BROOKINGS, S.D. - Western Illinois outscored South Dakota State 22-0 in the second half, but ran out of time in what was nearly the largest comeback in school history, falling 24-22.
Winning the coin toss and electing to receive, Matt Barr found Anderson for a 15-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. It proved to be the Leathernecks' longest play of the half, and one of only six first downs, as the Jackrabbits outgained them 251 yards to 90 and Donaldson was held to just 19 yards before intermission.
The Jacks went up 7-0 on their second drive of the game. Berry completed a 32-yard pass that put them within striking distance at the 22-yard line, and four plays later, found a diving Colin Cochart in the corner of the end zone for the first quarter's only score.
The Leathernecks (1-2, 0-1) went 3-and-out on their next two drives, and managed to cross into Jackrabbit territory on their first possession of the second quarter. The drive stalled on a dropped pass near midfield, one of three dropped passes in the first half that would have been first downs. The Jacks scored on their next three possessions with a 37-yard field goal and touchdown runs of one yard and two yards, taking a 24-0 with 21 seconds left in the half.
Starting a second half that was the exact opposite of the first half, Travis Cherry ended the Jacks' first possession by returning an interception 21 yards to the SDSU 2-yard line. Donaldson then put the Leathernecks on the scoreboard immediately with a 2-yard run, but the extra point attempt was blocked, ending Taylor Rowan's FCS-record streak at 129 consecutive PATs.
After having gone 0-for-6 on third-down conversions in the first half, the Leatherneck offense was able to sustain its drives after halftime, converting 2-of-3 attempts on third down through their first three possessions. They reached the red zone with under two minutes to go in the third quarter, and settled for a 33-yard field goal by Taylor Rowan, capping a 14-play, 63-yard drive that lasted 6:15 to come within 15, 24-9.
Unlike last year's contest which featured a record-setting ground attack by Barr, the Leathernecks used mainly an aerial assault in their comeback attempt.
On the Leathernecks' first drive of the fourth quarter, a roughing the passer call on third down kept the drive alive and put Western at the Jacks' 24-yard line. Carl Sims caught a 15-yard pass despite a mid-air collision at the 8-yard line for another third-down conversion, and Barr found Anderson in the back of the end
zone four plays later for a 10-yard touchdown pass that brought them within eight, 24-16, with just under eight minutes to play.
As the Leathernecks rallied for 16 unanswered points on 169 yards of total offense, the defense held the Jacks to just 33 yards. South Dakota State, meanwhile, saw drives end with an interception and three punts. The Jacks started their next drive at midfield and quickly advanced downfield, but a third-and-one stop by the Leatherneck defense forced a 39-yard field goal attempt that missed wide right.
Driving with under three minutes to go, back-to-back long completions to Todd Speight and Lito Senatus took the Leathernecks to the Jacks' 18-yard line. After a pair of incomplete passes, Barr scrambled and dashed down the left sideline for an 18-yard touchdown run to bring Western within two, 24-22, with 2:04 remaining. A defensive holding call on the first two-point attempt, an incomplete pass through the back of the end zone, gave the Leathernecks a second chance, but Barr was caught rolling out to the right on the second opportunity.
The Leathernecks then attempted an on-side kick, but it was recovered at the 43-yard line by the Jacks, who were eventually forced to punt with just under one minute remaining. The ball was downed on the Leathernecks' 2-yard line with 50.7 seconds left, and Western was unable to advance past the 20.
Western Illinois ended up out-gaining South Dakota State, 349 total yards to 312. The Leathernecks threw for 284 yards on 27-of-50 passing.
Additional Notes:
- Donaldson fumbled in the second quarter, losing the ball for the first time in 356 touches.
- Cherry became the fourth Leatherneck to intercept a pass this year
- Donaldson caught a career-high seven passes for 40 yards.
- The Leathernecks suffered the second loss of the season by less than a touchdown.
