Illini Drop Loss To Wisconsin, EIU Wins In OT

MADISON -- Despite a strong rushing attack, the Fighting Illini couldn't overcome four first half turnovers and fell to Wisconsin, 49-20, on a snowy Saturday at Camp Randall.

Corbin for 80

Down 14-0 and looking for a spark, junior running back Reggie Corbin broke free on an 80-yard touchdown run to put the Illini on the board. The run is a career-long for the Upper Marlboro, Maryland, native and marks Illinois' longest rush since Rashard Mendenhall's 86-yarder at Northwestern on November 18, 2006.

Corbin carried the ball nine times for 100 yards (11.1 yards per carry), his second career 100-yard rushing game.

Stanley Green's Career Day

Junior safety Stanley Green was all over the field on Saturday, racking up a career-high 16 tackles. Green also picked off an Alex Hornibrook pass late in the second quarter and returned it 49 yards to set up a 52-yard Chase McLaughlin field goal as time expired in the first half.

The interception extends the Orange and Blue defense's streak of forcing an opponent turnover to 21 games.
McLaughlin from 52

McLaughlin's 52-yarder at the end of the half gives him four 50+-yard field goals this season, the most in a single season in program history. Entering the week, McLaughlin's three made kicks of 50+ led the nation.

The senior also added a 26-yarder early in the fourth quarter, pushing him to 11-of-16 on field goal attempts this season.

Team Notes

    Illinois ran for 210 yards on 36 carries (5.8 yards/carry), the Illini's sixth time rushing for more than 200 yards in the first seven games this season.
    Illinois had five turnovers in the first six games. Illinois had five turnovers in the first half against Wiscosin.
    Illinois trails the all-time series against Wisconsin 36-42-7, including 16-23-4 in Madison.
    Illinois has forced a turnover in 21 straight games, the longest active streak in Power 5.
    Illinois started one true freshmen (SS Sydney Brown), its least since one at Northwestern 11/26/2016 (FS Stanley Green).
    Illinois' true freshmen have combined for 20 starts, the sixth most in a season in Illinois history. Last year, Illinois set the program record with 86 cumulative true freshmen starts.
    Illinois captains: OL Nick Allegretti, LB Dele Harding, TE Austin Roberts, LB Del'Shawn Phillips

Individual Notes

    Junior K Chase McLaughlin made a 52-yard field goal to end the first half. McLaughlin set the Illinois single season (4) and career (5) records for most 50+-yard field goals made.
    Sophomore RB Ra'Von Bonner ran for a touchdown in the third quarter, his second rushing touchdown of the season.
    Junior RB Reggie Corbin had an 80-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, tied for the 10th-longest run in Illinois history. It equaled Illinois' longest run since Rashard Mendenhall's 86-yard run at Northwestern 11/18/2006 (Daniel Dufrene also had an 80-yard run at Ohio State on 11/10/2007). Corbin ran nine times for 100 yards (11.1 yards/carry), his second career 100-yard rushing game.
    Sophomore WR Carmoni Green had a career-long 25-yard reception during the third quarter.
    Junior LB Jimmy Marchese had his first career interception during the third quarter.
    Junior FS Stanley Green had his second career interception during the second quarter.
    Redshirt freshman DL Lere Oladipo started for the first time in his career.
    Freshman SS Sydney Brown started for the sixth time this season, tied for the ninth most by a true freshman defensive back in Illinois history.
    Senior OL Nick Allegretti started for the 31st straight game.
    Sophomore OL Alex Palczewski started for the 18th straight game.

EIU 24, UT Martin 21 (OT)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – It looked like shades of last season when Eastern Illinois won all six of its games by a total of 15 points with no victory greater than three points as the Panthers picked up a 24-21 overtime win over UT Martin on a windy homecoming afternoon at O’Brien Field.

The Panthers improved to 2-6 overall, 2-3 in the OVC.  UTM fell to 1-6 overall, 1-3 in the OVC.

Taking advantage of a wind coming from the North, EIU head coach Kim Dameron called a timeout with one second remaining in the third quarter forcing UT Martin to run one final play into the wind on third and long.  Back-up quarterback Joe Hudson rolled out of the pocket and threw back across the field only to have freshman safety Bryce Dewberry get a read on the pass.  Dewberry intercepted the pass and returned it for 61-yard touchdown to put the Panthers up 21-14 at the end of the third quarter.

EIU then pinned UTM at the Skyhawks own 10-yard line with 2:09 remaining and two timeouts to work with.  Hudson completed a fourth down pass to Jaylon Moore to keep the drive alive on a fourth and seven play.  Moore would catch two more passes on the drive including a 26-yard touchdown with 25 seconds remaining.  Hudson was 5-of-6 on the drive after his fourth down completion to Moore. He was 18-of-30 for 175 yards in the game replacing Dresser Winn who was hurt on the final play of the first quarter after going 7-of-7 for 48 yards.

Ryan Courtright then bounced the extra point attempt off the right upright spinning it through to tie the game at 21-21.  In overtime, EIU would hold UTM to a 3-and-out and Courtright missed his first kick of the season as his 42-yard field goal bounced off the cross bar falling short.

EIU gained five yards on its possession in overtime setting up a 38-yard game winning field goal by Nick Bruno.

UTM scored first in the game taking a 7-0 lead on a LaDarius Galloway 4-yard touchdown run.  The Skyhawks ran 91 plays in the game compared to just 53 for the Panthers.  UTM finished with 405 yards with Galloway rushing for 78 yards and two touchdowns.  His second touchdown came with eight seconds left in the first half to give UTM a 14-7 halftime lead.

The Panthers high-powered offense stalled on its first couple of drives as the first, first down of the game for EIU came on a 50-yard pass from Harry Woodbery to Matt Reyna in the second quarter as the Panthers were backed up to their own 1-yard line.

Alexander Hollins hauled in his 13th touchdown pass of the season in the second quarter for EIU’s first score.  Hollins was held to three catches for 42 yards as EIU quarterbacks were 15-of-30 for the day with 177 yards.

EIU’s second touchdown came with 8:34 to play in the third quarter on a Johnathan Brantley 13-yard scramble.  Dewberry’s interception then gave EIU the lead.  In the game Brantley extended his current OVC record streak of consecutive passes thrown without an interception to 230.

Dytarious Johnson had an active day to lead the EIU defense.  The sophomore had 13 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.  Joe Caputo, Edwyn Brown and Levi Watson all finished with double figure tackles.  Caputo had 13, Brown 11 and Watson 10.  EIU registered 10.5 tackles for loss on the day.

UTM was led by Kevin Prather with six tackles and the only sack of the game.  DaVonte Maura had an interception for the Skyhawks.