MACOMB, Ill. – A second half rally by Western Illinois (2-7, 2-4 MVFC) erased a first-half Illinois State (3-5, 1-4 MVFC) advantage and led the Leathernecks to a 38-31 win over the Redbirds at Hanson Field Saturday afternoon in Macomb.
How It Happened:
•   Following a 47-yard return on the opening kickoff of the game by Kacper Rutkiewicz put the ball near midfield, Cole Mueller took over rushing for four yards on first down and then breaking open for a 45-yard touchdown run less than a minute into the contest to give the Redbirds a 7-0 lead.
•   The Leathernecks answered with a score of their own, driving all the way inside the Redbird 10 yard line before the defense forced a 20-yard field goal by Mason Laramie that cut the score to 7-3 with 8:35 left in the first quarter.
•   After WIU recovered a fumble on the next ISU drive deep in ISU territory, the Leathernecks tacked on another field goal this one from 42 yards out by Laramie to cut the ISU lead to one at 7-6 two minutes later.
•   Early in the second quarter, Mueller broke loose for his second score of the day from 14 yards out to extend the ISU lead to 14-6 with 14:22 left in the second quarter.
•   On the ensuing kickoff, the WIU returner let the ball go thinking it was headed to the end zone for a touchback but the ball checked up and bounced inside the one yard line rolling back to the four yard line where it was recovered by Joey Lombardi … two plays later, Mueller punched it in from yard out for his third touchdown of the game to make it 21-6.
•   A 10-yard touchdown pass from Connor Sampson to Tony Tate trimmed the ISU lead to 21-13 just before halftime.
•   Bryce Jefferson found Jabari Khepera for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 5:26 left in the third quarter to extend the lead to 28-13.
•   Sampson's 20-yard pass to Jack Whyte with 2:36 left in the third quarter then cut the lead to eight points at 28-20.
•   A 41-yard fumble return for a touchdown by the Leathernecks then cut the lead to two points and the 2-point conversion was good to knot the game at 28-28 with 1:37 left in the third quarter.Â
•   A six-yard touchdown pass from Sampson to Houston gave the Leathernecks a 35-28 lead with 10:31 remaining in the contest.
•   A 24-yard field goal by JT Bohlken with 8:16 left in the game cut the Leatherneck lead to 35-31.
•   The Leathernecks would add a late field goal with 58 seconds to play in the game to bring it to the final of 38-31.
Game Notes: Â Â
•   The three rushing touchdowns by Mueller were the most since James Robinson also rushed for three against the Leathernecks in 2019.
•   With his 159 yards rushing, Mueller recorded his fourth 100-plus rushing effort of the season and his second in a row with over 150.
•   Bryson Deming led the Redbird receivers with two catches for 57 yards against the Leathernecks.
•   Linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh led the defense with nine tackles, including seven solo stops, and Damien Jackson added six tackles including a sack.
•   Michael Gomez also recorded a sack for the Redbirds in the contest.
Up Next:
Illinois State returns home to face Northern Iowa next Saturday on Military Appreciation Day at Hancock Stadium, with kickoff slated for Noon CT.
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