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NORMAL, Ill. (AP) Tommy Rittenhouse threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third and LaVoise-Deontae McCoy returned a blocked field-goal attempt 58 yards for a touchdown as Illinois State posted a 51-34 victory over Western Illinois on Saturday.
Rittenhouse got the Redbirds (2-1) on the board in the game's second minute, hitting Xavier Loyd with a 59-yard touchdown pass, then made it a 14-0 lead five minutes later, scoring from the 6 to cap a six-play, 46-yard drive.
Nathan Lamb rallied the Leathernecks with a 6-yard touchdown run followed by a 3-yard pass to Christian Anaya to tie the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter. Ian Wagner's 27-yard field goal late in the second quarter sent Illinois State into halftime with a 24-21 advantage.
McCoy's return pushed the Redbirds lead to 31-21, but Lamb ran for his third touchdown to keep Western Illinois close at 31-28. Wenkers Wright and Matt Lawson ran for scores sandwiched around Rittenhouse's 23-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Sabkowicz put the game out of reach.
Rittenhouse was 16 of 22 passing for 201 yards. Wright carried 16 times for 106 yards.
Lamb was 24 of 33 passing for 269 yards and a touchdown with an interception and carried 15 times for 59 yards and three touchdowns to lead Western Illinois (0-3).
Western Illinois opened the season with three straight road games. The Leathernecks home opener is Saturday against McKendree before they hit the road again to face Charleston Southern.
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