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 However, they also may have found a quarterback in
the process. Illini starter Wes Lunt was injured on a roughing the
passer penalty accessed against the Boilers and Illinois was forced
to go to the bench and play back up Chayce Crouch.
All he did was rush for 137 yards and score two touchdowns, throw
for one while passing for 142 yards, and passed for a two-point
conversion on top of all that. But the offense wasn’t the trouble
spot. The Illini defense did not have a good afternoon. The defense
could not limit Purdue yardage on 1st down plays and even more
troubling was they could not stop them on 3rd down plays. That led
to long, sustained drives that kept the defense on the field
seemingly all day.
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Illinois did have a chance to win the game in regulation after
Hardy Nickerson grabbed his second interception of the game.
Illini kicker, Chase McLaughlin, who had not missed a kick all
season, banged one off the upright as time expired. In overtime
the Illini fumbled the football, which led to Purdue winning on
a field goal.
The Illini travel to Rutgers next Saturday. [By JEFF MAYFIELD]
Respond to the writer at
jeffqmay@gmail.com.
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