Junior Mason Blakemore (3) rushed for a career-high 170 yards and three touchdowns as Illinois State defeated Western Illinois Saturday at Hanson Field. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
MACOMB – Mason Blakemore lit it up Saturday on his 21st birthday, but not in a manner of many college students.
The Centralia native ran for a career-high 170 yards and three touchdowns as Illinois State toppled rival Western Illinois, 34-18, at Hanson Field.
“I’m just excited to have the opportunity to be playing football,” said Blakemore, a transfer from FBS Northern Illinois. “That’s the reason I came (to ISU). I’m just excited.”
The win gave Illinois State (2-0) a positive start in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both teams. Western Illinois (0-2) has lost 15 straight games dating back to 2021.
After a six-carry, 59-yard first half, Blakemore broke loose for 111 yards on 13 carries in the game’s final two quarters.
“He’s really good,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said. “I’m really stunned of how good of a player he is. He’s sneaky athletic. He doesn’t look like he’s running very fast, but he’s smooth as silk. He’s got another gear.”
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Blakemore had touchdown runs of 42, 51 and 6 yards.
Illinois State trailed much of the first half before Blakemore ripped off his first touchdown run. His second explosive TD run “took the wind out of Western’s sails,” Spack said.
“I knew as soon as I got the ball, it was open and I was going to score,” Blakemore said of his second TD run.
Redshirt junior Keondre Jackson came up from his safety position and dominated the WIU backfield. Jackson registered four tackles for loss and two sacks.
“(Linebackers) Darrell Talley and Amir Abdullah came off the edge and if the (offensive) tackle takes them, then it’s one-on-one with me and the running back (attempting to block). If I make him miss, it’s me and the quarterback.”
Game changers
0:39, 2nd quarter: Quarterback Zack Annexstad backpedaled for a deep drop and found tight end Cam Grandy for a 12-yard touchdown. The score gave Illinois State its first lead, 13-9, and momentum heading into halftime.
7:35, 4th quarter: With ISU facing a third and 12 from its own four-yard line, Daniel Sobkowicz hauled in a pass, spun off a tackle and picked up 45 yards to near midfield.
7:06, 4th quarter: One play after Sobkowicz’s catch-and-run, Blakemore raced for a 51-yard touchdown. The TD and extra point boosted ISU’s lead to 27-18.
What it means
The Redbirds’ 2-0 start is their first since 2018 when ISU defeated NAIA member St. Xavier and rival Eastern Illinois to open the season.
ISU and WIU announced before the game that they will play in September 2024 and hope to continue a non-conference series for several years in the future.
Best ‘Birds
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Illinois State players in the game:
Blakemore, RB: In addition to his career-best 170 rushing yards, the junior averaged 8.9 yards per carry.
Jackson, S: In addition to his four tackles for loss and two sacks, the Freeport High School graduate led ISU with a career-high nine tackles.
Grandy, TE: The Missouri Western transfer caught a team-high six passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.
What’s next?
Illinois State travels to Charleston Sept. 16 for the 111th Mid-America Classic rivalry game with Eastern Illinois. Kickoff is 2 p.m. at O’Brien Field.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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