The Illinois State Redbirds knew their season was coming to an end one way or another on Monday evening, an honor that Brock Spack’s team awarded itself for an unbelievable playoff run. Winners of four straight road contests in the postseason, ISU earned its way into the FCS championship game where it faced off with Montana State. And while the Redbirds knew it was all going to wrap up in the Music City and even knew that heartache might be waiting for them against the 2-seed Bobcats, they could
have never imagined just how gut-wrenching it actually turned out to be.
Illinois State’s “us versus the world” mentality that had won it games at Southeastern Louisiana, North Dakota State, UC Davis and Villanova over the last month was on full display for more than 60 minutes in Nashville. Despite falling behind by 14 points multiple times, Tommy Rittenhouse and the Redbirds battled back push MSU to the absolute brink. The defense made play after play while Rittenhouse and receiver Dylan Lord took on Superman roles over and over again. Three extremely unfortunate miscues, though, will leave ISU asking “what if” this offseason.
Here’s what went down in the waning moments of the championship game and why… in the face of the most remarkable playoff run we’ve ever seen at the FCS level… Illinois State is still left searching for a ring with an incredibly empty feeling.
With the game tied at 28-28 with a minute to play, it appeared as though the Redbirds were going to put the ‘Cats away with a late field goal. Rittenhouse has driven the offense clear down to the MSU 21-yard line and had made them use two of their timeouts in the process. Facing a fourth and short, Spack elected to send his field goal unit out instead of try for the first down. There was validity to both sides of that argument. In came kicker Michael Cosentino for the go-ahead try.
What ISU was not prepared for, however, was Montana State DB Jhase McMillan who lined up on the edge. McMillan shot off the line and came unabated to the ball. Cosrntino didn’t get quite enough air on it and McMillan threw his body into the kick, sending the ball tumbling the other way. Seth Johnson scooped it up and got it down into Bobcat territory, completely switching the odds and field position.
As momentum-shifting as the block was, though, the Illinois State defense answered with two huge plays of their own. A sack and a poorly executed snap from MSU’s offense pushed the ‘Cats put of field goal range and effectively forced overtime.
In OT the Redbirds offense did it again and again it was Rittenhouse and Lord that made it happen. On just the second play, Rittenhouse connected with his dynamic pass catcher who evaded Montana State tacklers and danced his way into the end zone much to the elation of the ISU fans in attendance.
The kicking woes that had gotten the Redbirds to this point, unfortunately, were not done yet. On the ensuing PAT, Montana State’s Hunter Parsons gave Illinois State fans the worst dose of deja vu when he leaped up and got his hand on the ball off of Cosentino’s foot. The MSU crowd popped in raucous celebration as the ball fluttered to the ground, ensuring the ISU lead would remain just six and setting the stage for a walk off Bobcat win if they could find the end zone and execute their own extra point.
The Redbirds defense was called upon one more time to deliver and, for 75% of what they were asked to do, they did. They quickly forced Justin Lamson and Montana State’s offense into a do-or-die fourth and ten. When Lamson snapped the ball, the unit dialed up a blitz package that had worked so well for it all night, looking to close out the championship. The only issue was, this time Lamson read it beautifully and floated the ball to star receiver Taco Dowler who was in a one-on-one in the end zone. Dowler came down with it, sending FirstBank Stadium into a bonanza, tying the game again, this time at 34 all.
This time, however, it all came down to the cool foot of Bobcats kicker Miles Sanstead. Sanstead sent the ball curling end over end through the uprights, shattering the hearts of Illinois State and its fans everywhere.
Rittenhouse knelt down and cried on the sideline as the Montana State players stormed the field. His ISU teammates stood around in shock and probably numbness while the fireworks and confetti went off. Spack looked around in disbelief as he went to meet MSU head coach Brent Vigen at midfield.
The program has never before been so close but close is not a word they want to hear in Normal right now. The 2025 Redbirds exemplified grit, belief and perseverance. To do what they did in these playoffs has been nothing short of extraordinary. All of that, though, rings hollow right now not even 24 hours after the events of Nashville. An amazing Cinderella run struck midnight in one of the cruelest ways possible and the agony of defeat in sports has perhaps never hit as hard as it does for ISU right now.
