No. 16 Missouri State Pulls Away From Redbirds In Second Half

NORMAL, Ill. – It was a tight game at halftime between Illinois State and No. 16 Missouri State, but the Bears (3-1, 2-0 MVFC) pulled away in the second half to secure a 41-20 win over the Redbirds (2-3, 0-2 MVFC) in front of a sellout crowd on Family Weekend at Hancock Stadium.

How It Happened:
•    Missouri State took the lead on the opening drive of the game, going 75 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead.
•    The Redbirds answered right back, driving 81 yards on seven plays to score their first touchdown of the game on a seven-yard pass from Jackson Waring to Mitchell Lewis … the extra point effort was blocked and the Bears maintained a 7-6 lead with 7:26 left in the first quarter.
•    ISU then took the lead at 13-7 five minutes later, as Waring led the Redbirds on a five-play, 82-yard drive that was capped off by his second touchdown pass of the day this one a 23-yard strike to tight end Bryson Deming.
•    As the game moved to the second quarter, the Bears re-took the lead at 14-13 on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Tobias Little with 8:57 left on the clock.
•    After the kickoff went for a touchback, Waring connected with Jabari Khepera on the first play from scrimmage on a 75-yard touchdown to take back the lead at 20-14 just 13 seconds later.
•    Missouri State went back on top 21-20 with 3:16 left before halftime on Little's second rushing touchdown of the game.
•    Little scored for a third time, this time from five yards out, with 8:43 left in the third quarter to make the lead a touchdown for the Bears at 27-20.
•    A 46-yard pick six by Montrae Braswell just over a minute later extended the Missouri State lead to two scores at 34-20 and a late touchdown on a 69-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jason Shelley put the game away at 41-20 in the fourth quarter.

Game Notes:    
•    Waring threw for a career-high 318 yards on 19-of-30 passing and threw the first three touchdowns of his young Redbird career while also being picked off three times.
•    Jabari Khepera was Waring's favorite target on the day, with five receptions for a career-best 107 including his first career touchdown that went for 75 yards.
•    The touchdown for Deming was his second of the season and Lewis tallied the first of his Redbird career in the contest.
•    Punter JT Bohlken continued his strong season, averaging 46.2 yards per punt on four attempts with a long of 60 yards.
•    Kenton Wilhoit led the Redbirds with a team-best 10 tackles and added a TFL against the Bears.
•    Jarrell Jackson recorded his second interception of the season to tie for the team lead in that category. 

Up Next:
Illinois State has a bye week, before returning to Hancock Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 16, to host nationally-ranked North Dakota State at 2 p.m. as part of the 100th Homecoming celebration at ISU.

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