NORMAL, Ill. – A dominant rushing attack that resulted in 274 yards on the grounds and two touchdowns helped Illinois State (1-3) pick up its first win of the season, as the Redbirds took down their in-state rival Western Illinois Leathernecks (0-4) by a score of 26-18 Saturday on a beautiful spring day at Hancock Stadium.
How It Happened:
•   The Redbirds struck first, when Pha'leak Brown found his way into the end zone from one yard out to cap a 10-play, 52-yard drive in the first quarter to make it 7-0.
•   A 53-yard field goal by WIU placekicker Mason Laramie gave the Leathernecks their first points just 14 seconds into the second quarter to make it 7-3 in favor of the Redbirds.
•   On the ensuing possession, Bryce Jefferson found Tanner Taula for a touchdown for the second-straight week as he was wide open in the back of the end zone for a two-yard touchdown to make it 14-3.
•   Neither team scored again until the 9:38 mark of the third quarter, when Aidan Bresnahan connected from 33 yards out to increase the Redbird lead to 17-3.
•   With just 29 seconds left in the third quarter, Kevin Brown broke loose for a 25-yard touchdown run to blow the game open at 23-3 after the extra point was missed.
•   Western Illinois scored its first touchdown of the game on a nine-yard run by Tony Tate with 12:44 left.
•   Bresnahan's second field goal make of the contest, this one from 35 yards, brought the score to 26-10 with 5:29 remaining on the clock.
•   A late 17-yard touchdown pass from WIU quarterback Connor Sam to Dennis Houston made the score 26-18, which is where it would stay as the Redbirds came away with the home victory.
Game Notes: Â Â
•   The win was the tenth in the last 11 games for the Redbirds over the Leathernecks.
•   With the win, ISU head coach Brock Spack improved to 85-53 in his career at ISU and now sits just one game away from tying Howard Hancock (86) for the most wins in program history.
•   Redshirt freshman Nigel White led the way for the Redbirds on the ground with a career-high 112 yards rushing on 14 carries (8.0 avg.) … the 100-yard effort was the first of his career and the 112 yards topped his previous best of 87 set last week at North Dakota State.
•   Fellow redshirt freshman Pha'leak Brown also eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career, finishing with a new personal best effort of 108 yards on 21 carries (5.1 avg.) and the one-yard TD run.
•  White and Brown became the first Redbird duo to each run for over 100 yards in the same game since James Robinson and Markel Smith each eclipsed the century mark in a blowout win in 2018 over Southern Illinois.
•   Sophomore Kevin Brown also ran well, averaging 10.5 yards per carry and finishing with 42 yards including the 25-yard score.
•   Taylor Grimes finished game with five catches for 85 yards, including a long of 58 yards, and Taula added three grabs for 24 yards with his second touchdown in as many weeks.
•   With his two field goal makes, Bresnahan improved to 5-for-5 on the season on field goal attempts.
•   Cornerback Jarrell Jackson led the Redbirds with six tackles on the day and Clayton Isbell added five from his safety spot.
•   Defensive lineman John Ridgeway added four stops and a pass breakup and Brandon Simon recorded one of three sacks on the day for the Redbird defense.
Up Next:
Illinois State will fly to Brookings, South Dakota, to face the top-5 ranked South Dakota State (4-1) at Dana J. Dykhouse 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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