Illinois State tight end Max Ziebarth hauls in a touchdown pass during No. 4 Illinois State’s 76-0 season-opening victory Saturday night at Hancock Stadium. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
NORMAL – On a nearly perfect weather night, No. 4 Illinois State struck like lightning for an electrifying season-opening win Saturday night at Hancock Stadium.
The Redbirds scored touchdowns on all seven first-half drives, averaging 14.1 yards per play, en route to a 76-0 win against St. Francis, an NAIA program based in Joliet.
Meanwhile, the ISU defense dominated the Fighting Saints’ offensive efforts. St. Francis managed just 120 yards of total offense while committing three turnovers.
ISU racked up 589 yards of total offense, 208 of which came in the first quarter as the Redbirds quickly built a 20-0 lead. By halftime, the lead swelled to 48-0.
Yet, all was not good news.
Senior running back Victor Dawson, who rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, did not return to the game after hitting the turf hard on a 32-yard run to the St. Francis 1 with just over three minutes left in the first quarter.
Dawson carried the ball five times on ISU’s opening drive. He accounted for 30 yards of the 50-yard scoring drive.
According to Spack, Dawson’s injury was to the upper body and he was taken to a local hospital for precautionary measures.
“We’ll find out if there’s any time lost with this injury,” Spack said.
Sophomore Tyler Lofton led ISU with a career-high 119 yards on five carries. He scored three touchdowns — two on the ground — including an 85-yard run. He also caught a touchdown pass.
Lofton credited Dawson as a mentor in his success.
“I’ve been learning from him. As soon as I was able to step on the field, I was able to do what I learned from him,” Lofton said.
Three Illinois State quarterbacks – Beckham Pellant, Gage Roy and Chase Kwiatkowski – combined to complete their first 20 passes. The first incompletion came at the 11:56 mark of a shortened 12-minute fourth quarter.
Pellant and Roy remain in a quarterback competition for the starting role.
“It goes into next week. You’re going to need two,” Spack said.
Pellant, who started Saturday’s game, went 6-for-6 passing for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Roy, a transfer from USC, went 10-for-10 for 85 yards and three touchdowns.
Eighty-six Redbirds played in the game. Thirteen receivers caught a pass for ISU. Four quarterbacks played.
ISU rushed for 353 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per carry.
ISU’s 76 points was the second-highest total in program history. Illinois State scored 80 points against Eureka in 1937.
ISU has won each of the four meetings between the two schools, which are 94 miles apart on Interstate 55.
Game changers
11:04, 1st quarter: Dawson rushed up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown to start the ISU scoring. The senior from Cincinnati accounted for 30 yards of the 50-yard opening drive.
6:54, 1st quarter: Backup RB Seth Glatz broke through the line and outraced the St. Francis defenders for a 53-yard touchdown run.
3:10, 1st quarter: QB Gage Roy, a transfer from USC, made his Illinois State debut by tossing a 1-yard touchdown pass to WR Dylan Lord. The scoring play was set up by a 32-yard run by Dawson.
Best ‘Birds
Prairie State Pigskin chooses the top three Illinois State players in the game:
Dawson, RB: The senior rushed for 75 yards on nine attempts. He scored the Redbirds’ first touchdown on a 1-yard run. Dawson left the game with a first-quarter upper body injury.
Lofton, RB: The Brother Rice High School graduate led ISU with a career-high 119 yards and two touchdowns on five attempts. He caught three passes for 21 yards, including a 9-yard TD.
Dexter Niekamp, LB: The sophomore recorded five tackles, two solo and 1.5 for loss. He also grabbed an interception.
What it means
After going 3-3 at Hancock Stadium a year ago, Illinois State started things off on the right foot with a rousing victory.
What’s next
The Redbirds continue their non-conference schedule with a Sept. 5 visit to Macomb to face Western Illinois (1-0), an Ohio Valley Conference member. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
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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