals 132-29 in the victories over the Panthers, Salukis and Leathernecks. The home victories have also helped the Redbirds improve to 30-5 overall at Hancock Stadium since 2013 when the facility renovation was completed.
DAVIS DOES IT AGAINÂ
For the third time this season, Illinois State junior quarterback Brady Davis was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week following his performance in the 51-3 win over Southern Illinois. Davis previously earned MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors after strong efforts in back-to-back wins over Saint Xavier and Eastern Illinois. The transfer from Memphis tied a career-best with four touchdown passes, matching his high set earlier in the season in a win over Eastern Illinois, and he now has 14 on the season with just one interception. The Columbus, Mississippi, native also picked up several first downs on the ground, with a long run of 25 yards in the contest.
