Unthinkable when I was an undergrad there. Go 'Birds!
NORMAL — Tre Roberson attributes his performance Saturday at Hancock Stadium to simply being "more comfortable in the offense."
With Roberson battering the Northern Iowa secondary for a career-high 382 yards passing and four touchdowns, Illinois State moved comfortably into the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
Roberson engineered touchdown drives on the Redbirds' first three possessions, and ISU survived three second-half lost fumbles to dispatch UNI, 41-21, in a second round playoff game before a crowd of 5,575.
"The last game I didn't take advantage of what I was given," Roberson said of completing 15 of 35 for 127 yards in a 42-28 loss at Northern Iowa on Nov. 1. "We played pretty well on offense. The offensive line blocked very well."
With its 13th consecutive victory at Hancock Stadium, No. 7-ranked ISU tied the school record for wins in a season while advancing to 11-1. The Redbirds meet No. 4 Eastern Washington (11-2) at 3 p.m. (Central) Saturday in a quarterfinal matchup in Cheney, Wash.
"We played pretty well in all phases," said ISU coach Brock Spack. "It was rewarding we played better. We didn't play like us the last time. We were the better team today. It's satisfying. These guys deserve it."
The Redbirds riddled a UNI defense that had surrendered an average of 295.5 yards for 564 yards of total offense. Junior tailback Marshaun Coprich set the ISU single-season rushing record (1,831 yards) while compiling 148 on 30 attempts.
"They had a better plan. They executed well," Panthers' coach Mark Farley said. "He (Roberson) made throws and completed passes he didn't the last time. He did a nice job. We couldn't get them out of rhythm."
Roberson found Jon-Marc Anderson for a 24-yard completion on the initial play from scrimmage and connected with Cameron Meredith on a slant for the final 6 yards of a 73-yard march.
A 21-yard Coprich run while dragging UNI tacklers the final few yards and a 28-yard completion to Anderson set up Coprich's 1-yard touchdown surge for a 14-0 Redbird lead.
Meredith snared a 2-yard scoring pass from Roberson to cap a 15-play, 87-yard ISU drive that forged a 21-0 margin early in the second quarter.
"He (cornerback Makinton Dorleant) played it deep, and I cut across his face," said Meredith, who hauled in seven Roberson passes for 115 yards. "Tre got us the ball, and we were able to make moves in space."
ISU closed the first half with a gaudy 345-52 advantage in total offense. Nick Aussieker's 45-yard field goal at the halftime horn sent the Redbirds into the locker room embracing a 24-0 lead.
Farley benched quarterback Brion Carnes, who had completed 4 of 12 passes for 36 yards, in favor of Sawyer Kollmorgen for the second half.
Kollmorgen immediately got the Panthers (9-5) on the scoreboard with a 75-yard drive. Kollmorgen scooped up a fumbled exchange with tailback David Johnson and took it 3 yards for a touchdown.
The Redbirds inflated their edge to 34-7 with a 39-yard Aussieker field goal and a 26-yard scoring toss to tight end James O'Shaughnessy before ISU sloppiness gave UNI an opening.
Johnson charged 2 yards for a touchdown after the Panthers' Ray Buchanan Jr. recovered a Lechein Neblett fumble.
ISU's Tevin Allen mishandled the ensuing kickoff, Deiondre' Hall fell on it and UNI scored its second touchdown in 34 seconds on a 20-yard pass from Kollmorgen to Brett LeMaster to pull within 34-21 with 11:23 remaining.
"We haven’t panicked all year," Spack said. "I don't think the players ever lost their poise."
Roberson lost a fumble pounced upon by Max Busher, but Kollmorgen threw four straight incomplete passes from the ISU 30-yard line.
UNI's last gasp was a lateral from Kollmorgen to LeMaster, who tried to pass back to Kollmorgen. Redbird defensive end Teddy Corwin intercepted the trick play with 2:58 to play.
Roberson located O'Shaughnessy over the middle for a 36-yard connection at the 2:04 mark for the final touchdown.
"No one got nervous or frustrated," Roberson said of the Panthers' rally. "We have a lot of guys who have played a lot of football."
Kollmorgen passed for 234 yards while completing 18 of 31 second-half passes. ISU held Payton Award finalist Johnson to 48 yards on 18 carries.
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