LINCOLN, Neb. - Despite rushing for 383 yards and five touchdowns, the Fighting Illini couldn't overcome five turnovers and fell to the Cornhuskers, 54-35, Saturday in Lincoln.
Move over, Juice Williams
Quarterback A.J. Bush, Jr. had a historic performance on the ground on Saturday, as the senior rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries (7.5 yards per carry), breaking Juice Williams' record for single-game rushing yards by a quarterback (174 vs. Eastern Illinois 9/6/2008).
Corbin Eclipses 1,000
Prior to exiting the game with an injury in the second quarter, running back Reggie Corbin carried the ball nine times for 59 yards, pushing his rushing total over 1,000 yards on the season.
The junior is the first Illini to hit the milestone since Mikel Leshoure in 2010 (1,697).
Career Day for Roundtree
Defensive lineman Bobby Roundtree added to his stellar sophomore season on Saturday, tying a career-high with two sacks and totaling 3.0 TFL's. The Largo, Florida, native finished the day with eight tackles and also added a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
Team Notes
- Illinois ran for 383 yards on 49 carries (7.8 yards/carry), the Illini's ninth time rushing for more than 200 yards in the first 10 games this season.
- Illinois' 383 rushing yards were its second-most this season (430 vs. Minnesota).
- Illinois opened the game with a 76-yard scoring drive on seven rushing plays and no pass attempts.
- Illinois started three true freshmen, all in the defensive secondary (SS Sydney Brown, CB Jartavius Martin, NB Delano Ware).
- Illinois started three true freshmen defensive backs for the fifth time in program history and the fourth time this season. (11/10/18 at Nebraska, 11/3/18 vs. Minnesota, 10/16/18 at Rutgers, 9/1/18 vs. Kent State, 9/15/17 at South Florida).
- Illinois' true freshmen have combined for 29 starts, tied for the fourth most in a season in Illinois history. Last year, Illinois set the program record with 86 cumulative true freshmen starts.
- Illinois captains: OL Nick Allegretti, QB AJ Bush Jr., LB Dele Harding, LB Del'Shawn Phillips
Individual Notes
- Senior QB AJ Bush Jr. ran for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries (7.5 yards per carry), breaking Juice Williams' record for single-game rushing yards by a quarterback (174 vs. Eastern Illinois 9/6/2008).
- Junior RB Reggie Corbin ran nine times for 59 yards to total 1,011 rushing yards this season, becoming the first Illini to rush for 1,000 in a season since Mikel Leshoure in 2010 (Illini record 1,697). He also had a 34-yard reception.
- Sophomore RB Ra'Von Bonner had a career-high 81 rushing yards and one touchdown on 10 carries (8.1 yards per carry).
- Sophomore DE Bobby Roundtree had eight tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3.0 TFLs and one pass breakups.
- Sophomore FS Tony Adams had his second career interception and led Illinois with nine tackles.
- Freshman SS Sydney Brown started for the ninth time this season, tied for the third most by a true freshman defensive back in Illinois history (11 Vontae Davis 2006, 10 Nate Hobbs 2017, 9 Craig Swoope 1982)
- Freshman CB Jartavius Martin started for the eighth time this season, tied for the fifth most by a true freshman defensive back in Illinois history (11 Vontae Davis 2006, 10 Nate Hobbs 2017, 9 Sydney Brown 2018, 9 Craig Swoope 1982)
- Senior OL Nick Allegretti started for the 34th straight game.
- Sophomore OL Alex Palczewski started for the 21st straight game.
