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NDSU football posts second shutout at Illinois State, 20-0

Defensive tackle Eli Mostaert had 3.5 sacks and linebacker Jasir Cox made his first two career interceptions to highlight No. 3-ranked North Dakota State’s 20-0 victory over Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Football Conference on Saturday, Oct. 16, before a homecoming crowd of 12,416 at Hancock Stadium.

It was the second shutout of the season for North Dakota State, which entered the game ranked first in FCS scoring defense allowing 8.6 points per game. NDSU had five sacks while limiting the Redbirds to 99 yards of total offense and just 2 of 11 on third-down conversions.

North Dakota State opened the scoring with 4:55 left in the first quarter when Christian Watson caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Quincy Patterson, who connected with Phoenix Sproles on a 37-yard play and RaJa Nelson for 17 yards on the seven-play, 67-yard scoring drive. Patterson finished 13 of 22 passing for 124 yards.

Jake Reinholz kicked a career-long 46-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to give NDSU a 10-0 halftime lead, and Reinholz connected again from 24 yards in the fourth quarter. TaMerik Williams capped the scoring with a 7-yard TD run late in the game.

Patterson rushed for 100 yards on a game-high 18 carries and Watson finished with a game-high four receptions for 15 yards. Safety Michael Tutsie led the Bison with seven tackles, linebacker Jackson Hankey made six stops, and Javier Derritt and Loshiaka Roques each had sacks.

North Dakota State is scheduled to host Missouri State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. The Bears are 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the MVFC after a 37-7 homecoming win over Indiana State.

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