NORMAL - As the Illinois State football team trudged back toward the Kaufman Football Building Thursday, Hancock Stadium's new scoreboard with its bright red numbers remained lit. | Photo gallery

The scoreboard had not malfunctioned all evening so there was little chance what they were seeing was false.

"It's a big shocker," said ISU senior linebacker Kye Stewart.

A shocking play in the form of a tipped pass that turned into a 56-yard Drake touchdown with 23 seconds remaining handed ISU a devastating 27-24 defeat in the season opener for both teams before a crowd of 12,167.

Augustine Agyei's first reception of the game came after Redbird cornerback Jason Tate got his hands on the pass from Cole Ingle. The carom went directly to Agyei, who continued down the sideline for the touchdown.

"It was just a dropped ball, my fault, a mistake," Tate said. "I didn't grasp it, it tipped to him and he scored. It was good technique. I just dropped it. I've got to catch that."

The non-scholarship Bulldogs snapped a 10-game losing streak to Gateway Conference opponents in their first game under new coach Steve Loney.

Agyei made it a memorable one.

"I turned back and saw the DB (defensive back), and I knew he was going to go for it," Agyei said. "It tipped and floated right to me. As soon as I caught it, my mind was screaming run, run, run. I'm so excited right now. I can't believe it."

A Redbird team ranked seventh in the Football Championship Subdivision was sent reeling by the huge upset.

"It's a very disappointing loss. They beat us fair and square. The buck stops with me," ISU coach Denver Johnson said. "We have our hands on a ball that very easily could have been an interception, and they score on it. That's the way the game goes.

"To win games, you have to make plays when opportunities present themselves. We didn't do that and they did."

Drake took a 20-17 lead with 4:54 remaining when Ingle found Daniel Marx with a 28-yard touchdown pass to cap an 83-yard drive.

ISU surged back ahead on an 11-yard Rafael Rice touchdown run with 1:28 remaining and seemed relatively safe as Drake faced a third-and-15 at its own 5-yard line.

But Ingle connected with fullback Willie Cashmore for a 23-yard gain and a first down. Four plays later, Agyei was in the right place at the right time.

"This was a great win for these kids. They've worked for a long time," said Loney, who didn't take the Drake job until June 18. "This is my first Gatorade bath. Once in the NFL, one of the guys threw a cup of water on me."

The Redbirds held a 10-0 halftime lead on a 30-yard Kevin Mazur field goal and a 17-yard Rice TD run.

"The first half we played pretty good defense, but we left points on the field," Johnson said. "We settled for a field goal and missed a (25-yard) field goal."

Two interceptions from ISU quarterback Luke Drone helped the Bulldogs pull into a third-quarter tie. The first interception turned into a 36-yard Logan Rees field goal, while the second was returned 24 yards for a touchdown by linebacker Cale Hunt.

ISU led 17-10 after an 8-yard scoring pass from Drone to Kelvin Chandler at the 6:10 mark of the third quarter. Drake pulled within 17-13 on a 35-yard Rees field goal.

The Redbirds held a 508 to 361 edge in total offense as Rice rushed for a career-high 218 yards on 27 carries.

"Their defense came out with a lot of intensity and passion," Rice said. "We were not consistent enough to finish them off. We weren't consistent with our execution."

Drake tailback Scott Phaydavong rushed for 111 yards on 30 attempts, while Ingle passed for 197 of the Bulldogs' 264 yards through the air.

"Every game we expect to win," said Stewart, who led all tacklers with 15. "When you don't play well and the other team plays well, that's the outcome you have."