Illini Fall To Purdue, EIU Beats Tennessee Tech

True freshman running back Josh McCray had a career day in the loss, posting 156 yards on 24 carries in his first-career start. 
McCray dominates the backfield

Just a week after scoring his first-career touchdown, McCray led the Illini offense against Purdue, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. The last time a true freshman rushed for 100+ yards was in 2017 when Mike Epstein had 111 rushing yards against Western Kentucky.

Saturday's performance put McCray in the record books just four games into his Illini career as his 156 rushing yards is the fifth most by a true freshman. McCray passed up Juice Williams who rushed for 145 yards against Purdue in 2006.

Despite the Illini defense being without top cornerback Devon Witherspoon, multiple players in the secondary stepped up in his absence. Illinois' defense held

Purdue starting quarterback Jack Plummer to 95 passing yards.

When the Boilermakers went to backup QB Aidan O'Connell in the second half, Kerby Joseph and Tony Adams came up with momentum-swinging interceptions. Joseph intercepted O'Connell in the Illini end zone near the end of the third quarter, which led to a McCourt kick that gave Illinois a 9-6 lead.
On the ensuing Purdue drive, Adams picked off O'Connell at the Illinois 46-yard line with less than 13 minutes to play.
McCourt extends record

Three weeks ago, Illini kicker James McCourt broke the program record for most career 50+ yard field goals after converting 52- and 53-yarders against

UTSA. McCourt added onto that record Saturday as he made a 51-yard field goal in the first quarter of the Purdue game.

McCourt went on to have a strong performance against the Boilermakers, converting on 3-of-4 FG attempts. The Illini kicker connected from 35 and 45 yards in the second half.

Coach Bielema Press Conference

A very frustrating day, obviously. For me, as a head coach, I'm responsible for everything in this program from the time we left Champaign to where we are right now, so there is a lot of things that I've got to get better at (in order) to gives us direction to get where we need to be.
I told our guys afterwards, that there's a lot of things that I was very proud of. We always talk about the "next man up." I knew coming into today that we weren't going to have Chase Brown, we weren't going to have (Devon) Witherspoon, and we weren't going to have Jake Hansen, which are three of our best players. And I thought the guys that stood up for them and stepped into their roles really did a great job of preparation during the course of the week and answered the bell on a couple of occasions today.

I think this is the game that we wanted to play, I think, defensively, we wanted to keep the ball in front of us, bang their receivers around, make them play kind of a brand that thy don't execute all that much against … I thought our guys held the game plan together fairly well. Obviously when we punted the ball down there and put the ball on the five (yard line), they had been playing their tails off all day. We had a little issue over the middle but just weren't able to come up with a stop at that point.  

Offensively, I thought between (Josh) McCray and Jakari (Norwood), and Reggie (Love) – those three guys knew during the course of the week that Chase (Brown) wasn't going to be here. I thought that they really continued to take a step forward. None of the three have really played a lot of football, so have them come in an prepare for a Big Ten football game, I was happy with their preparation. They all kind of did some good things out there today. (We) couldn't ever just really get consistently going offensively. We (did have) a couple of positives, even that last drive getting down there in positive field position, we just weren't able to close it out. It's very frustrating. The good news is we've got some young guys that continue to (improve). I thought it was great to see Pat Bryant involved. Offensively, you've got some new faces involved in the line, as well as at the tight end position.

So, frustrating, I get it. I tell these guys they've got to keep chipping away. I think the part that amazes me every time is just how resilient they are, and the lessons they are learning. I know that they're very frustrated; especially the fans, the parents, the families, the administrators, the university, I know it gets very frustrating. But I can tell you that we continue to make strides and this process is not going to be an easy one, but it's going to be one that is going to be worth it. I think our guys know that, understand it, and see it, and I think that's why you see them keep competing the way that they do."

Team Notes

The Fighting Illini fall to 1-4 overall and move to 1-2 in Big Ten play.

Saturday's loss moves the Illini to 45-46-6 all-time in the series vs. Purdue.

Head coach Bret Bielema moves to 5-1 in his career as a head coach vs. Purdue. 

The Illini offense out-rushed the Boilermakers 175-38 in the contest. 

The 38 rushing yards allowed marked a season-low for the Illini defense, eclipsing the 131 yards given up on the ground vs. Maryland (9/17/21). It is the first time that the Illini have held an opponent to 50 or fewer rushing yards since allowing 10 vs.UConn (9/7/2019). 

The Illini defense also held the Boilermakers to just 315 yards of total offense, also a season-low for the Orange and Blue, besting the mark of 392 yards surrendered in the season-opening victory over Nebraska (8/28/21). 

The Illinois defense, which entered the game ranked third in the Big Ten and 22nd nationally with six takeaways, recorded two more vs. the Boilermakers with a pair of second-half interceptions. Illinois captains: DB Tony Adams, OLB Owen Carney Jr., LB Jake Hansen, P Blake Hayes, OL Doug Kramer, OL Vederian Lowe.

Individual Notes

Senior OL duo of Vederian Lowe and Alex Palczewski each made their 45th career starts (39th consecutive for Lowe) on Saturday. They are now tied for ninth on the Illini career starts list, two starts away from the top five and three away from tying the Illinois record of 48. 

The Illini defense played without senior LB Jake Hansen, who entered the game as the team's leading tackler at 7.5 tackles per game. 

Josh McCray became the first true freshman to start at RB for the Illini since Ra'Von Bonner at Minnesota (10/21/2017). Bonner and Mike Epstein each started three games as freshmen during the 2017 season.

McCray ran for a career-most 156 yards on 24 carries vs. the Boilermakers. It marks the fifth-most rushing yards by a true freshman in program history, and the most by a true freshman RB since Ke'Shawn Vaughn recorded 180 yards against Purdue (11/7/2015). Freshman WR Pat Bryant also earned the first of his Illini career on Saturday. The combination of Bryant and RB Josh McCray marks the first time that the Illini offense has started two true freshman on since QB M.J. Rivers and WR Carlos Sandy started against Penn State (9/21/2018).

Bryant also made the most of his opportunity, recording 25 yards on three receptions, both career-best totals.  

Senior P Blake Hayes boomed a career-long 80-yard punt early in the second quarter on Saturday. It is tied for the seventh longest punt in program history (Brett Larson, 80 yards vs. Arizona, 9/16/1995) and is the longest since Ryan Tabloff's 85-yarder vs. Purdue (10/25/1997).Senior K James McCourt put the Illini on the scoreboard with a 51-yard field goal to cut the Illinois deficit to 6-3 at the 2:24 mark of the second quarter. It was the seventh-career field goal of 50+ yards for McCourt, extending his own program record.

McCourt connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts on Saturday, also connecting from 35 and 45 yards in the second half, the latter giving the Illini a 9-6 lead at the 14:51 mark of the fourth quarter. McCourt's lone miss was a 54-yard attempt at the 3:44 mark of the third quarter.McCourt's three field goal makes tied a career-best single-game mark for the senior who previously connected on three field goals twice in his career (at Rutgers, 11/14/2020 and vs. UTSA, 9/4/2021). 

Veteran DBs, senior Tony Adams and junior Kerby Joseph, each recorded interceptions for the Illini defense on Saturday. Joseph's pick was the second of his career after recodring one earlier this season at Virginia (9/11/21). Adams' pick was his first of the season and the sixth of his career.

EIU 28, Tennessee Tech 14

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Turnovers turned into victory for Eastern Illinois football on Saturday afternoon as the Panthers forced four Tennessee Tech turnovers leading to a 28-14 EIU win at Tucker Stadium. 

The biggest turnover of the game came midway through the fourth quarter as Tennessee Tech was driving for what appeared to be a game tying touchdown as EIU led 21-14.   TTU’s quarterback lost the handle on the football during a scramble inside the 10-yard line.  Bryce Dewberry scooped up the loose ball and raced a school record 90-yards for the touchdown. 

EIU’s win moved the Panthers to 1-4 on the season but more importantly, 1-0 in the OVC.   TTU fell to 0-4 on the year, 0-1 in the league. 

Eastern Illinois defense helped set up its two second quarter touchdowns after Tennessee Tech built a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. 

Logen Neidhardt pinned TTU inside its ten yard line on a punt and a big play on third down by Dewberry forced the Golden Eagles to punt from their one-yard line, giving EIU good field position.   

DeAirious Smith would catch a seven-yard strike from Otto Kuhns with 6:37 to play in the first half to bring EIU within one point as the extra point was missed.  Smith finished the day with six catches for 109 yards. 

Kaelin Drakeford would help set up the Panthers second touchdown as the safety picked off a TTU pass with 1:11 left in the half.  Kuhns connected with Smith for the second time in the half on a 16-yard touchdown pass to put EIU in the lead with 16 seconds left in the half.   Kuhns found DeWayne Cooks for a two-point conversion to give EIU a 14-7 lead at the half. 

TTU took the lead 7-0 in the first quarter when Drew Martin hit Quinton Cross on a 62-yard pass. 

Arron Foulkes extended EIU’s lead to 21-7 with 5:54 to play in the third quarter scoring on a 24-yard end around.  EIU would rush for 121 yards in the game with Harrison Bey-Buie leading the way with 79 yards. 

TTU cut the margin to one score with 2:21 left in the third as David Gist rushed in from one yard out.  Martin was 5-of-5 on the drive marching the Golden Eagles down the field in six plays.  Martin finished the day 26-of-38 passing for 315 yards.  

EIU forced two final turnovers on the final two Tennessee Tech possessions of the game as Jordan Miles had a strip sack with 2:45 remaining in the fourth.   Miles created another strip sack with 16 seconds left in the contest as Jason Johnson recovered the fumble.  

Johnson led an active EIU defense with 16 tackles.  Miles had four tackles with two sacks, both forcing fumbles.  Tim Varga added two more sacks for EIU’s defense. 

TTU’s defense was led by Nyquan Washington and Jack Warwick both with eight tackles.  Jamaal Singleton had a first half interception for the Golden Eagles.