REDBIRDS PASS INDIANS ON 55

NORMAL, Ill. -- Illinois State is the nation's fifth-ranked NCAA Division I-AA football team -- and the Redbirds will likely get no arguments about that from Southeast Missouri State University.

The Redbirds made it look extremely easy Saturday night -- much too easy, in fact -- scoring touchdowns on six of their first seven possessions and bombing the Indians 55-7 in front of 9,322 fans at Hancock Stadium.

ISU improved to 2-0 while Southeast fell to 0-2.

"They're a great football team," said Southeast coach John Mumford. "They've got a lot of speed and they've got a veteran quarterback who really runs their team well."

Never before Saturday had the Indians allowed an opponent to score so many points since moving to the I-AA level in 1991. The previous high had been 52.

"That's a hell of an offense to defend," Mumford said. "They had an answer for whatever we did."

ISU is known primarily as a passing team but the Redbirds actually did more damage on the ground to carve up the Indians.

The Redbirds piled up 475 yards, virtually all of that coming in less than three quarters.

ISU rushed for 271 yards -- led by Aveion Cason with 106 and Walter James with 93 -- and stellar quarterback Kevin Glenn completed 18 of 26 passes for 204 yards.

"Last week we passed most of the time, but we know we can't just rely on the passing game," said Glenn. "Our backs all did a great job tonight and so did the line."

Southeast finished with 263 yards, but 113 of those came during 'garbage time' in the final period. The Indians rushed for only 60 yards and their quarterbacks were sacked six times.

The Indians never really seriously threatened ISU's goal line until the final minute, when the Redbirds had long since cleared their bench and the Indians were able to avoid a shutout.

Prior to that, the Indians' deepest penetration was the Redbirds' 27. Southeast's two best scoring chances until the last minute ended in two long missed field-goal attempts by Nick Reggio, from 50 and 56 yards.

"I was pretty pleased with the way we played," said ISU coach Todd Berry in something of an understatement.

It didn't take long for the Redbirds, who led 35-0 at halftime, to take control of the game.

ISU put together 80-yard touchdown drives on its first two possessions.

Glenn hit Scott Preusker from three yards out 5:24 into the first quarter and Glenn snuck over from a yard out 9:52 into the period for a quick 14-0 lead.

The Redbirds used special teams to help open up a 21-0 first-quarter advantage. Cory Grow returned a punt 68 yards to the Indians' 1 and, on third down, James scored from the 2 with 2:22 left in the opening period.

"They jumped on us so quick," Mumford said.

ISU was finally stopped from scoring on its fourth possession, but the Redbirds then resumed their offensive assault. A 67-yard drive culminated in Cason's 3-yard run, making it 28-0 with 4:24 left before halftime.

ISU got the football back with 2:07 left in the half and it took the Redbirds just 1:02 to march 61 yards. Glenn's 7-yard TD strike to James with 1:05 remaining before the break opened up a 35-0 bulge.

The Redbirds made it six touchdowns in seven possessions by scoring the first time they had the ball in the second half. A 78-yard drive ended on Cason's tackle-breaking 27-yard gallop, making it 42-0 just 4:11 into the third quarter.

On the Redbirds' next possession, Glenn completed a short pass to become ISU's all-time leader in total offense with 5,884 yards.

Glenn was then given a rousing ovation as he came out of the game with 9:48 still left in the third period. The junior, already ISU's single-season leader in passing yardage and touchdown passes, was through for the evening.

"I would have liked to stay in a little longer," said a smiling Glenn. "But we're trying to get other guys ready if something would happen to me. It's good they get to play."

Even with many of its starters sitting out the remainder of the contest, ISU was able to score two more touchdowns, both in the third quarter, as the Redbirds led 55-0.

The Indians were finally able to get on the scoreboard when Mike Gross, Southeast's third quarterback of the night, led a 55-yard, 14-play drive that ended with his 2-yard pass to Jerl Huling with 51 seconds left.