TAMPA - Mike Epstein scored two touchdowns for the Fighting Illini in a 47-23 loss at No. 22 South Florida Friday night.
The freshman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, ran for a 45-yard score late in the second quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, he caught a 21-yard pass from Jeff George, Jr. Epstein finished with 81 total yards.
The Illini special teams blocked two kicks in the first quarter. Freshman Isaiah Gay got his hand on a 36-yard field-goal attempt and later, after a South Florida touchdown, junior Tito Odenigbo blocked the extra-point attempt. Nate Hobbs scooped up the ball and scored the conversion for the Illini.
Illinois was overmatched by the Bulls up-tempo offense and plagued by penalties throughout the game. The teams accounted for 31 combined penalties.
The young Illini didn't stop fighting down in the fourth quarter. Ra'Von Bonner scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run - set up by a 76-yard reception by freshman Ricky Smalling. It was the longest reception in program history by a true freshman.
The Illini have a week off before hosting Nebraska on Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 pm for Hall of Fame Weekend.
TEAM NOTES
• Tonight was the first ever matchup between Illinois and South Florida. USF will return the trip in exactly one year (Sept. 15, 2018 at Soldier Field in Chicago).
• Illinois started 10 true freshmen (DB Nate Hobbs, DB Tony Adams, DB Bennett Williams, DE Bobby Roundtree, DE Isaiah Gay, RB Mike Epstein, TE Louis Dorsey, WR Ricky Smalling, OL Alex Palczewski, OL Larry Boyd).
• Illinois' 10 true freshmen starters are the most in a game in program history, breaking the mark of seven set last week.
• Illinois' 10 true freshmen starters also breaks a season record. The previous high for a season was nine in 1980.
• Illinois' 10 true freshmen starters is the most in the nation this season.
• Illinois started five true freshmen on offense for the first time ever.
• Illinois started five true freshmen on defense for the first time ever.
• Illinois started three true freshmen defensive backs (S Bennett Williams, CB Tony Adams, CB Nate Hobbs) for the first time ever.
• Illinois started two true freshmen on the offensive line (OL Larry Boyd, OL Alex Palczewski) for the second straight game (only two times ever)
• Illinois started two true freshmen on the defensive line (DE Isaiah Gay, DE Bobby Roundtree) for the second straight game (only two times ever).
• Illinois returned a blocked extra point for two points in the first quarter, its first defensive extra point since Kevin Mitchell (75 yards) at Ohio State, 11/5/2005
• Illinois blocked two kicks for the first time since 10/31/2015 at Penn State.
• Illinois captains: OL Nick Allegretti, K Chase McLaughlin, LB Tré Watson
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Freshman WR Ricky Smalling's 76-yard reception from Jeff George Jr. in the fourth quarter was the longest in program history by a true freshman. Smalling finished one yard short of becoming the sixth Illini in history with a 100-yard receiving game as a true freshmen.
• Freshman DB Tony Adams had his first career interception in the first quarter on a pass to the endzone.
• Freshman RB Mike Epstein had his first career two-touchdown game. He ran eight times for 56 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 27 yards and a touchdown.
• Sophomore QB Jeff George Jr. entered the game in the second half and went 12-of-22 passing for 211 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His 76-yard completion to Smalling was Illinois longest since 10/8/2011 at Indiana (Scheelhaase to Jenkings, 77 yards).
• Freshman RB Ra'Von Bonner had his first career touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.
• Freshman DB Bennett Williams had a team-high 12 tackles.
• Sophomore DT Tymir Oliver had his first career sack.
• Junior DE Sean Adesanya had his first career sack.
• Junior WR Mike Dudek led the team in receiving with six catches for 65 yards.
• Senior WR Malik Turner has caught a pass in 23 straight games, which is among the top 20 longest active streaks in the nation.
