Niekamp wins 3rd MVFC honors following Redbirds 35-21 win over SDSU

Imagine courtesy of Illinois State Athletics 

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Redbirds delivered yet another impressive road victory last weekend, defeating 15th-ranked South Dakota State Jackrabbits 35-21. The now number 11-ranked Redbirds opened up the game in ridiculous fashion with impressive offensive schemes and immense pressure on defense. Before halftime, the Redbirds were up 35-0 after securing a 28-point first quarter. SDSU slowly tried to dig their way out of the whole their defense dug for them, but only managed to put up 21 through the second half of the game despite holding the Redbirds to their original 35 points. 

The Redbird’s offence was electric from the start, going 62 yards for a touchdown in their first drive off of two Tommy Rittenhouse to Daniel Sobkowicz connections. ISU took advantage of every mistake South Dakota State made early on. They returned an interception for a touchdown and then recovered a fumbled kickoff to start another quick scoring drive. Rittenhouse scored four times in total, including a rushing touchdown. Sobkowicz had a record-setting game, catching three touchdown passes that made him the all-time leader in career receiving touchdowns for Illinois State with 33. By the middle of the second quarter, Illinois State had put the Jackrabbits in a hole they couldn’t get out of, down 35-0.  

The Redbirds had one of their best defensive games of the season. The unit forced three turnovers, got five sacks, and made ten tackles for loss, which kept SDSU on the wall the whole game. Linebacker Tye Niekamp led the defense with a career-high 16 tackles, nine of which were solo stops. He also forced a fumble and broke up a pass. His younger brother, Dexter Niekamp, also had himself a game recording two sacks and his first career interception. Patrick Bauer made more big plays, including returning an interception for a touchdown and making the game-winning tackle-for-loss late in the fourth quarter. 

Tye Niekamp was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season behind his stellar performance. He had 16 tackles, which was two more than his previous high, and it was his sixth double-digit tackling game of the year. He has become one of the best defensive leaders in the conference with 110 total tackles this season. This honor also puts Niekamp among the most well-known defensive players in the MVFC this season. His consistent play has been a big reason why Illinois State’s defense is still one of the league’s most physical and productive. Despite the drawbacks associated with their secondary.  

The latest FCS Top 25 Poll shows Illinois State moved up three spots, just outside of the top ten, to No. 11 after beating a team in the top 15. The Redbirds are also ranked 11th in the AFCA Coaches Poll, which is tied with Monmouth. This is their 28th week in a row in the national polls. ISU is one of seven teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference that are currently in the Top 25, showing how strong the conference is nationally, and with Illinois State’s important head-to-head wins over other ranked teams like South Dakota and South Dakota State, the Redbirds’ chances of making the playoffs are looking good as we close the regular season.  

The Redbirds go into their Senior Day game against Southern Illinois with significant postseason ramifications, as they have an 8-3 record and a 5-2 record in MVFC play. Illinois State would be well-positioned for an FCS playoff berth with a victory over the No. 24 Salukis, and depending on national outcomes, they might even secure a top-eight seed. ISU makes a strong case as a postseason contender thanks to its road dominance, ranked wins, and steady defensive excellence. In addition to honoring a veteran class of seniors, Saturday’s game could decide the Redbirds’ entry into the national playoff bracket. At Hancock Stadium’s Jay and Lori Bergman Field at 12 pm. Live coverage of the game will begin at 11:50 right here at WZND.com with Adam Tichler and Noah Simon in the booth, and Nick Thompson holding down the studio.  

For all things Redbird football, stay tuned to wznd.com.