By ISU Sports Information
MACOMB – Quarterback Jake Kolbe threw a career-high four touchdowns and led Illinois State (5-5, 3-4 MVFC) to its second-consecutive victory over a ranked opponent, when the Redbirds dispatched No. 11 Western Illinois (6-3, 3-3 MVFC), 31-26, to keep their playoff hopes alive Saturday afternoon in front of 3,589 fans at Hanson Field.
The Redbird passing game came alive, with Kolbe having a remarkable day going 18-for-28 in passing for 265 yards and accounting for all four of ISU’s touchdowns. Kolbe’s strong passing effort helped him become just the seventh Redbird to surpass 2,000 passing yards in a season. Senior wide receiver Anthony Warrum was on the other end of two of those touchdowns, finishing the day off with season-high 152 receiving yards highlighted by a season-long 58-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
The defense had a strong day holding WIU’s to just 68 rushing yards. DraShane Glass led the team in tackles with 10 and not far behind him was Davontae Harris, who recorded eight total tackles, two tackles-for-loses and broke up the final two pass attempts of the day to give the Redbirds the ball back late in the game. Dalton Keene and Adam Conley each blocked momentum-swinging kicks, while Alejandro Rivera picked off his second pass of the season.
The Redbirds came out firing, scoring 14 first-quarter points for the second week in a row. The Redbird defense helped push the momentum in ISU’s favor, as Keene blocked a 25-yard field goal attempt to prevent an early Leatherneck score. ISU then capitalized off the blocked kick, as Jamal Towns weaved through the pack picking up 15 yards before Kolbe connected with Warrum for 58 yards to record the first score of the game and give the Redbirds an early, 7-0, lead. ISU then made a big play on third-and-nine from WIU’s 15-yard line, when Kolbe found Anthony Fowler for a 15-yard touchdown reception to give the Redbirds a 14-0 advantage just before the end of the first quarter.
At the start of the second stanza, ISU stalled WIU inside the red zone forcing the Leathernecks to kick a field goal that cut ISU’s lead to 14-3. From there, the momentum shifted in WIU’s favor, as Leatherneck wide receiver Lance Lenior returned Reece Attard’s punt 54 yards for a touchdown to bring WIU within four of ISU at 14-10. The Redbirds answered back with a five-play, 75-yard drive as Kolbe connected with Warrum three different times, first for 13 yards then for four yards, before launching one 50-yards to his wide-open target to help the Redbirds pull back away from the Leathernecks, 21-10. WIU closed out the first half with a 70-yard push to the end zone, however Conley stuffed the extra point attempt robbing a point from WIU as the Redbirds held the 21-16 advantage going into the locker room at the half.
The Leathernecks struck first in the second half, coming out on a 12-play, 55-yard drive that resulted in a 30-yard made field goal to narrow ISU’s lead to 21-19. The ‘Birds responded with a scoring drive of their own, as they drove down field in 11 plays for 75 yards to the end zone. During the drive, Kolbe went 4-for-5 in passing before handing the pigskin off to running backs Hasan Muhammad-Rogers and Towns. The drive was capped off by a seven-yard pass from Kolbe to Christian Gibbs that allowed the Redbirds to pull away, 28-19, late in the third quarter.
Rivera then stepped in front of WIU quarterback Sean McGuire’s pass in the beginning of the fourth quarter and ran the ball 13-yards into Leatherneck territory to regain possession for the ‘Birds at WIU’s 37-yard line. The interception helped set up an ISU score, as Towns carried the ball 19 yards to the six-yard line before Sean Slattery connected on a 21-yard field goal to widen ISU’s lead over WIU, 31-19. On the following possession, the Leathernecks punched back driving down the field on four-plays for 75 yards for a quick seven-point scoring drive to cut ISU’s lead to 31-26. With just under two minutes remaining, the ISU defense held WIU from a score, thanks to a pair of crucial breakups by Harris, to solidify ISU’s seventh-straight victory over the Leathernecks.
The Redbirds will return home to Hancock Stadium next Saturday for their final regular-season game as they square off against Missouri State on Senior Day.
