Illinois State football leans on defense to secure Homecoming win over Indiana State

Photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics

Illinois State football defeated Indiana State 17-10 Saturday at Hancock Stadium, improving to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play after a strong defensive performance helped the Redbirds hold off the Sycamores.

The Redbirds overcame an early deficit and an inconsistent offensive showing to earn the win in front of the Homecoming crowd. Illinois State’s defense forced three turnovers, including a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown by Key Crowell, and came up with key stops in the red zone to keep Indiana State from completing a comeback.

Head coach Brock Spack said the team would focus on correcting its mistakes after enjoying the win.

“Good teams win close games,” Spack said. “And don’t worry, we will enjoy the victory, because they’re hard to come by, to win a Division I game, especially in the Missouri Valley.”

Crowell sparks the defense

Indiana State struck first, taking a 7-0 lead after quarterback Brady Allen connected with Jayden Reed for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 9:11 remaining in the first quarter.

Illinois State responded with a 22-yard field goal from Michael Cosentino to cut the deficit to 7-3 before the Redbirds took control in the second quarter.

Victor Dawson capped a 15-play, 83-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to give Illinois State a 10-7 lead with 10:04 left in the first half.

The defense added to the momentum just under two minutes later. Crowell intercepted Allen’s pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown, extending the Redbirds’ lead to 17-7 with 8:13 remaining before halftime.

The interception return proved to be the difference in the game, as neither team scored again until the fourth quarter.

Spack said the defense’s performance in the red zone was especially important in securing the win.

“I thought our guys did a really good job of defending the short field down there,” Spack said. “It’s not easy, it came down to winning the game, and we did that down there, so I was very proud of them.”

Defense holds the line

The Redbirds’ defense continued to make plays as Indiana State attempted to close the gap.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Sycamores drove down the field and reached the red zone in the fourth. Illinois State repeatedly stopped Indiana State from reaching the end zone, forcing the visitors to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Sebastian Lopez with 7:47 remaining.

The kick cut the Redbirds’ lead to 17-10, but Illinois State’s defense kept the Sycamores from scoring again.

Indiana State finished with 359 total yards, compared with Illinois State’s 285. The Redbirds also forced three turnovers, helping make up for an offense that struggled to consistently move the ball.

Spack said the defense has been consistent in recent games and emphasized its importance to the team’s success.

“Offenses come and go,” Spack said. “Great defenses show up every Saturday.”

Linebacker Tye Niekamp also reached a major career milestone during the game, recording his 400th career tackle. Niekamp said the moment was especially meaningful with family and friends in attendance for Homecoming.

“It’s pretty crazy, honestly, to have 400 tackles now in my career,” Niekamp said. “If you ever told me I would have 400 tackles, I would have said you’re crazy.”

Offense looks to clean up mistakes

While the defense delivered in key moments, the Redbirds’ offense had trouble finding a consistent rhythm.

Quarterback Beckham Pellant completed 16 of 32 passes for 174 yards and threw two interceptions. Illinois State also finished with 285 total yards and converted four of 13 third-down attempts.

Dylan Lord, one of the Redbirds’ regular receiving targets, did not play as he continued to deal with a hamstring injury. Ethan Loss stepped up in his absence, leading Illinois State with five catches for 58 yards.

Loss said he understood the importance of taking on a bigger role with Lord sidelined.

“I just want to do my role to help the team win,” Loss said. “And Dylan Lord being out today, I knew that I had to step up.”

Spack said he wanted Pellant to work through his struggles rather than remove him from the game, adding that the experience could help the quarterback improve.

“He’ll learn from that, and be better next time out, I’m sure,” Spack said.

Despite the offensive struggles, Loss said earning a win gave the team an opportunity to improve without having to recover from a loss.

“We need to improve a little bit, but it’s better to improve off of a win than a loss, for sure,” Loss said

Illinois State will remain at Hancock Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 31, when the Redbirds host Murray State. The Redbirds will look to build on the Homecoming win while cleaning up offensive mistakes and maintaining their defensive momentum as conference play continues.

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