No. 10 Illinois State Picks Up Third-Straight Road Win At WIU, 28-14

MACOMB, Ill. – For the second week in a row, No. 10 Illinois State took an early lead and ran away with a victory as the Redbirds (5-2, 2-1 MVFC) locked down a 28-14 victory over the Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks (0-7, 0-3 MVFC) Saturday afternoon at Hanson Field.

How It Happened:
•    A fumble by the Leathernecks on their first possession of the game was recovered by Jason Lewan, and two plays later James Robinson ran off tackle 16 yards for the touchdowns as the Redbirds took a 7-0 lead just over a minute into the contest.
•    The Redbirds extended the lead to 14-0 late in the second quarter, as Robinson tallied his second touchdown of the game to cap off a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock. 
•    The Leathernecks got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter on a two-yard touchdown run by DeShon Gavin that capped off a 14-play, 80-yard drive to cut the ISU lead in half at 14-7 with 3:34 left in the quarter. 
•    Robinson did it again early in the fourth quarter, as he completed a 9-play, 75-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, his third of the game, to widen the ISU lead to 21-7 with 14:17 left on the clock.
•    After an interception by Christian Uphoff gave the Redbirds the ball inside the WIU 20 yard line, Jeff Proctor found the endzone from one yard out for his first touchdown in a Redbird uniform to make the score 28-7 with 10:58 left in the game. 
•    WIU would get the final touchdown of the game on a 4-yard pass from Connor Sampson to George Wahee to cut the lead in half at 28-14 with just under six minutes left in the contest.

Game Notes:    
•    Lewan's fumble recovery on the opening drive was just the second of the season for the Redbird defense, which finished the day with five turnovers (three fumble recoveries, two interceptions).
•    Devin Taylor recorded his first interception of the season and fifth in a Redbird uniform.
•    The interception in the fourth quarter by Uphoff was his first of the season and second of his career and upped the Redbirds' season total to eight.
•    Robinson scored multiple touchdowns for the fourth time this season and upped his season total to 12, which ties a career high for the senior set twice previously in both 2017 and 2018.
•    With his three scores, Robinson now has 38 career rushing touchdowns which moves him past Toby Davis (37) for second on the ISU career rushing touchdowns list.
•    Proctor amassed 127 yards of total offense (81 rushing, 46 receiving) and scored his first career touchdown at ISU.
•    With the win, ISU swept the season series against FCS teams from the State of Illinois with victories at Eastern Illinois, at Southern Illinois and Western Illinois.
•    ISU improved to 10-2 against the Leathernecks under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack and have now won nine of the last 10 games against WIU with three-straight wins in Macomb.

Up Next:
Illinois State returns home next Saturday to begin a two-game homestand, as the Redbirds welcome in Indiana State for Homecoming 2019. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Hancock Stadium, with the game being televised on ESPN3 as the Missouri Valley Football Conference game of the week.

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