Champaign, Ill. - The Fighting Illini defense came through when it mattered most - clinching the game with a clutch fourth-down stop deep in its own territory to send Illinois to a 31-27 win against Michigan State on Saturday.
With 1:17 left in the game and the Illini trailing 27-24 , Jeff George Jr. connected with sophomore wide receiver Sam Mays for a 16-yard touchdown. The score gave Illinois a 31-27 lead and eventually George Jr.'s first career win as a starter.
The win broke a two-game losing streak for the Illini (3-6, 2-4 Big Ten). Michigan State (2-7, 0-6) has lost seven in a row.
''We had forgotten what it's like,'' said Illinois head coach Lovie Smith. ''There's no excitement like a winning locker room, just genuine emotion, that's what the locker room was like.''
Too Fast, Two For Foster
Kendrick Foster had himself a day, rushing for a career-high 146 yards on 17 carries to go along with two touchdowns. The Peoria, Illinois, native got the Illini on the board late in the first half, capping an 11-play drive with a 19-yard touchdown run. Foster found himself in the end zone again, exploding for a career-high 64-yard touchdown run to give Illinois a 14-9 lead in the third quarter. It was the second-longest run of the season for the Illini behind Ke'Shawn Vaughn's 65-yard touchdown against North Carolina.
With 146 yards on the ground, Foster became Illinois' first 100-yard rusher against Michigan State since Juice Williams had 103 rushing yards on Sept. 30, 2006.
Green Knocks Out the Green and White
Freshman defensive back Stanley Green was all over the field on Saturday, totaling 6 tackles and forcing two Michigan State fumbles. Following an Illini touchdown, Green forced an L.J. Scott fumble deep in the Spartans' territory. The ball was recovered by junior Jaylen Dunlap and set the Illini up for a Chase McLaughlin field goal to take a 17-9 lead.
Green is the first Illini player with two forced fumbles in a Big Ten game since Whitney Mercilus on October 8, 2011 at Indiana.
Don't Throw at Dunlap
Junior defensive back Jaylen Dunlap recorded four pass breakups for the Illini, placing himself fifth in the Illinois record book for single game PBUs. His fourth came with less than one minute remaining on a pass to the end zone.
Watson Sets Career Bests
Sophomore linebacker Tré Watson also made an impact for the Illini on Saturday, racking up a career-high 16 tackles. The Tampa, Florida, native also contributed 1.5 tackles for loss.
Team Notes
- Illinois beat Michigan State for the first time since 2006. The Illini snapped a three-game losing streak against the Spartans.
- Michigan State leads the all-time series against Illinois, 27-17-2.
- Illinois beat Michigan State in Champaign for the first time since 1992. The Illini snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Spartans in Champaign.
- The win was the 600th victory in program history.
- The Illini defense held Michigan State to six first-half points, which is tied for the least amount of points in the first half for MSU.
- The second quarter Illini scoring drive with 11 plays is tied for the most plays on a scoring drive this season.
- Illinois now has eight fourth-quarter comeback wins in the last three seasons (five in 2014, two in 2015, one in 2016)
- Illinois had zero turnovers in a game for the third time this season (Murray State 9/3 and Nebraska 10/1)
- The Illinois defense had 10 TFLs in a game for the first time since Sept. 10, 2016 against North Carolina.
- Illinois allowed zero sacks for the first time since Oct. 8, 2016 against Purdue. Â
Individual Notes
- Redshirt-freshman QB Jeff George, Jr. started for the third straight game.
- George, Jr. threw a career-high two touchdowns.
- Junior RB Kendrick Foster ran for a career-long 64-yard touchdown.
- The run was the second-longest of the season for the Illini behind Vaughn's 65-yard run against North Carolina.
- Foster ran for a career-high 146 rushing yards good for the first 100-yard rusher against Michigan State since Juice Williams had 103 rushing yards on Sept. 30, 2006.
- Foster is the first Illini since Chayce Crouch on Oct. 8, 2016 to have over 125 rushing yards.
- Foster tied his career-high was two rushing touchdowns.
- Sophomore DB Tre Watson had a career-high 16 tackles. Watson's previous career-high was 13 tackles against Purdue on Oct. 8.
- The 16 total tackles is tied for the most by an Illini this season.
- Watson had his first-career PBU.
- Freshman LB Dele Harding had a career-high seven tackles.
- Senior WR Zach Grant caught a career-long 22-yard pass from Jeff George, Jr.
- Sophomore WR Sam Mays had is second career receiving touchdown.
- Junior DB Jaylen Dunlap grabbed his first career fumble recovery.
- Dunlap had a career-high four PBUs. The four PBUs in a game is the most by an Illini since Alan Ball on Oct. 14, 2002 against Indiana.
- The four PBUs ranks tied for fifth in the Illini record book.
- Freshman DB Stanley Green had a career-high two forced fumbles.
- Green is the first Illini with two forced fumbles in a Big Ten game since Jamal Milan earlier this year at Rutgers. Milan was the first since Whitney Mercilus at Indiana, 10/8/2011
- Illinois started five freshmen on defense: DT Kenyon Jackson, DT Jamal Milan, CB Frank Sumpter, FS Stanley Green, SS Patrick Nelson.
- The Illini freshmen combined for 34 tackles.
- With 2.5 TFLs, senior DL Dawuane Smoot moved into No. 8 in the Illini record book with 35.0 career TFLs. Â
- Redshirt-freshman DB Cameron Watkins had a career-high five tackles.
- Redshirt-freshman DB Frank Sumpter had a career-high six tackles.
- Consecutive starts extended dating back to 2015: Christian DiLauro 28, Dawuane Smoot 21
