PHILADELPHIA -- Tommy Rittenhouse threw two touchdown passes to Daniel Sobkowicz and Victor Dawson rushed for 155 yards and a score to lead Illinois State to a 30-14 victory against Villanova in an FCS semifinal Saturday night at Villanova Stadium.
The Redbirds (12-4) put an emphatic end to the Wildcats' 11-game win streak and will play Montana State in the title game Jan. 5 in Nashville, Tenn. The Bobcats beat Montana 48-23 to advance.
Illinois State lost 37-7 to Southern Illinois to close out the regular season before pulling off road wins against Southeastern Louisiana, North Dakota State, UC Davis and the Wildcats (12-3) to reach the final.
Rittenhouse and Sobkowicz teamed up for a 53-yard score late in the first quarter to give Illinois State a 7-0 lead.
Dawson scored on a 1-yard run at the end of a 13-play drive -- aided by three Wildcat penalties -- for a two-score lead in the second quarter. Rittenhouse threw a short pass on first down that Seth Glatz turned into a 68-yard gain and then hit Sobkowicz two plays later for an 8-yard touchdown and a 21-6 lead at halftime.
Michael Cosentino did all the Redbirds' scoring in the second half with two third-quarter field goals and another in the fourth.
Rittenhouse completed 18-of-38 passes for 251 yards with an interception. Sobkowicz had seven receptions for 97 yards and Dawson did his damage on 34 carries.
Pat McQuaide had 199 yards on 13-of-30 passing for Villanova. That included a 16-yard touchdown throw to Antionio Johnson with 3:18 remaining. Jack Barnum kicked two field goals.
Illinois State gets its second shot at a championship. The Redbirds were runners-up in 2014, losing 29-27 to North Dakota State. It was the fourth of five straight championships for the Bison.
Villanova beat Montana 23-21 in 2009 in Chattanooga, Tenn., in its only appearance in the title game.