A punt return for a touchdown and a bizarre fumble return for a score wasn't enough to lift Illinois to an upset win at Southern Mississippi as the Golden Eagles defeated the Illini 23-20 in Hattiesburg.
With a steady rain falling, the Illini and Golden Eagles packed a game's worth of big and bizarre plays into the first quarter, starting with Eugene Wilson's 70-yard punt return to give Illinois a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
Mark Haulman's next punt turned out much better, pinning Illinois at its own 2 and setting up the Golden Eagles' first score. Ward mishandled a snap at the 3 and barely had time to drop back before Terrell Paul blindsided him and knocked the ball loose. Harris grabbed his quarterback's fumble and was pushed out of the end zone by a horde of Southern Miss defenders for a safety that made it 7-2.
With Southern Miss driving, Mickey D'Angelo was sacked by Lamont Holden, and the ball popped into the air. Taman Jordan dropped what he thought would have been an interception, then gathered the ball in after it hit the ground. Thinking it was an incomplete pass, he spiked the ball hard into the wet grass. But the play was not blown dead and, after a brief pause, both teams began chasing the ball as it bounced away from the line of scrimmage. Michael Hall scooted past the rest of the pack, picked up the ball at the Southern Miss 30 and went untouched for a touchdown to make it 14-2.
From there though, All-Conference USA running back Derrick Nix settled down and slowly chipped away at the deficit. Nix, who finished the game with 201 yards and two touchdowns averaged 7.7 yards on 27 carries against the defending Big Ten champions. His 50-yard touchdown run put Southern Miss ahead 23-17 with 12:55 left.
Antoineo Harris ran for a career-high 162 yards on 31 carries for the Illini.
For the second straight week, Illini coach Ron Turner used two quarterbacks. Starter Dustin Ward was 5-for-10 for 87 yards and an interception while facing a heavy pass rush in the first half and was sacked three times. Jon Beutjer again relieved Ward, but struggled going 8-for-23 for 76 yards and an interception.
GAME NOTES
* Eugene Wilson's 70-yard punt return for a touchdown was the longest return of his career and is his second career punt return for a touchdown. Wilson's last return for a score in his first career game vs. Arkansas State.
*Michael Hall's 30-yard fumble return in the first quarter was the first fumble recovery and score of his career. The last time Illinois returned a fumble for a score was in 1997 when Trevor Starghill returned a fumble 38 yards vs. Ohio State.
