Kolbe's 4 TDs help Illinois St. top W. Illinois 31-26
MACOMB, Ill. (AP) — Jake Kolbe threw a career-best four touchdown passes and Anthony Warrum had two TD catches for the second consecutive game, helping Illinois State outlast Western Illinois 31-26 on Saturday.
After an opening three-and-out, Kolbe found Warrum, who had seven receptions for 152 yards, for a 58-yard score. Later he connected with Anthony Fowler from 15 yards out as the Redbirds (5-5, 3-4 Missouri Valley) led 14-0 after the first quarter.
Western Illinois (6-3, 3-3) scored on Lance Lenoir's 54-yard punt return and a Sean McGuire TD pass to Jamie Gilmore in the second, sandwiched between Warrum's second TD catch, this one for 50 yards.
After a Western Illinois field goal cut Illinois State's lead to 21-19, Kolbe's fourth TD pass — a 7-yarder to Christian Gibbs with 3:20 left in the third — increased the Redbirds' cushion to 28-19.
McGuire's second TD pass in the fourth quarter cut the lead 31-26. He finished with 312 yards passing.