NORMAL, Ill. (Interstat) — Beckham Pellant threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns and Illinois State used a balanced offensive effort to defeat visiting Murray State 35-14 in an NCAA Football Championship Division game Saturday at Hancock Stadium. Pellant, a 6-foot, 195-pound quarterback from Chandler, Ariz., completed 13 of 27 passes and added 17 rushing yards on four carries for the Redbirds. Illinois State improved to 7-2, while Murray State dropped to 1-8 before an announced attendance of 6,083. The Redbirds controlled the game with a productive running attack and timely passing, while the Racers moved the ball in stretches but could not match Illinois State’s scoring pace.

Victor Dawson led Illinois State on the ground with 99 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Dawson opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and added a 14-yard scoring run in the fourth. Seth Glatz complemented him with 67 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and also caught one pass for 20 yards. Tyler Lofton added 27 yards on four carries, Albert Gooden III had 11 yards on two carries and Anthony Hall added eight yards on three attempts. Michael Cosentino handled the extra-point kicks after the Redbirds’ touchdowns, and the Illinois State offensive line helped the Redbirds sustain drives throughout the afternoon.

Pellant spread the ball among several receivers. Ethan Loss caught two passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, while Dylan Lord had five receptions for 80 yards and a score. Alex Herrera added three catches for 19 yards, Stevan Gavric had one reception for 12 yards and Nick True added one catch. The Redbirds’ passing game kept Murray State’s defense off balance and helped Illinois State build separation after a competitive first half. Illinois State scored seven points in the first quarter, seven in the second and 14 in the third before adding another touchdown in the fourth. The Redbirds finished with a balanced effort that produced enough big plays to pull away.

Murray State quarterback Collin Shannon completed 14 of 27 passes for 169 yards and rushed twice for three yards. Baxter Wright also saw work at quarterback and completed 4 of 6 passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. Trey Firestone was the Racers’ top scoring target with eight receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown. Jaxon Potter had seven catches for 131 yards, Kyle Vaka caught one pass for five yards and Dimitri Howard had one carry for two yards and one reception for six yards. The Racers moved the ball through the air but finished with 14 points. Murray State’s offense showed flashes, but Illinois State’s defense limited the Racers when it mattered most.

Illinois State’s defense made key stops. Dexter Niekamp recorded six tackles and one quarterback hurry. Wyatt Mueller had eight tackles, Tye Niekamp added six tackles, half a sack and an interception, and Solomon Oduma contributed five tackles, one sack and one quarterback hurry. Rico Clay had two tackles, one quarterback hurry and one interception, while Travis Jones made three tackles with one sack. Doreon Dubose added three tackles and one quarterback hurry, Ben Harman had two tackles and one quarterback hurry, and Jordan Coleman made three tackles. Mason Kaplan added two tackles, half a sack and one quarterback hurry, and Valentino Garcia made two tackles. Hayden Futch punted five times for 219 yards, Chris Taylor returned one kickoff for nine yards and Ian Willis returned two punts for 21 yards. La’Shavion Brown added three tackles and Key Crowell made five as Illinois State held Murray State to 14 points.

Murray State’s defense was led by Dylan Rowsey, who made 11 tackles and intercepted a pass. Klayton Ingram and Ryan McCall each finished with 10 tackles, and Ingram added two quarterback hurries. Jayden Walker also had 10 tackles and two quarterback hurries. Tay Cline added eight tackles, while Brandon Mills, Jerry Martin and Amari McGill each made six. Jackson Biser had three tackles and three quarterback hurries, Jackson Veasy made three tackles and Dominic Girard added four. The Racers’ defense forced Illinois State to work for its points, but the Redbirds’ balance in the running and passing games proved difficult to contain. Murray State also generated pressure in spots, but Illinois State’s offense consistently answered.

The scoring began in the first quarter when Dawson ran 11 yards for a touchdown and Cosentino added the extra point. Tyler Dorn missed a 30-yard field goal for Murray State later in the quarter. In the second quarter, Jawaun Northington broke free for a 42-yard touchdown run, and Dorn made the extra point. Illinois State answered before halftime when Glatz scored on a 1-yard run and Cosentino converted. In the third quarter, Wright connected with Firestone for a 6-yard touchdown and Dorn kicked the extra point. Cosentino missed a 41-yard field goal for Illinois State later in the third. Dawson capped the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and Cosentino added the extra point. Illinois State also produced a 14-point third quarter, which helped the Redbirds create the final margin.

Illinois State will visit North Dakota on Nov. 7, while Murray State will host Youngstown State the same day. The Redbirds will then visit Youngstown State on Nov. 14 before hosting South Dakota on Nov. 21. The Racers will visit Indiana State on Nov. 14 and host Northern Iowa on Nov. 21. Both teams return to action next Saturday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Illinois State 66, Murray State 18. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Illinois State with a 99.3 percent probability to win. The Redbirds’ actual margin was 21 points, well below the simulator’s projected final score but consistent with the ELO system’s strong expectation. Illinois State’s victory moved the Redbirds to 7-2, while Murray State fell to 1-8.