NORMAL, Ill. - Western
Illinois dropped its final road game of the regular season, a 31-7 decision at
Illinois State on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 5) in Missouri Valley Football
Conference action. The loss drops the Leathernecks to 2-7 overall and 1-5 in
conference.
The 17th-ranked Redbirds, looking to keep their playoff hopes
alive, took the opening kick and used up more than eight minutes on a 16-play
drive that resulted in a Nick Aussieker 26-yard field goal.
In the second quarter Matt Brown used a fake and raced 50
yards for a touchdown. Then five minutes later ISU (7-3, 5-2) extended the lead
to 17-0 following Darrelynn Dunn's 20-yard TD run.
Western got on the board late in the first half. A 55-yard
drive was capped with Nikko Watson's 1-yard
run. It was the second rushing touchdown in as many games for the
true-freshman, in his second collegiate game.
Both teams were forced to punt to start the third quarter.
Western was looking to turn the momentum in its favor as Illinois State was
facing 4th-and-10 from the Western 30. However, Brown was able to escape a sack
and launched a TD pass to Donovan Harden in the back corner of the endzone to
make it 24-7 with just under six minutes in the third.
The Redbirds added a 2-yard TD run early in the fourth
quarter for the final margin.
For the second straight game
Watson led the ground attack with 60 yards on 15 carries. Caulton Ray gained 43 yards on 14 carries. Josh Hudson completed 5-of-11 passes for 65 yards before leaving
late in the first half after he was shaken up on a hit as he was going out of
bounds. Junior Cody Reardon completed
6-of-11 passes for 39 yards and ran for another nine.
Terriun Crump caught six passes for 64 yards, now needing 23 yards
to reach 2,000 in his career.
Junior linebacker Theon Dixon recorded a career-high 13
tackles. He also came up with his first interception of the season when he
picked off a pass in the endzone at the end of the first half on a Hail Mary
attempt.
Kevin Palermo added 10 stops. Dwight
Harris recorded a sack as part of his career-high eight tackles. Mike Garoppolo also had a sack, six
tackles in all.
Illinois State out-gained Western
352-258 in total offense, but the Leathernecks held ISU to just 79 passing
yards in the game.
Western returns to Hanson Field next Saturday (Nov. 12) for
a pair of games to close out the regular season. Kickoff against South Dakota
State is scheduled for 1 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Due
to offensive tackle Enock Presendieu's injury,
redshirt-freshman Sam Kachanuk earned
his first collegiate start. Presendieu's streak of five consecutive starts came
to an end... This marks the third ranked opponent Western will have faced on the
road (not including current undefeated Sam Houston State which was unranked in
the season-opener)... Pat Smith started
the game with his second kickoff touchback of the season. The sophomore place
kicker also made his first punts of his career in the game, averaging 37.7
yards on three punts after Michael
Shroble suffered an injury... True-freshman strong safety Jonathon Rollins made his first
collegiate start... Western was held to 1-of-11 on third down conversions and 0-2
on fourth down... ISU held a +8 minute advantage in time of possession... Larry Patterson averaged 21 yards on
four kickoff returns, including a long of 38 yards... Western blocked a 45-yard
field goal attempt in the second quarter. Garoppolo came up with the blocked
kick. It was the first blocked kick by special teams this season.
