>>Illinois State Topples Eastern Illinois

 

James Robinson rushed for 89 yards with a pair of touchdowns and Illinois State took care of longtime in-state rival Eastern Illinois 44-13 on Saturday in the 106th Mid-America Classic.

Robinson had a 22-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 1-yard plunge in the second as the Redbirds (2-0) built a 27-6 lead at intermission. Markel Smith added a 57-yard scoring run with just under six minutes before halftime.

 

Eastern Illinois (1-2) used a 14-play, 80-yard drive, culminated in Scotty Gilkey Jr.'s 3-yard touchdown run, to trim its deficit to 27-13. But ISU responded with Jake Kolbe's 80-yard touchdown pass to Robert Gillum to re-establish a three-touchdown advantage.

 

Julian Hess blocked a punt in the first quarter for Eastern Illinois and Mack Weaver took it 15 yards for a touchdown.

 

Illinois State has won 11 of the last 16 games in the series.

 

>>Northern Illinois Stuns Nebraska

 

Jordan Huff scored the winning touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, and Northern Illinois made two big defensive stops to finish a 21-17 upset of Nebraska on Saturday.

 

The Huskies (2-1) became the first non-Power Five conference member or major independent to win in Lincoln since Southern Mississippi knocked off the Cornhuskers in 2004. Northern Illinois is now 4-1 against Big Ten teams under fifth-year coach Rod Carey.

 

Nebraska had two chances with the ball after Northern Illinois went ahead. But Mycial Allen broke up a pass on fourth-and-7, and Tanner Lee threw his third interception of the game, allowing the Huskies to go into victory formation with 1:36 left.

 

Drew Brown's 36-yard field goal made it a four-point game entering the fourth quarter, and Lee reached the ball over the goal line to put the Huskers up 17-14. The Huskies then went 75 yards in six plays to take the lead for good.