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NWEST |
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Illinois rolls over Northwestern, keeps bowl hopes alive
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Brandon Peters threw for 242 yards and a touchdown and Illinois rolled over Big Ten rival Northwestern 47-14 on Saturday.
With the resounding win to end the regular season, Illinois hopes to secure its second bowl bid in five years.
''It's been fun to build this thing,'' first-year Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. ''If we get a bowl bid, I would welcome the practices and being allowed one more game with these guys (seniors).''
Peters also threw an interception. Chase Brown rushed 14 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, Josh McCray carried 12 times for 42 yards and a score. Isaiah Williams and Daniel Barker also scored rushing touchdowns for the Illini. Williams also caught seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Ryan Hilinski passed was 12 of 23 for 123 yards passing for Northwestern. Evan Hull rushed 32 times for 101 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats. Malik Washington caught seven passes for 83 yards.
EARLY CONTROL
Illinois (5-7, 4-5 Big Ten) took control of the game early, scoring midway through the first quarter after Isaiah Gay recovered an Evan Hull fumble on the Illinois 8-yard line. Daniel Barker punched it in for a touchdown, followed two minutes later by another score on a 39-yard Peters pass to Williams to put Illinois up 14-0.
After Peters hit Casey Washington with a 56-yard pass, Chase Brown scampered one yard for the Illini's third touchdown of the half. Williams then ran 21 yards for yet another Illinois touchdown.
Northwestern (3-9, 1-8) got on the board with 6:58 left in the first half on a one-yard Hilinski run capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive to make the score 28-7 Illinois.
Three James McCourt field goals gave the Illini a 37-7 lead at the half.
''Today was kind of a microcosm of the season,'' said Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald. ''On our end, opportunities lost. We turned the ball over early, gave up explosive plays, and had opportunities to get off the field. I'm disappointed, obviously.''
THEY SAID IT
Bielema: ''I believe we are heading in the right direction. I've felt all along that we were on a steady path to this place. I liked our focus all week, and it showed.''
Fitzgerald: ''I believe we'll continue to keep growing and keep building. We went from probably my most veteran team to probably my youngest. Those are excuses. We've just got to get to work and get better. It all starts and ends with me. I'm the leader. I'm the guy who needs to get things in the right place. Obviously, I didn't push the right buttons and get the right combinations this year, which is disappointing.''
THE BIG PICTURE
Illinois dominated the Wildcats from the beginning and scored more points (37) in the first half against Northwestern than it did in any one full game (30 against both Nebraska and UTSA) all season. The Illini now wait to see if they can manage a bowl invitation with five wins, not impossible given the strong end to the Illini season.
Northwestern looked lost throughout the game and will have to wait a year for a chance to win back the Land of Lincoln Trophy, which the winner of this longstanding rivalry game keeps.
UP NEXT
Northwestern: Season over.
Illinois: Hoping for a bowl invitation.
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E. Hull
26 RB 101 RuYds, RuTD, 15 ReYds, 2 RECs |
|
I. Williams
1 WR 113 ReYds, ReTD, 7 RECs, 21 RuYds, RuTD |
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 14 | 19 |
Rushing | 9 | 9 |
Passing | 5 | 10 |
Penalty | 0 | 0 |
3rd Down Conv | 6-19 | 5-13 |
4th Down Conv | 3-4 | 1-1 |
Total Net Yards | 241 | 459 |
Total Plays | 73 | 61 |
Avg Gain | 3.3 | 7.5 |
Net Yards Rushing | 118 | 217 |
Rush Attempts | 48 | 38 |
Avg Rush Yards | 2.5 | 5.7 |
Yards Passing | 123 | 242 |
Comp. - Att. | 12-25 | 14-23 |
Yards Per Pass | 3.1 | 9.8 |
Penalties - Yards | 3-25 | 4-50 |
Touchdowns | 2 | 5 |
Rushing TDs | 2 | 4 |
Passing TDs | 0 | 1 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
Fumbles - Lost | 2-1 | 0-0 |
Int. Thrown | 1 | 1 |
Punts - Avg | 8-37.0 | 3-43.0 |
Return Yards | 11 | 87 |
Punts - Returns | 1-8 | 3-68 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 1-3 | 1-19 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
R. Hilinski
12 QB
|
R. Hilinski | 12/23 | 123 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Marty
7 QB
|
A. Marty | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
E. Hull
26 RB
|
E. Hull | 32 | 101 | 1 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Clair
11 RB
|
A. Clair | 5 | 24 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Robinson Jr.
5 WR
|
S. Robinson Jr. | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Hilinski
12 QB
|
R. Hilinski | 8 | -9 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Marty
7 QB
|
A. Marty | 2 | -11 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Washington
6 WR
|
M. Washington | 10 | 6 | 74 | 0 | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Lang
88 TE
|
M. Lang | 1 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Mangieri
89 TE
|
C. Mangieri | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Hull
26 RB
|
E. Hull | 4 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Gill
19 WR
|
J. Gill | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Robinson Jr.
5 WR
|
S. Robinson Jr. | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jefferson
3 WR
|
J. Jefferson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Clair
11 RB
|
A. Clair | 3 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
P. McIntyre
40 LB
|
P. McIntyre | 6-5 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Azema
0 DB
|
C. Azema | 5-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Bergin
28 LB
|
C. Bergin | 5-7 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. McLaughlin
97 DL
|
S. McLaughlin | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Mitchell
2 DB
|
C. Mitchell | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Gallagher
32 LB
|
B. Gallagher | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Heard II
24 DB
|
R. Heard II | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Spivak
1 DL
|
J. Spivak | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Wiederkehr
76 OL
|
E. Wiederkehr | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Adebawore
99 DL
|
A. Adebawore | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Jackson
22 DB
|
B. Jackson | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Hampton Jr.
11 DB
|
A. Hampton Jr. | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Pooler Jr.
5 DL
|
J. Pooler Jr. | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Meiser
54 DL
|
J. Meiser | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Hudetz
47 LB
|
T. Hudetz | 1-3 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. O'Rourke
46 DL
|
D. O'Rourke | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Carrington
20 DB
|
T. Carrington | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Kent
96 DT
|
T. Kent | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Joseph
16 S
|
B. Joseph | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
C. Kuhbander
14 K
|
C. Kuhbander | 0/0 | 0 | 1/1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
J. Olsen
92 K
|
J. Olsen | 0/0 | 0 | 1/1 | 1 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
S. Robinson Jr.
5 WR
|
S. Robinson Jr. | 1 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. Jefferson 3 WR
|
J. Jefferson | 1 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
B. Peters
18 QB
|
B. Peters | 14/23 | 242 | 1 | 1 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
C. Brown
2 RB
|
C. Brown | 14 | 112 | 1 | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. McCray
0 RB
|
J. McCray | 12 | 42 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Peters
18 QB
|
B. Peters | 6 | 26 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
I. Williams
1 WR
|
I. Williams | 1 | 21 | 1 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Barker
87 TE
|
D. Barker | 2 | 15 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Love III
23 RB
|
R. Love III | 2 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
I. Williams
1 WR
|
I. Williams | 7 | 7 | 113 | 1 | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Washington
14 WR
|
C. Washington | 4 | 2 | 68 | 0 | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Barker
87 TE
|
D. Barker | 6 | 3 | 35 | 0 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Marchese
42 TE
|
M. Marchese | 1 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
P. Bryant
13 WR
|
P. Bryant | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Brown
2 RB
|
C. Brown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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