FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Illinois State offense struggled all game to get something going against NAU (3-2, 2-0 Big Sky), who put up 443 yards of total offense against the Redbirds (4-1, 2-0 MVFC) in a 37-6 win at the Walkup Skydome Saturday.
The first quarter resembled a tug-of-war, with both teams playing strong on the defensive side of the ball. Dalton Keene sacked Case Cookus for an NAU ten-yard-loss early in the quarter and neither team could score, as the game headed to the second quarter with no score.
The pace started to pick up in the second quarter, as Cookus completed a 23-yard pass to Elijah Marks, moving the Lumberjacks deep into Redbird territory.