McLean County Times

Illinois State University secured a victory over Western Illinois with a final score of 51-34 in a football game held at Hancock Stadium. The match, attended by 12,440 spectators on Family Day, saw the Redbirds pulling ahead after a closely contested first half.

The Redbirds initiated scoring early in the game with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Rittenhouse to Xavier Loyd. Rittenhouse later added another touchdown with a 6-yard run. Western Illinois responded with touchdowns from Nate Lamb and Christian Anaya, tying the game twice before halftime.

A blocked field goal returned for a touchdown by Lavoise-Deontae McCoy gave Illinois State momentum in the second half. Despite efforts from Western Illinois' Nate Lamb, who scored three rushing touchdowns, the Redbirds maintained their lead through additional scores by Wenkers Wright and Daniel Sobkowicz.

Matt Lawson concluded the scoring for Illinois State with his first touchdown as a Redbird. Western Illinois managed one last touchdown just before the game's end.

The win marked Illinois State's highest point total since October 2018. Wenkers Wright achieved over 100 yards rushing for the second consecutive game, while Xavier Loyd recorded significant receiving yards. Defensively, Lavoise-Deontae McCoy and Mark Cannon Jr. led with tackles.

Next week, Illinois State will face Eastern Illinois in the Mid-America Classic at Hancock Stadium.