Redbirds Advance To The FCS National Championship Game With 30-14 Win At Villanova

VILLANOVA, Pa. – For the second time in program history, Illinois State will play in the FCS National Championship game after the Redbirds took an early lead against Villanova on Saturday night and never looked back in a 30-14 victory at Villanova Stadium. The Redbirds (12-4) have now won four-straight games in the playoffs on the road to advance to the second national title game in program history.

How It Happened:
•    The Redbirds took the first lead of the game with 2:36 to play in the first quarter, when Tommy Rittenhouse connected on a 53-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Sobkowicz and the extra point from Michael Cosentino was good to make it 7-0 for the Birds. 
•    Villanova would get on the scoreboard just four seconds into the second quarter, when Jack Barnum drilled a 23-yard field goal to cut the Illinois State lead to 7-3.
•    Illinois State extended the advantage to 14-3 with 8:43 remaining in the second quarter, as Victor Dawson powered his way in for a 1-yard touchdown run.
•    Barnum made his second field goal of the game, this one from 35 yards out, to trim the Illinois State lead to 14-6 with 4:51 left before halftime.
•    Following a 68-yard pass from Rittenhouse to Seth Glatz that put the Redbirds inside the Villanova 10-yard line, Rittenhouse connected again with Sobkowicz on an 8-yard touchdown pass on a slant route to make the score 21-6 with 3:49 left in the second quarter.
•    With 11:03 left in the third quarter, Cosentino connected on a 35-yard field goal to extend the ISU lead to 24-6.
•    Cosentino drilled a 29-yard field goal from the left hash with two seconds remaining in the third to make the score 27-6 as the game headed into the fourth quarter.
•    With 5:10 remaining in regular, Cosentino made his third field goal of the game this one from 30 yards out to bring the score to 30-6.
•    Villanova would cut the lead to 30-14 with 3:18 to play on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Pat McQuaide to Antonio Johnson, however, the Redbirds would recover the on-side kick attempt and held on for the victory.

Game Notes:    
•    With the win, the Redbirds have advanced to the FCS National Championship game for the second time in school history, following the thrilling 2014 game against North Dakota State.
•    The Redbirds have now won nine-straight road game and are 15-1 against FCS opponents in the past two seasons.
•    CJ Richard Jr. intercepted his second pass in as many games for the Redbirds, with this INT at the 6:34 mark of the first quarter.
•    Cosentino's field goal in the third quarter was the first of his career at Illinois State.
•    With his155 yards, Dawson has now rushed for over 100 yards in three straight playoff games and for the fifth time this season.
•    Sobkowicz finished the game with a pair of scores and 97 yards on seven receptions.

Next Up:
The Redbirds will head to Nashville on January 5 to compete against No. 2 seed Montana State in the FCS National Championship. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

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