NORMAL, Ill. (AP) — Marshaun Coprich rushed for 251 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns in a snowstorm as Illinois State blanked South Dakota 46-0 to claim a share of its second straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship Saturday.
Tre Roberson ran for 121 yards and a touchdown as the Redbirds (9-2, 7-1) earned a share of the title with four-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State.
Leading just 3-0 after a quarter with a snowy gale blowing at their backs, the Redbirds scored 20 points into the wind in the second quarter and never looked back.
Coprich had 122 yards and two scores in the first half as the Redbirds took a 23-0 lead into halftime. Coprich's TD runs covered 12, 12, 45 and 74 yards.
Roberson completed just two passes in the game, but one was a 20-yard TD to Christian Gibbs with 2:49 left in the half to go up 16-0.