ST. LOUIS – Illinois State quarterback Brady Davis led the Redbirds to a 46-0 shutout win over Saint Xavier in his first game under center for ISU, and for his efforts was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week Sunday by the league office.
Davis, a native of Columbus, Mississippi, earned the starting quarterback role after a strong performance in fall training camp and did not disappoint. The transfer from Memphis finished the night 12-for-19 (63.2 percent) for 123 yards with a touchdown, while compiling an efficiency rating of 134.91. He tossed his first career touchdown pass at ISU late in the first quarter, when he found senior tight end Tylor Petkovich in the end zone for a 15-yard score to put ISU up 14-0 at the time. Davis was one of three different Redbirds who saw action at quarterback in the season-opening blowout win, the 10th-straight home-opening win for ISU.
Joining Davis as Missouri Valley Football Conference Players of the Week are running back Bruce Anderson of North Dakota State, linebacker Alex Gray of South Dakota and return specialist Dakota Caton of Indiana State.Â
Davis and the Redbirds return to action next Saturday, when they host in-state rival Eastern Illinois in the 107th meeting of the Mid-America Classic. The game will be televised on NBC Sports Chicago Plus and ESPN+, with a 6:30 p.m. kickoff time scheduled at Hancock Stadium. The contest has also officially been designated an Illinois Bicentennial Event by the State of Illinois.
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