Annexstad, Illinois State beat Northern Iowa 23-21

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Zack Annexstad passed for 257 yards and a touchdown, Ian Wagner kicked three field goals and Illinois State beat Northern Iowa 23-21 Saturday.

Annexstad’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Bryson Deming capped a 13-play, 79-yard drive and gave the Red Birds a 7-0 lead with 8:39 left in the first quarter. Sergio Morancy answered with a 53-yard touchdown catch-and-run less than 3 minutes later but Wagner’s first field goal, a 33-yarder with 2:18 left in the first quarter, gave Illinois State the lead for good.

Wenkers Wright scored on a 3-yard run to finish a 13-play, 68-yard drive that took nearly-7 minutes off the clock and made it 17-7 midway through the second quarter and Wagner made a 25-yard field goal to make it 20-14 as time in the first half expired.

Illinois State (3-2, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference) took more than 5 minutes off the clock before settling for a 41-yarder by Wagner that made it a 9-point game after the first possession of the second half.

Sam Schnee scored on a 6-yard run for Northern Iowa (2-4, 2-2) to cap a 14-play, 92-yard drive and trim the deficit to 23-21 with 12:50 left in the game.

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