Illinois Loses Big At Nebraska

(Lincoln, NE) -- Ameer Abdullah ran for 208 yards and three touchdowns as Nebraska rolled past Illinois 45-14 Saturday in Lincoln. The Huskers had 458 yards on the ground to improve to 5-0. Josh Ferguson had a 41-yard TD run and Geronimo Allen caught a 58-yard TD pass for the Fighting Illini, who fell to 3-2.

Bobcats Down Panthers, 34-19

ATHENS, Ohio  -- Eastern Illinois drove to the one yard on the opening drive of the game settling for a Nick Bruno field goal. Ohio would answer with 21 straight points as the Bobcats beat the Panthers, 34-19 on Saturday afternoon.

Ohio improved to 3-2. \EIU dropped to 1-4 and will return to action in two weeks at Eastern Kentucky, playing out the remainder of the year in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Jalen Whitlow hit Adam Drake on a 29-yard pass up the seam to start the game. He added a 28-yard scramble which set the Panthers up inside the ten yard line.   EIU would come away with just three points.

Ohio answered with a 10-play, 78-yard drive as A.J. Ouellette scored on a 1-yard run. Quarterback JD Sprague added a 6-yard run as the Bobcats led 14-3 after the first quarter.

The Panthers opened the second quarter going for it on a fourth and eight at the Ohio 35. The pass was incomplete as the ball was turned over on downs.   Ouellette hit pay dirt on the next play going 65-yards to put Ohio up 21-3. Ouellette rushed for 87 yards as Ohio had 229 yards on the ground.

Whitlow cut the lead to 21-10 midway through the second half on a 1-yard run.  The drive was set up by a Bradley Dewberry interception. Later EIU took over with just over four minutes left in the half and the Panthers were driving before a penalty halted the drive. Ohio blocked a punt attempt and tacked on a 20-yard Josiah Yazdani field goal with nine seconds to go in the half as Ohio led 24-10 at the half.

Yazdani had a 46-yard field goal in the third while Sprague added an 8-yard run to account for Ohio’s scoring. Sprague rushed for 69 yards while passing for 143.

College Football Roundup

Elsewhere in college football action from Saturday, Northwestern rolled to a 29-6 win over Penn State. Notre Dame also got a big 31-15 win over Syracuse at MetLife Stadium. Northern Illinois was off this weekend and returns Saturday to host Kent State.