Nov. 6, 2004

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes

By JIM PAUL
Associated Press Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Kelvin Hayden's interception set up Jon Beutjer's short touchdown pass with 30 seconds remaining, and Illinois rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat Indiana 26-22 Saturday, ending a 14-game Big Ten losing streak.

Hayden grabbed the ball from the arms of Jahkeen Gilmore and ran it back 33 yards to Indiana's 30 with just under 4 minutes left. The Illini handed the ball to Pierre Thomas seven consecutive times and moved the ball to the 2 before Beutjer found Kendrick Jones wide open in the end zone.

Illinois (3-7, 1-6) snapped a seven-game slide and won a conference game for the first time since the end of the 2002 season. Indiana (3-6, 1-5) lost its 12th straight Big Ten road game and its bowl hopes disappeared.

The Illini trailed 19-0 before coming back with two touchdown passes from Brad Bower in the first quarter and a 44-yard TD run by Thomas, who carried 21 times for 185 yards.

Indiana was stung by the loss of quarterback Matt LoVecchio, who was injured in the third quarter and did not return. The Hoosiers kicked a field goal to finish that drive for a 22-14 lead, but backup quarterback Blake Powers was unable to muster much offense after that.

Indiana scored on the first play of the game, an 80-yard TD pass from LoVecchio to Gilmore. The Hoosiers then scored on a 1-yard run by BenJarvus Green-Ellis and a 31-yard run by Courtney Roby, but they missed an extra point and a 2-point conversion try.

LoVecchio was 15-of-17 for 209 yards.

Illinois looked to be on the verge of being blown out when Steve Weatherford faked a punt and ran 12 yards for a first down. Bower connected with Jones on a 56-yard pass on the next play for the Illini's first score.

Illinois also scored on the next series when Bower hit tight end Melvin Bryant from 16 yards out. Bower finished 9-of-20 for 125 yards before Beutjer took over with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.

Beutjer was 3-of-6 for 27 yards. Jones finished with five catches for 91 yards and the two scores.