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Tommy Rittenhouse connected with Daniel Sobkowicz for two touchdown passes inside the final two minutes and overcame five interceptions to help No. 17 Illinois State upset top-ranked and previously unbeaten North Dakota State 29-28 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
The backstory:
Rittenhouse’s second 8-yard TD pass to Sobkowicz pulled Illinois State to 28-21 with 2:44 left. On the ensuing possession, Jake Anderson strip-sacked Cole Payton and the Redbirds had the ball back at the 23.
On fourth-and-goal with 51 seconds left, Rittenhouse threw a 6-yard TD pass to Sobkowicz and the Redbirds converted a 2-point pass to Scotty Presson Jr.
The Bison then drove near midfield, but Nathan Hayes threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-7 to seal it for the Redbirds, who will move on to face the UC Davis-Rhode Island winner in a quarterfinal.
Payton threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Lance on North Dakota State's first play from scrimmage. About 10 minutes later, Jackson Williams scored on a 52-yard punt return for a 14-0 lead. Nathaniel Staehling added a 73-yard pick-6 midway through the second quarter to give the Bison a 21-7 lead.
Rittenhouse threw three interceptions in the first half before throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Sobkowicz late in the second quarter to get the Redbirds within 21-14 at the break.
Rittenhouse completed 35 of 52 passes for 249 yards. Victor Dawson scored on a 69-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and finished with 137 yards rushing for Illinois State.
Payton and Hayes combined for 6-of-19 passing for 120 yards. Barika Kpeenu's 4-yard touchdown run gave the Bison the lead at 28-14 with 12:38 left in the fourth quarter.
Big picture view:
The Bison entered having won 14 straight in the series against Illinois State, with a pair of playoff wins.
One of those playoff wins over the Redbirds was a 29-27 victory in the 2014 FCS national championship.