Opponent Insight: Illinois State

No. 9/11 Illinois State Redbirds (Record: 5-2, 2-2 in MVFC)
The Series (From YSU): It will be the ninth meeting between the Jackrabbits and the Redbirds, fifth time in at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Ill. SDSU is tied 4-4 with ISU and only won one game in Normal, Ill. in 2009. The series dates back to when South Dakota State joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2008. The squads played in four consecutive seasons from 2008 to 2011 before taking a two-season break. Since then, the match-up has been in the schedule for five straight seasons (2014-present).

South Dakota State vs. Illinois State since first match-up in 2008:

Date	Location	Result
2017	Brookings (Dana J. Dykhouse)	W, 27-24 (OT)
2016	Normal	L, 38-21
2015	Brookings (Coughlin-Alumni)	W, 25-20
2014	Normal	L, 45-10
2011	Normal	L, 20-13
2010	Brookings	L, 24-14
2009	Normal	W, 38-17
2008	Brookings (Coughlin-Alumni)	W, 52-21

SDSU won the first two matchups in blowout fashion, but lost the next two — managing less than 15 points. After the two-season break, Illinois State knocked off SDSU 45-10 in 2014 before SDSU went 2-1 in the last three seasons - stealing two games in Brookings. In 2015, Illinois State was No. 2 before losing to the Jacks in the final game at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. ISU returned the favor in 2016 by handing SDSU its lone MVFC loss on the season at Hancock Stadium, 38-21. The 2017 bout needed extra time before SDSU added a 43-yard field goal to go up 27-24 after ISU first missed its overtime field goal attempt.

Illinois State has the slight edge in scoring over South Dakota State in the eight-game series, 209-200 (average: 26.1-25). SDSU is 1-3 at Normal, and has won all of its games when scoring 25 or more points. All of the losses came when the Jacks could only muster 21 or fewer points (scoring less than 15 in three occasions).

Jackrabbit QB Taryn Christion is 2-1 (0-1 at ISU) versus the Redbirds. 2017 vs. ISU (W, 27-24OT: 17-36 for 172 yards and two TDs with two INTs, nine carries for 110 yards and one TD rushing - 84-yd TD), 2016 at ISU (L, 38-21: 33-63 for 430 yards and two TDs with three INTs, 13 carries for 26 yards and one TD rushing), 2015 vs. ISU (W, 25-20: 15-30 for 307 yards and two TDs passing with two INTs, nine carries for 65 yards and a TD) ... has thrown the most career INTs against the Redbirds ... has thrown six TDs against the Redbirds - tied for the third-most career passing TDs (6) against a single team ... has rushed for a TD in each of the three previous meetings, giving him nine total TDs - tied for second-most against a single team

Redbirds' Players to Watch
OFFENSE
QB Brady Davis (#4, JR, 6-4, 210): Has started all seven games for Redbirds in his first full season ... is 96-173 (55.5%) for 1,381 yards and 15 TDs with three INTs ... has 22 rushing yards on 31 attempts and one TD ... has thrown his three INTs in the last two games, two at NDSU the last time out ... has thrown no TDs in one game (vs. WIU) and thrown four TDs in two games (vs. EIU, vs. SIU) while throwing three at Missouri State ... averages 7.7 yards per pass and 194.3 yards per game through the air ... has thrown for more than 250 yards twice (vs. EIU, at CSU) and less than 125 yards in three games (SXU, WIU, SIU) ... has won three MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors (SXU, EIU, SIU) - transferred from Memphis.

RB James Robinson (#25, JR, 5-10, 210): Leads the team in carries (133), yards (911), and rushing TDs (10) while adding 11 catches for 122 yards and one TD in the air ... no other player has more than 75 carries and 475 yards on the year ... averages 6.9 yards per carry and 130.2 per game and 1.4 TDs per game ... has had 20 or more carries in four out of the last five games, including the last three outings, and scored 5 TDs in the last three games ... had three rushing TDs vs. WIU and two at CSU and vs. SXU ... has rushed for more than 125 yards in all but two games, including four games with more than 140 yards ... had a season-high 202 yards vs. SIU and season-high 29 attempts vs. WIU for 145 yards and three TDs ... had six catches for 97 yards and one TD at Missouri State ... had 15 carries for 86 yards and two TDs in 2017 match-up at SDSU ... is added to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List.

RB Markel Smith (#21, JR, 5-11, 230): Second on the team in carries (72), rushing yards (471) and rushing TDs (3) ... is one of two athletes that have more than 35 carries, more than 90 yards, and multiple rushing TDs on the season ... averages 6.6 yards per carry, 67.3 yards per game ... has a season-high of 143 yards rushing vs. SIU (with a long of 51), otherwise hasn't ran over 86 yards in the other games ... had two TDs in the first three games, but only one in the last four games (vs. SIU) ... has three catches on the year for 70 yards and one TD, including a 60-yard TD at CSU ... had 10 attempts for 63 yards against SDSU in 2017.

TE Tylor Petkovich (#85, SR, 6-6, 240): Fifth on the team in receptions (8) and yards (72) and one of four receivers with more than one TD on the season (2) ... recorded a season-high three catches and 23 yards the last time out at NDSU ... has recorded at least one catch in six of the seven games played ... scored TDs in two of the first three games and hasn't scored again since game three.

WR Andrew Edgar (#84, R-FR, 6-0, 190): Second on the team in receptions (20), yards (359) and tied for second-most TDs (2) ... averages 18 yards per catch and 51.3 yards per game ... has recorded multi-catch games in six of the seven games so far with the most being five against CSU ... also had his most yards in a game at Colorado State with 111 yards ... posted over 50 yards receiving in four games, including the last two ... had a TD vs. SIU and vs. EIU.

WR Spencer Schnell (#11, SR, 5-9, 180): Leads the team in receptions (38), yards (584), and TDs (6) through seven games this season ... averages 15.4 yards per catch, 83.4 yards per game and 0.88 TDs per game ... led the team in catches (51) and yards (679) last year ... no one else on the team has more than two TDs, 20 catches, or 360 yards so far this season ... has two multi-TD performances this season and scored one TD in the each of the last two games ... has posted over 75 yards receiving three times this season, including a 112-yard performance last time out at NDSU and a season-high 174-yard performance vs. EIU ... has handled 12 punt returns for 102 yards (8.5 per return) and two longs of 20 yards ... had one catch for three yards last year vs. SDSU and two catches for 15 yards in 2016.

DEFENSE
DE Romeo McKnight (#8, SO, 6-5, 250): Leads the team in sacks (3) while being second on the team in TFLs (6.5) ... has recorded 28 tackles and a team-high seven QB hurries ... had a season-high two sacks at Colorado State, a season-high seven tackles at Missouri State, and a season-high four QB hurries vs. Western Illinois ... only had five tackles and 0.5 TFLs in the last two games ... transfer from Iowa.

LB Tuvone Clark (#6, JR, 6-2, 250): Third on the team in tackles (38) with 25 solo knocks while leading the team in TFLs (7) and adding another three QB hurries ... has recorded five-plus tackles in three games and notched 13 tackles and three TFLs in the last two games ... has had two games with a season-high seven tackles ... had one tackle in the 2017 game vs. SDSU.

LB Ty DeForest (#50, JR, 6-0, 250): Tied for fourth-most tackles on the team (30), including 10 solo stops ... has five QB hurries, three passes defended, and two INTs on the season ... recorded a season-high eight tackles at Missouri State and notched multiple tackles in every game ... had two QB hurries last time out at NDSU ... had five stops in the 2017 match-up against SDSU.

LB Zackary Matthews (#39, SR, 6-1, 240): Leads the team in tackles (63) while the second-most tackles is 38 ... has 33 solo stops and 4.5 TFLs (third-most on the team) and one sack ... notched six QB hurries (second-most on team) and three pass break-ups ... has notched five or more tackles in every game, including two double-digit games and a season-high of 16 at Missouri State ... had four QB hurries at Colorado State and none in the last three games ... posted two pass break-ups - one in each of the last two games ... had one tackle in 2017 against SDSU.

DB Luther Kirk (#14, JR, 6-2, 195): Leads the team in INTs with three and has a pick-six for 39 yards in a game-sealing TD against Western Illinois ... has 30 tackles, including 15 solo marks ... recorded five tackles at NDSU the last time out and has a season-high of eight at Missouri State ... did not play in 2017 but recorded one tackle in 2016 against SDSU and two in 2015.

Game-by-Game Recap (From UNI, 5-2, MVFC: 2-2):
Oct. 20 at North Dakota State (L, 28-14): The No. 7 ranked Illinois State Redbirds fell to No. 1 North Dakota State by a final score of 28-14 at the Fargodome on Saturday afternoon.

On the opening drive of the game, North Dakota State scored on a rush from four yards out to give NDSU a 7-0 lead with 11:46 remaining in the first quarter. The Bison added a nine-yard score from a WR sweep with 11:18 left in the first half to make it 14-0 over the Redbirds. With 1:11 remaining, the home team took a 21-0 lead over ISU into halftime from a one-yard rush.

NDSU scored on their first drive in the second half, after a big punt return that set up a two-yard touchdown run with 12:40 left in the third quarter to bring the score to 28-0.

Illinois State put together an eight-play, 99-yard drive that was capped off by a RB James Robinson 11-yard touchdown run with 1:38 remaining in the third quarter to get on the scoreboard and make it 28-7.

Redbird QB Brady Davis connected on a 21-yard touchdown pass to WR Spencer Schnell with 6:46 left in the game to make the final score, 28-14.

Oct. 13 vs. Southern Illinois (W, 51-3): Illinois State racked up over 400 yards on the ground against Southern Illinois, as the No. 12 Redbirds ran away from the Salukis by a score of 51-3 at Hancock Stadium on Homecoming.

Illinois State scored first on a 12-play, 87-yard drive that was capped off with a RB James Robinson three-yard touchdown run. The Redbirds extended its lead over Southern Illinois when K JT Bohlken netted a 35-yard field goal to make the score 10-0 with 14:25 remaining in the first half.

QB Brady Davis then completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Edgar with 9:44 to go in the first half to widen the lead over the Salukis to 17-0. Davis scored again through the air minutes later on a three-yard touchdown pass to TE Robert Gillum to make it 24-0 in favor of ISU with 7:20 left in the first half.

Davis would go to the air one more time before halftime to throw a four-yard touchdown pass to WR Braxton Haley with 27 seconds remaining in the half, as the Redbirds led 31-0 at the break.

Southern Illinois struck first in the second half after a 26-yard field goal, making the score 31-3 in favor of Illinois State with 8:43 left in the third quarter.

Illinois State would get back on the scoreboard courtesy of a 51-yard run from RB Markel Smith that ballooned the advantage to 38-3 with 4:11 to go in the third quarter.

Davis would connect with WR Spencer Schnell who caught a 16-yard touchdown pass with 6:55 remaining in the game to make the score 45-3. Back-up QB Jake Kolbe capped the scoring, as he called his own number with 32 seconds left in the contest from one yard out to put the game final at 51-3.

Oct. 6 vs. Western Illinois (W, 33-16): The Illinois State football team bounced back after a tough loss with a solid win over longtime in-state rival Western Illinois, as the No. 14 Redbirds scored 21 fourth-quarter points to defeat the Leathernecks by a score of 33-16 on a gloomy Saturday afternoon at home in Hancock Stadium.

Western Illinois scored on its opening possession of the game, from a 16-yard pass to go up 6-0. Illinois State's DB Devin Taylor blocked the extra point attempt, and DB Willie Edwards picked up the ball and returned the PAT to the end zone as Western Illinois led Illinois State 6-2 with 11:41 remaining in the first quarter.

The Redbirds scored offensively for the first time, as RB James Robinson scored on a 12-yard run to make it 9-6 with 10:15 remaining in the first half. Illinois State extended its lead off the foot of K JT Bohlken, as he nailed a 22-yard field goal to make the score 12-6 with 3:59 remaining in the first half.

The Leathernecks reclaimed the 13-12 lead with a minute to go before halftime on a 35-yard touchdown pass and carried it into the locker room. Western Illinois tacked on three more points on a 21-yard field goal extend the lead to 16-12 with 7:21 to play in the third quarter.

The lead would change once again at 19-16, as Robinson punched the ball in on an 11-yard run where he tiptoed down the sideline and into the endzone with 10:31 left in the game.

DB Luther Kirk put the nail in the coffin on a 39-yard pick six, putting the Redbirds up 26-16 with 4:28 remaining in the game. Robinson would score once again with 10 seconds remaining in the game to seal the victory for the Redbirds at 33-16.

Sept. 29 at Missouri State (L, 24-21): The Illinois State football team suffered its first loss of the 2018 season Saturday, as the Redbirds dropped a tough road contest to the Missouri State Bears in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both squads.

Missouri State scored first on a 42-yard field goal and the Bears' QB later called his own number and bowled into the end zone from five yards out to put Missouri State up 10-0 with 3:24 to go in the first half.

Illinois State QB Brady Davis found WR Spencer Schnell in the corner of the end zone on a five-yard touchdown pass for the first score of the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 10-7 with 8:15 to go.

After DB Luther Kirk intercepted an errant pass, the Redbirds went back to the same play as Davis completed a four-yard pass to Schnell with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter to take a 14-10 lead over the Bears.

Missouri State answered quickly, they option pitched for a five-yard score and put the Bears back up at 17-14 with 2:57 remaining in the third quarter. They extended the lead to 10 on a one-yard touchdown run to lead 24-14 with 7:56 remaining in the game.

Davis got the Redbirds within a field goal, when he found RB James Robinson out of the backfield for a 43-yard touchdown pass, cutting the MSU advantage to 24-21 with 3:15 remaining in the contest. The Redbirds had a chance to tie the game with four seconds left, but K Sam Fenlason's 32-yard field goal was blocked and the Bears came away with the victory.

Sept. 22 at. Colorado State (W, 35-19): For the second time in as many tries, the Illinois State football team took down an FBS foe as the Redbirds dominated Colorado State on the offensive side of the football to come away with a 35-19 win over the Rams in Colorado on Saturday afternoon.

The Rams scored first on a nine-yard touchdown pass to cap off a 14-play, 80-yard drive to give CSU a 6-0 lead. The Redbirds got on the board next, as RB James Robinson scored on a two-yard rush and a made extra-point gave the visiting squad the 7-6 lead in the second quarter.

With two seconds before halftime, RB Markel Smith found the end zone for the Redbirds and extended the ISU advantage to 14-6 at the intermission.

On the first drive of the second half, QB Brady Davis found TE Tylor Petkovich for a 12-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 21-6 with 12:35 in the third quarter.

Colorado State found the endzone on a 17-yard touchdown pass to cut it to a one-score game at 21-13. However, Davis went to the air for his second touchdown pass of the game, with a screen pass to Smith that went 60 yards to the house - widening the lead to 28-13 with 9:25 left in the game.

Robinson put the nail in the coffin, when he found a crease in the Rams' defense and went 57-yards to the end zone, increasing the Redbirds' lead to 35-13 with 2:48 remaining in the game.

Sept. 8 vs. Eastern Illinois (W, 48-10): The Illinois State offense proved it was too much for Eastern Illinois in the 107th Mid-America Classic, as the Redbirds retained the travelling trophy and defeated the Panthers by a score of 48-10 Saturday night at home in Hancock Stadium.

The Redbirds got on the board first, as QB Brady Davis found WR Andrew Edgar on the reception that put the Redbirds up 7-0 late in the first quarter. On a fourth-and-goal, Davis called his own number and ran into the end zone to put the Redbirds up 14-0 with 11:35 to go in the first half.

After the Redbirds stopped the Panthers on fourth down, Davis went to the air on the very next play and he hit WR Spencer Schnell for a 97-yard touchdown, as the Redbirds widened the lead to 21-0 with 8:25 remaining in the first half. Davis found Schnell once again before the half, as the two connected for a 33-yard pitch and catch to put the Redbirds up 28-0 at halftime.

K Sam Fenlason got the first points on the board in the second half, as he drilled a 37-yard field goal to make the score 31-0 with 10:50 to go in the third quarter. Eastern Illinois finally got on the board, when K Matt Severino made a 39-yard field goal to make the score 31-3 with 8:26 left in the third.

Davis continued the aerial attack, as he found TE Robert Gillum in the back of the end zone for his fourth passing touchdown of the game as Illinois State led Eastern Illinois 38-3 with 5:48 remaining in the third.

RB James Robinson scored in the fourth quarter for the Redbirds, as he ran into the end zone making it 45-10 with 12:21 remaining in the game and Fenlason connected on a 38-yard field goal to make the final score 48-10.

Sept. 1 vs. Saint Xavier (NAIA; W, 46-0): A dominating defensive effort resulted in four takeaways for Illinois State, as the Redbirds shut out Saint Xavier by a score of 46-0 in the season opener Saturday night at home. The Redbirds scored on their very first offensive play of the game and cruised to the victory to begin the 2018 campaign.

On the first offensive play for the Redbirds, RB James Robinson carried the ball into the end zone from 13 yards out to put the first points on the board.

After an interception by LB Ty DeForest gave the Redbirds great field position, QB Brady Davis connected with TE Tylor Petkovich for a 15-yard touchdown as the Redbirds went up 14-0 in quarter one.

K Sam Fenlason opened the scoring in the second quarter with his first field goal at ISU, a 37-yard make that extended the score to 17-0. On a fourth-and-one, RB Jordan Birch scampered from 32 yards to put the Redbirds up 24-0 at halftime.

ISU continued to find the end zone in the second half, as Robinson scored from 11 yards out to put the Redbirds up 31-0. RB Markel Smith became the third ball carrier to record a score on the ground, as he scored from two yards out to widen the lead to 38-0 after three quarters.

RB Nick Kielbasa later scored his first career touchdown on the ground, as the Redbirds went up 44-0. The Redbirds recorded a team safety mid-way through quarter four to reach the final score of 46-0. The Redbirds outgained the Cougars 368 to 30 on the night, as SXU had negative 30 yards on the ground (fourth-lowest mark in school history).

-GoJacks.com-

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Taryn Christion

Upcoming Event: Football at Montana on December 6, 2025 at noon MT/1 p.m. CT

Completed Event: Football versus New Hampshire on November 29, 2025 , Win , 41, to, 3

Completed Event: Football at North Dakota on November 22, 2025 , Win , 34, to, 31 , OT

Completed Event: Football versus Illinois State on November 15, 2025 , Loss , 21, to, 35

Completed Event: Football at South Dakota on November 8, 2025 , Loss , 17, to, 24

Completed Event: Football versus Indiana State on November 1, 2025 , Loss , 12, to, 24

Completed Event: Football versus North Dakota State on October 25, 2025 , Loss , 7, to, 38

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