EVANSTON, Ill. - The Fighting Illini dug an early hole in the first half that proved to be too much to overcome. The Orange and Blue lost to Northwestern 42-21 Saturday to end its season.
Seniors filled the stat sheet in their final game for the Illini. Quarterback Wes Lunt was 28-of-54 for 377 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Justin Hardee turned in a career game with nine catches for 125 yards. On the defense, Dawuane Smoot and Gimel President recorded two sacks each and Carroll Phillips called three TFLs to push his season total to 20.
The Wildcats scored the first 21 points of the game with big gains on big runs.
But Illinois (3-9, 2-6) closed the gap in the second quarter - on a 19-yard connection from Lunt to Malik Turner on fourth-and-2 followed by an 8-yard touchdown run by Reggie Corbin to head to the half only down seven.
In total, Turner hauled in 11 receptions for a career-high 164 yards and two touchdowns.
Northwestern (6-6, 5-4) added a 54-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. The Illini answered on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Lunt to Turner and looked to be in position for a game-tying drive after forcing a quick three-and-out on defense.
But a fumble on the ensuing punt return led to a Northwestern score and the Wildcats kept the Illini at a two-touchdown distance the rest of the game.
Team Notes
- Northwestern retained the Land of Lincoln trophy. The Illini are 3-5 against Northwestern since the beginning of the rivalry trophy. Illinois led the series for the "Sweet Sioux" Tomahawk, 32-28-2, before it was retired following the 2008 game.
- Illinois leads the all-time series against Northwestern 55-50-5.
- Illinois is 27-28-3 all-time in Evanston.
- The Illini are 27-28-1 when playing the Wildcats in the Illini's Big Ten finale.
- Illinois had 28 first-time starters this season. The mark entered this week as the most in college football.
- Illinois set season highs in pass attempts (54), passing yards (377), total plays (80) and first downs (25).
Individual Notes
- Senior QB Wes Lunt completed 28 passes for 377 yards, the second-most of his career, and two touchdowns. He finished his Illini career ranked seventh in passing yards (5,900), seventh in completions (550) and eighth in TD passes (36).
- Junior WR Malik Turner had 11 receptions (tied career high) for 164 yards (career high), his fourth career 100-yard game, and two touchdowns (tied career high). Turner has at least one catch in 27 of his last 28 games. Turner's 164 receiving yards are the Illini's third-most against Northwestern since 1945.
- Senior WR Justin Hardee had career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (125) in his second career 100-yard game.
- Senior DE Dawuane Smoot finished his career eighth in Illinois history with 16.5 career sacks. He tied his career high with 2.0 sacks today.
- Senior DE Carroll Phillips tied for the fifth-most TFLs in a single season in Illinois history (20.0), just 3.0 away from Simeon Rice (1995) and Mike Poloskey (1991) record-setting seasons.
- Senior DE Gimel President tied career highs with 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks, both previously set vs. Murray State.
- Junior CB Jaylen Dunlap had one PBU, his 11th of the season. The 11 PBUs is tied for 10th all-time in an Illini season.
- Redshirt freshman RB Reggie Corbin had his second career rushing touchdown. He had a career-high 21 carries, tied for the most by an Illini this season.
- Junior RB Kendrick Foster was injured on his first carry of the game.
- Consecutive starts extended dating back to 2015: Christian DiLauro 31, Dawuane Smoot 24
