Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
Illinois St.
Illinois State Edges Southern Illinois
03/19/2001 | 12:00:00 | Football
October 28, 2000
Normal, Ill. -
With the score knotted at 17-17 with 10:58 left to play in the fourth quarter, Illinois State's Jake Strader kicked a field goal to break the deadlock and lead the Redbirds to a 27-17 victory over Southern Illinois University Saturday at Hancock Stadium.
Southern Illinois jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with 11:44 left to play in the first quarter after Tom Koutsos hit paydirt from one yard out. Illinois State's Dusty Burk then connected with Mark Schaeve from three yards out to knot the score at 7-7 as the first quarter came to a close.
Deadlocked at 7-7, Strader connected on a field goal from 25 yards out to put the Redbirds ahead 10-7 before another Koutsos score and a Scott Everhart field goal gave the Salukis a 17-10 advantage at the half.
With the momentum in its favor heading into the second half, Southern Illinois could only hold its lead until late in the third quarter (5:16) when Burk would come up big on an 80-yard touchdown pass to Wayne Riley which gave the game its second tie as the scoreboard read 17-17.
Although the game was tied for the second time, the Redbirds kept their poise as the tie stood for just 4 minutes and two seconds into the fourth quarter before Strader split the uprights from 22 yards out to give Illinois State a 20-17 advantage.
With the game still in its reach, Southern Illinois was caught off guard a second time by Burk as he hooked up with Vito Golson on a 52-yard pass play with 5:23 left to ice the 27-17 win.
The loss marked the Salukis' third in the Gateway this season as they now stand at 2-6 overall and 1-3 in league play. Koutsos rushed for 93 yards with two touchdowns while Sherard Poteete threw for 214 yards (20-40).
