Purdue Beats Illinois in OT, EIU Edges Tennessee State

Freshman kicker J.D. Dellinger hit a 28-yard field goal in overtime Saturday to lead Purdue to a 34-31 road win over Illinois.

Purdue (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) battered Illinois with a run game that piled up 231 yards, and relied on the run and a turnover to get the win in overtime.

Illinois took the ball first but sophomore quarterback Chayce Crouch, coming off the bench for the injured Wes Lunt, fumbled and Purdue safety Leroy Clark recovered.

From there running back Richie Worship moved the ball 15 yards on three carries to set up Dellinger. The kicker had been 2-5 on field goals this season.

''It was awesome,'' Dellinger said. ''I never felt that feeling before.''

Purdue coach Darrel Hazell, who earlier in week acknowledged the pressure he and his players feel as rumors about his job security circulate, said the win was a big lift for the Boilermakers.

''People don't understand how hard it is to win football games, all the pieces have to fit together and you need a break every once in a while,'' he said. ''It's a culmination of all those things in that very split second that comes rushing at you.''

Illinois (1-4, 0-2) kicker Chase McLaughlin had a chance to win the game on the final play of regulation but his 41-yard attempt clanged squarely off the right upright. McLaughlin made three field goals, including one from 47 yards, and had been a perfect 8-8 on the year.

''We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot,'' a red-eyed Illinois center Joe Spencer said, noting that Illinois had 12 penalties for 125 yards. ''What happened happened. Chayce came in, played his heart out. I just told him, hell of a job, because that was a hell of a job. We didn't win. And that's football.''

In his first start, freshman running back Brian Lankford-Johnson led the Boilermakers with 18 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown. He started in place of the injured Markell Jones, who did not play.

Crouch, a sophomore, carried the ball 17 times for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

Lunt was knocked out of the game in the second quarter on a big hit by linebacker Danny Ezechukwu, who was flagged for roughing the passer. Illinois coach Lovie Smith said immediately after the game that he only knows Lunt's injury is a concern.

EIU 35, Tennessee State 34

For the second straight year the Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State football game came down to one play to end the contest and for the second straight year Eastern Illinois secondary made that play as the No. 19 ranked Panthers held on for a 35-34 win over No. 25 Tennessee State.
 
Last season Jourdan Wickliffe picked off a pass in overtime to hand the Panthers a three point win.  On Saturday night Nick Horne knocked down a last effort pass from near midfield to improve EIU’s record to 4-2 overall, 2-1 in the OVC.   TSU suffered its first loss of the season falling to 4-1, 1-1 in the OVC.
 
In a back-and-forth game Tennessee State took its first lead of the game 12 seconds into the fourth quarter as Ronald Butler connected with Steven Newbold for a 44-yard touchdown pass.  It was the second long touchdown pass of the game for Butler as he passed for 303 yards.  Newbold was one of two TSU wide receivers over 100-yards finishing with 121 yards on four catches.   Patrick Smith had 160 yards on seven catches including a 56-yard grab late in the third quarter that brought TSU to within a point.
 
Eastern Illinois answered on their first drive of the fourth quarter driving 80-yards in ten plays.  Devin Church caught a 4-yard screen pass from Mitch Kimble and following a Nick Bruno extra point, EIU led 35-34.   Church caught seven passes for 37 yards with two touchdowns.  He added 94 yards rushing with another touchdown.
 
TSU drove into EIU territory but the Tigers missed a 46-yard field goal with three minutes remaining.  EIU took over and gained one first down but was unable to run the clock out.   Cody Edwards had a 42-yard punt downed by Camden Meade at the TSU four yard line.  Butler hit Newbold for a pass to get the ball to the TSU 44.  Butler’s final heave ended with Horne getting his third pass break-up of the game.
 
EIU opened with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with Kimble rushing for a 9-yard score and Church adding a 1-yard score.  EIU rushed for 221 yards and three touchdowns against one of the best run defenses in the OVC.  Korliss Marshall tacked on 66 yards including third quarter touchdown.
 
Lane Clark scored TSU’s first points of the game with a 37-yard field goal in the first quarter.  He would add a 52-yard field goal just before half as EIU took a 21-13 lead to the locker room.
 
Earl Harrison scored from three yards out to bring the Tigers to within 21-20 with 6:03 to play in the third quarter.  Marshall’s touchdown gave EIU an eight point lead.  Marshall added 102 yards in kick returns including a 66-yard return to open the game that helped set up the Panthers first touchdown.  
 
Kimble was 19-of-31 for 180 yards and two touchdowns as he returned following a two-game hiatus due to injury.  Kimble added 34 yards rushing.
 
Seth McDonald led the EIU defense making 11 tackles.  David Johnson made nine tackles with a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss.
 
Chris Collins and Laquarius Cook both had 12 tackles to lead TSU.  Collins added a tackle for loss, interception and pass break-up.