BROOKINGS, S.D. — A 28-point first quarter avalanche carried No. 14 Illinois State past South Dakota State on Saturday afternoon, as the Redbirds stunned the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium crowd with a 35–21 Missouri Valley Football Conference victory.
Illinois State (8–3, 5–2 MVFC) scored touchdowns on its first four possessions — plus a defensive score — building a 35–0 lead by early in the second quarter and controlling the game despite being shut out over the final 43 minutes.
Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse accounted for four total touchdowns, throwing for 141 yards and three scores while adding another on the ground. His top target, Daniel Sobkowicz, hauled in all three touchdown passes as part of his 55-yard day.
South Dakota State (7–4, 3–4 MVFC), which has struggled with slow starts throughout conference play, endured its roughest opening yet. The Jackrabbits turned the ball over twice in the first quarter, including a pick-six by linebacker Patrick Bauer that stretched Illinois State’s lead to 14–0 just 2:58 into the game.
Two short-field scoring drives followed — a 2-yard touchdown catch by Sobkowicz and a 2-yard keeper by Rittenhouse — pushing the Redbirds ahead 28–0 with 6:26 left in the opening quarter. A nine-yard touchdown pass from Rittenhouse to Sobkowicz early in the second made it 35–0.
SDSU finally answered with a 75-yard drive capped by Jack Henry’s 14-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter. Henry, who finished 32 of 51 for 254 yards, added a four-yard touchdown pass to Brayden Delahoyde with 25 seconds left in the half, cutting the margin to 35–13.
The Jackrabbits mounted one more surge early in the fourth quarter, grinding out a 16-play, 80-yard march ending in a 2-yard touchdown run by Josiah Johnson. A two-point conversion pulled SDSU within 35–21 with 14:37 remaining.
But Illinois State’s defense — led by Tye Niekamp’s 16 tackles and a relentless pass rush that produced four sacks and multiple pressures — held firm. The Redbirds forced three turnovers on downs in the fourth quarter and blocked a 51-yard SDSU field-goal attempt to seal the win.
Illinois State outgained SDSU on the ground 134–66, with Victor Dawson rushing for 98 yards on 20 carries.
South Dakota State, which ran 89 plays to Illinois State’s 72, moved the ball more consistently after halftime but never overcame the disastrous start. The Jacks were held scoreless in the third quarter and failed to capitalize on three late possessions starting near midfield.
The loss sends SDSU into the regular-season finale next week at North Dakota needing help to stay in the playoff picture, while Illinois State strengthened its postseason resume with its fourth straight win.