CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Chase Brown rushed for a career-high 180 yards on 41 carries and caught a 40-yard landing pass, Minnesota was limited to its fewest yards in five years and No. 24 Illinois won its sixth straight game with a 26-14 win on Saturday.
The Illini (6-1, 3-1) eligible for bowling for the first time since 2019 and will finish the day tied for first place in the Big Ten West.
Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 127 yards, his 14th consecutive 100-yard game leading the country and the Gophers’ 180-yard total game. It’s the fewest yards against Illinois through a Football Bowl subdivision opponent since at least 2000.
Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan, held just 21 yards away on a 4-of-12 pass, left early in the fourth quarter after taking a blow to the head. Athan Kaliakmanis came in for the Gophers (4-2, 1-2) and intercepted twice.
Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito, returning from an ankle that forced him to retire from last week’s game against Iowa in the first half, rushed for a 5-yard landing early in the third quarter to put Illini ahead 20-14. He finished 25 of 32 passes for 252 yards and one landing.
Brown rushed for more than 1,000 yards on the court for the time being directly year in his eighth 100-yard direct game. He now has thirteen 100-yard games, timing in the Illinois Robert Holcombe 16 from 1994 to 1997.
Brown opened wide in a wheel path for his 40-yard landing to end nine plays and Illinois 75 yards to open the game. Fabrizio Pinton nailed a 31-yard area to give Illini a 10-0 lead early in the moment. room.
Pinton connected from 23 yards on third and 30 yards in the fourth to increase Illinois’ lead.
Ibrahim on everything Minnesota had on offense. The Gophers were just 2-of-7 on 3rd down and finished with their fewest yards since gaining 133 yards against Ohio State in 2017.
No opponent had scored a landing at Memorial Stadium this season before Morgan’s 9-yard run midway through the second quarter. The play capped an eight-play, 80-yard practice that the Gophers couldn’t reflect for the rest of the game.
Quentin Redding’s 92-yard backsliding early in the moment set up Ibrahim’s 4-yard touchdown, which gave the Gophers a narrow 14-13 lead.
REMOVE
Minnesota: Just as Ibrahim returns from injury, Morgan leaves. The extent of the sixth-year quarterback’s injury can have a big effect on how the Gophers finish.
Illinois: The Illini have won six straight home games, 4 in a row against Big Ten West games and are off to their most productive start since 2011. With healthy DeVito, Illini can be favored in each and every remaining one. game, with the exception of November 19 at No. five from Michigan.
FOLLOWING
Minnesota: Tough for Penn State’s No. 10 next Saturday.
Illinois: An open date precedes Oct. 29 in Nebraska.