NORMAL, Ill. – No. 7 Illinois State (8-3, 5-2 MVFC) needed a big stop from senior safety Luther Kirk on fourth-and-goal with under a minute to play to secure a 17-12 victory over Missouri State (1-9, 1-6 MVFC) Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Hancock Stadium.
How It Happened:
•   The Redbirds scored the first points of the contest on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady Davis to Kacper Rutkiewicz to take a 7-0 lead with 3:58 left in the first quarter.
•   On the very next play from scrimmage, Missouri State running back Jeremiah Wilson dashed through the line and ran 74 yards for a touchdown to bring the Bears within one … the two-point conversion attempt by quarterback Peyton Huslig was foiled by Romeo McKnight and the score remained 7-6 in favor of ISU.
•   On the first play from scrimmage in the second quarter, Davis found Tristan Bailey in the corner of the end zone for the Redbirds' second score of the game to make it 14-6 just four seconds into the period.
•   A 38-yard field goal by Parker Lacina with 7:57 left before halftime made the score 14-9 at the break.
•   Neither team was able to do anything on offense in the third quarter, but a 39-yard field goal by Sam Fenlason with 11:03 left in the fourth quarter widened the ISU lead to 17-9.
•   Lacina's second field goal of the day, this one from 36 yards out, cut the ISU lead to 17-12 to with just 7:05 remaining in the game.
•   After a fumble by James Robinson, the Bears had the football deep in Redbird territory and went for the score on fourth-and-goal from the ISU three-yard line with 39 seconds remaining, but Luther Kirk sacked Huslig for a nine-yard loss and gave the football back to the Redbirds as they took a knee secure the 17-12 victory.
Game Notes: Â Â
•   The touchdown reception by Rutkiewicz was the first of his career at Illinois State.
•   Bailey's touchdown grab was his second of the season and second in as many weeks … he now has two receptions on the season, both going for 6 points.
•   Robinson finished the day with 155 yards on 29 carries to record his sixth 100-plus yard effort of the season.
•   Tuvone Clark and Zeke Vandenburgh each set career highs with two sacks apiece and tied their personal-bests with two TFLs each.
•   Devin Taylor recorded an interception and a career-high five pass breakups in the victory, including one on the final drive of the contest. Â
•   Dylan Draka led all Redbird defenders with a career-high nine tackles.
•   With the victory, the Redbirds improve to 52-14 at home under head coach Brock Spack's guidance and to 35-8 since Hancock Stadium was renovated prior to the 2013 season.
Up Next:
Illinois State will wrap up the regular season next Saturday at Youngstown State (5-6, 1-6 MVFC), with kickoff slated for 11 a.m. CT at Stambaugh Stadium.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
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