Redbirds Hold On For 27-21 Road Win At Indiana State

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – It was another close contest in Terre Haute between Illinois State and Indiana State on Saturday, but it was the Redbirds (5-2, 3-1 MVFC) who jumped out to a 20-0 lead and held on for a 27-21 win over the Sycamores (1-6, 0-4 MVFC) on Homecoming at Memorial Stadium.

How It Happened:
•    The Redbirds struck first, scoring on their first offensive possession of the game when Zack Annexstad scored on a 9-yard touchdown run to make it 6-0 in favor of Illinois State with 11:22 left in the first quarter after the extra point attempt was blocked.
•    On the next Illinois State possession, wideout Jalen Carr took a swing pass and picked up a great block from fellow wide receiver Jerome Buckner on the perimeter and raced 56-yards for the touchdown to make it 13-0 in favor of the Redbirds with 7:54 left in the first quarter.
•    Illinois State made it three scores in three possessions to end the quarter, as Annexstad found his older brother Brock Annexstad in the back of the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown pass to make it 20-0 with 1:27 remaining in the opening quarter.
•    With 5:50 left in the second quarter, Indiana State quarterback Cade Chambers bowled his way in from one yard out on fourth and goal from the 1-yard line to trim the Redbird lead to 20-7.
•    As the third quarter came to a close, the Sycamores cut it to a one-score lead when Chambers connected with Harry Van Dyne on a 16-yard touchdown pass to make it 20-14 with 46 seconds left.
•    The Redbirds got some breathing room early in the fourth quarter, as Annexstad rushed for his second touchdown of the game this one from three yards out to make it 27-14.
•    Indiana State would not go away though, as Chambers found Dante Hendrix for a 67-yard touchdown to cut it back to six at 27-21 with 10:18 left in the game. 
•    The Sycamores had the ball at the Illinois State 26-yard line with nine seconds left in the game, but an interception by Keondre Jackson iced the game for the Redbirds.

Game Notes:    
•    The victory for the Redbirds was their first in Terre Haute since 2014, when the Redbirds needed a last-second field goal to defeat the Sycamores.
•    Quarterback Zack Annexstad finished the game 24-of-38 for a career-best 274 yards and accounted for four of the Redbirds' touchdowns (2 rushing, 2 passing) against the Sycamores.
•    His 56-yard pass to Jalen Carr was his longest in a Redbird uniform and was Carr's career-long reception.
•    Carr's six receptions tied a career-best and his 99 yards receiving topped his previous best set at UNI.
•    Running back Wenkers Wright rushed for a career-best 180 yards on a career-high 36 carries to help lead the Redbirds to a win.
•    Jerome Bucker set career-bests with three receptions for 61 yards for the 'Birds.
•    The receiving touchdowns by Carr and Annexstad were both their first in Redbird uniforms.
•    The interception by Jackson was the first of his career at Illinois State and upped the Redbird season total to seven.
•    Sy Dabney led the way for the Redbird defense with a career-best seven tackles and recorded the lone sack of the game for the Redbirds.

Next Up:
Illinois State continues its two-game road swing next Saturday, when the Redbirds head to Fargo, North Dakota, to take on defending national champion North Dakota State (5-2, 3-1 MVFC). Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at the FargoDome. 

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