Missouri Valley Football conference Saturday’s other games

Western Illinois 37, Southern Illinois 36

MACOMB, ILL.

Nathan Knuffman’s 20-yard field goal with two seconds left lifted Western Illinois over Southern Illinois. Knuffman’s game-winner was set up by a 44-yard completion from Trenton Norvell to Lance Lenoir. Norvell was 18 of 35 for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Lenoir had four catches for 120 yards and Nikko Watson ran for a career-high 174 yards and two scores. Southern Illinois got a 25-yard touchdown run by Cameron Walter and Kenny James’ 70-yard interception return for a score to go up 33-28 early in the fourth. But Western Illinois forced a fumble and Brett Taylor scooped it and went 21 yards to put the Leathernecks up by a point with 9:35 left. Daquan Isom returned the kickoff 52 yards to set up Austin Johnson’s 32-yard field goal to put Southern Illinois up by two, but it only served to set up the dramatic conclusion.

Illinois State 21, Northern Iowa 13

NORMAL, ILL.

Marshaun Coprich had 169 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns to lead Illinois State past Northern Iowa. With 3,743 yards, Coprich became Illinois State’s career rushing leader, breaking Toby Davis’ mark of 3,704 yards. The Redbirds (2-1, 1-0 Missouri Valley Conference) never trailed. Coprich scored Illinois State’s first two touchdowns to give it a 14-0 lead. Aaron Bailey connected with Michael Malloy on a 45-yard pass play to make it 14-7. Illinois State responded with a three-play, 75-yard drive capped by Jamal Towns’ 10-yard run to make it 21-7 before halftime. Coprich, averaging 127 yards per game, had a 61-yard run on the drive to set up the score. Bailey was 7 for 17 with 108 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions for Northern Iowa (2-2, 0-1).

Indiana State 56, Missouri State 28

SPRINGFIELD, MO.

Matt Adam threw touchdown passes to four different receivers and Indiana State topped Missouri State. Adam was 27 of 38 for 265 yards and connected for three second-half scores that allowed the Sycamores (3-1, 1-0) to pull away. Early in the fourth, wide receiver Gary Owens took a screen from Adam, then lobbed it into the end zone where Jamar Brown outjumped the defense for a 22-yard touchdown reception. Calan Crowder’s second touchdown of the day, a 2-yard run at the start of the second, put the Bears up 14-7, but Indiana State used two long drives for touchdowns— capped by Roland Genesy’s 19-yard run and Adam’s 6-yard pass to Owens — and led 21-14 at the half. Missouri State fell to 1-3.

North Dakota State 28, South Dakota State 7

BROOKINGS, S.D.

Carson Wentz threw one touchdown and ran for another and North Dakota State beat South Dakota State. Wentz was 19 of 27 for 183 yards. King Frazier and Chase Morlock had short scoring runs, and Wentz threw a 2-yard TD pass to Luke Albers to give North Dakota State (3-1, 1-1) a 21-0 halftime lead. Ben LeCompte kicked a 42-yard punt, pinning South Dakota State on its own 1-yard line early in the third quarter. The Jackrabbits punted three plays later, and then Wentz ran on first down for a 27-yard score to make it 28-0.

Associated Press