Saturday, October 21, 2006
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Ben Schmidt rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two TDs Saturday as Indiana State beat Missouri State 28-22, snapping the nation's longest Division I losing streak at 25 games.
It was the first victory for the I-AA Sycamores (1-8, 1-3 Gateway Conference) since a double-overtime win against Illinois State two years ago and the first victory for coach Lou West, who went winless in his first season at Indiana State last year.
Missouri State (1-7, 0-4) took a 16-14 lead with a 55-yard punt return by Eric Davis in the final minutes of the second quarter.
But, Indiana State drove 50 yards in six plays, scoring the go-ahead touchdown by Berman with 26 seconds remaining in the period. The Sycamores stretched the lead to 28-16 midway through the third quarter on Schmidt's second TD run, and the Bears finished the scoring with a pair of field goals by Nathan Stokes late in the third period and with just over four minutes left in the final quarter.
Illinois St. 27, W. Illinois 14
MACOMB, Ill. -- Pierre Rembert rushed for 230 yards and two touchdowns to lead Illinois State.
Rembert's rushing total put him over 1,000 yards for the season. It was his second 200-plus rushing game of the season.
Western Illinois (3-4, 0-4) took a 7-0 lead after taking their first possession 65 yards on six plays, which was capped by an 18-yard, end-around run by wide receiver Marco Thomas.
Following an 37-yard field goal by the Redbirds' Kevin Mazur, the Leathernecks marched 72-yards on 13 plays to go 14-3 on J.J. Payne's 1-yard plunge.
However, Illinois State (6-1, 3-0) responded with 14 unanswered points to close out the first half, with Rembert scoring from one-yard out at 7:49 in the second quarter, and quarterback Luke Drone connecting with tight end Dave Moris on a 15-yard pass.
The Redbirds added a 20-yard field goal at the start of the second half, and Rembert scored from one yard out at 4:23 of the third quarter to complete the game's scoring.
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