NORMAL, Ill. (AP) Zack Annexstad threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Illinois State Redbirds's defense came up with two interception-return scores as the Redbirds stymied Eastern Illinois Panthers 35-7 on Saturday.

Illinois State (2-1) has won back-to-back contests following a season-opening defeat at Wisconsin.

Jeff Bowens intercepted the Panthers' Jonah O'Brien and returned it 40 yards for a score to make it 21-7 with 1:09 left before halftime. Deandre Lamont later picked O'Brien and ran it in from 3 yards out at the beginning of the third quarter.

O'Brien threw an 11-yard touchdown to DeWayne Cooks Jr. to knot the score at 7 with 3:09 left in the first.

Illinois State held the Panthers (0-3) to 167 yards of offense.

---

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap-top25. Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

Copyright 2026 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.