Redbirds defeat Wildcats in semis

Illinois State scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as the fifth-seeded Redbirds rallied for a 21-18 win over the top-seeded New Hampshire Wildcats (12-2) in the FCS semifinals on Saturday in Durham, New Hampshire.

Tre Roberson scored on a 47-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to give Illinois State (13-1) the lead and Jon-Marc Anderson ran in the two-point conversion.

Roberson was 2 for 2 on third-down conversions during the drive and capped it off with the big run. The defense held after that and the Redbirds punched their ticket to the FCS Championship against No. 2 North Dakota State, the three-time defending champion and Missouri Valley Conference rival, on Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas.

Roberson passed for 278 yards and ran for another 95 including the TD as Illinois State will head to its first championship game.

Marshaun Coprich capped a 10-play, 84-yard drive for the Redbirds with a 2-yard run a minute into the fourth quarter to cut New Hampshire’s lead to 18-13. He finished with 79 yards on 24 carries a week after having more than 200 in a quarterfinal win at Eastern Washington. It was the first time this season he was held under 100 yards.

Division II Championship

Chris Bonner threw for 191 yards and a TD, Cameron McDondle ran for 113 yards and the Colorado State-Pueblo ThunderWolves (14-1) relied on their stingy defense to beat the Minnesota State Mavericks (14-1) 13-0 in Kansas City, Kansas, for their first Division II national championship.

Paul Browning had five catches for 84 yards and a TD and Greg O’Donnell kicked a pair of field goals.