South Dakota State found itself in an early hole in its game Saturday afternoon and couldn’t climb out as the Jackrabbits fell into a tie for first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with a 38-21 defeat at the hands of Illinois State.
The Jackrabbits, ranked seventh in the STATS media poll and 10th by the Football Championship Subdivision coaches, fell to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in league play. Illinois State improved to 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the MVFC.
Illinois State scored on each of its first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead 10 minutes into the game. Jamal Towns ran 31 yards on the first play from scrimmage and quarterback Jake Kolbe carried the ball in from 18 yards out three plays later only 1 minute and 47 seconds into the contest. After the Jackrabbits were stopped short on fourth-and-1 on their opening drive, the Redbirds put together an 11-play, 57-yard drive that ended on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Kolbe to Anthony Warrum.
SDSU came up empty again on its next possession, missing a 52-yard field goal, but the Jackrabbits cut the margin to 14-7 midway through the second quarter on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Taryn Christion to Jake Wieneke. Illinois State responded with two more second-quarter touchdowns sandwiched around a 2-yard run by Christion to grab a 28-14 halftime lead.
Towns scored on a 14-yard run around right end and Warrum caught his second touchdown of the first half, a 21-yarder in the back right corner of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining.
The Jackrabbits gained some momentum in the third quarter, taking the second-half kickoff and moving 75 yards on six plays. Wieneke, who became the Jackrabbits’ career receiving yardage leader, capped the drive with a 30-yard touchdown reception. It was his 41st career touchdown reception, tying him with former Northern Iowa standout Dedric Ward for the MVFC all-time lead. It would be the final score for the Jackrabbits, who were plagued by a season-high eight penalties for 90 yards and missed opportunities in the red zone.
