Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois Short Report | Dec 23, 2023
Cramton Bowl
Montgomery, AL
Dec 23, 2023
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Game Recap
In a nail-biting Camellia Bowl, the Northern Illinois Huskies claimed their first bowl victory in nearly 11 years by edging out the Arkansas State Red Wolves 21-19. The game was a showcase of pivotal plays and strategic decisions, starting with Rocky Lombardi's early contributions. The veteran quarterback, in his final college game, threw a touchdown pass to Grayson Barnes and ran in another score in the first quarter, giving the Huskies a 13-7 lead.
Northern Illinois extended their lead with a memorable trick play in the second quarter. A fake field goal saw holder Tom Foley pass to Kanon Woodill for a 32-yard touchdown, culminating in a 21-7 lead. Arkansas State fought back with two field goals by Dominic Zvada, narrowing the halftime deficit to 21-13. The second half turned into a defensive standoff until Jaylen Raynor's touchdown pass to Corey Rucker with 1:14 left brought the Red Wolves within two points. However, their two-point conversion attempt failed, and a subsequent offsides penalty on an onside kick ended their comeback hopes. Lombardi's leadership, along with Antario Brown's 132 rushing yards, highlighted the Huskies' tenacious effort to secure the win.
Key Plays:
Rocky Lombardi (Northern Illinois Huskies)
Rocky Lombardi connected with Grayson Barnes for an 18-yard touchdown, putting the Huskies up 6-0 early in the first quarter.
Jaylen Raynor (Arkansas State Red Wolves)
Jaylen Raynor found Corey Rucker for a 42-yard touchdown pass, allowing Arkansas State to take a 7-6 lead with a single play after an interception.
Rocky Lombardi (Northern Illinois Huskies)
Rocky Lombardi showcased his dual-threat capability, rushing 6 yards for a touchdown to extend Northern Illinois' lead to 13-7.
Dominic Zvada (Arkansas State Red Wolves)
Dominic Zvada nailed a 28-yard field goal to help Arkansas State inch closer, making the score 21-10.
Tom Foley (Northern Illinois Huskies)
In a trick play, Tom Foley passed to Kanon Woodill for a 32-yard touchdown off a fake field goal, giving the Huskies a 21-7 lead.
Dominic Zvada (Arkansas State Red Wolves)
Dominic Zvada completed the first half with a 45-yard field goal, closing the halftime gap to 21-13 for Arkansas State.
Jaylen Raynor (Arkansas State Red Wolves)
Jaylen Raynor's 13-yard touchdown pass to Corey Rucker cut the Huskies’ lead to 2 points, but the ensuing two-point conversion failed.
Rocky Lombardi (Northern Illinois Huskies)
A critical offsides penalty on Arkansas State negated their onside kick recovery, allowing Northern Illinois to secure the win.
Standout Players:
Rocky Lombardi (Northern Illinois Huskies, QB)
Completed 18 of 29 passes for 200 yards, with a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown. Lombardi capped his seven-year college career with a Bart Starr MVP Award.
Antario Brown (Northern Illinois Huskies, RB)
Carried the ball 25 times for 132 yards, playing a crucial role in maintaining the Huskies' time of possession advantage.
Jaylen Raynor (Arkansas State Red Wolves, QB)
Passed for 250 yards and 2 TDs, while rushing for 49 yards, keeping Arkansas State in contention until the final moments.
Corey Rucker (Arkansas State Red Wolves, WR)
Hauled in 5 catches for 107 yards and 2 TDs, becoming a key component in the Red Wolves' offense.
Grayson Barnes (Northern Illinois Huskies, WR)
Caught 5 passes for 105 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown reception that started the scoring for the Huskies.
Samy Johnson (Arkansas State Red Wolves, CB)
Led the defense with 11 tackles and 1 interception, making significant plays to keep the game close.
References:
Arkansas State Red Wolves vs. Northern Illinois Huskies - Final Score - December 23, 2023 | FOX Sports
Football vs Northern Illinois on 12/23/2023 - Box Score - Arkansas State University
Arkansas State Red Wolves vs. Northern Illinois Huskies Live Score and Stats - December 23, 2023 Gametracker - CBSSports.com
N. Illinois vs. Arkansas State Live updates Score, results, highlights, for Saturday's NCAA Football game - CBSSports.com
Team
1
2
3
4
T
Arkansas State Red Wolves
7
6
0
6
19
Northern Illinois Huskies
13
8
0
0
21
