Peters' Four TDs Push Fighting Illini Past UCONN, 31-23

East Hartford, Conn. - Brandon Peters threw four touchdown passes to help Illinois outpace the Huskies, 31-23 on Saturday afternoon.

After trailing 13-0 early, the Fighting Illini rattled off 24 straight points to take an 11-point lead into halftime. Peters had an impressive second quarter, passing for 164 yards and three touchdowns.

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Second Quarter Keys Victory

The Illini rode a second-quarter eruption to victory Saturday, scoring 24 unanswered points after the Huskies opened the quarter with a field goal. The Orange and Blue outgained UConn 212-18 in the second. Brandon Peters completed 12 of 13 passes – including each of his last 10 – for 164 yards and three touchdowns before James McCourt closed the half with a 53-yard field goal.

Defense Continues Backfield Presence

Illinois was dominant defensively for a second straight week, recording 12 tackles for loss and five sacks while limiting UConn to one offensive touchdown and 10 yards rushing. Junior defensive lineman Oluwole Betiku, Jr. recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks to bring his season total to 5.0 through two games. Sophomore defensive lineman Jamal Woods and junior defensive back Tony Adams contributed 2.0 tackles for loss each.

Illinois forced three turnovers Saturday, grabbing a pair of interceptions and recovering a fumble. Senior linebacker Dele Harding's interception with 2:13 to play helped seal the victory.

Peters Strong Again

The Illini signal caller completed 22 of 33 passes for 225 yards and four touchdowns with one interception on Saturday. His four touchdowns equaled the seventh-most by an Illinois quarterback in a single game, and he became just the second Illini since 2000 to throw for seven touchdowns in the first two games of a season.

The transfer from Michigan found nine different receivers, led by five receptions each for junior wide receivers Ricky Smalling and Trevon Sidney and two touchdowns by junior wideout Josh Imatorbhebhe.

Illini Overcome Rough First Quarter

Before their second-quarter rampage, the Illini fell behind 13-0 after a pair of field goals and a defensive touchdown by the Huskies. The 13-point deficit was the largest Illinois had overcome since falling behind 17-3 to Kent State on September 1, 2018.

Team Notes

• Illinois is 2-0 for the third straight season.

• Illinois won a nonconference road game for the first time since Sept. 15, 2007 at Syracuse (41-20), a span of seven straight losses (2008 Western Michigan, 2009 Cincinnati, 2010 Fresno State, 2012 Arizona State, 2014 Washington, 2015 North Carolina, 2017 South Florida).

• Illinois had 12.0 TFLs for the second straight game. It is the first time since at least 2000 that Illinois had 24+ TFLs in the first two games of the season.

• Illinois did not start a true freshman for the second straight game. Entering this season, Illinois had started at least one true freshman in 33 straight games, by far the longest streak in program history.

• Illinois started six transfers - QB Brandon Peters, WR Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR Trevon Sidney, OL Richie Petitbon, DL Oluwole Betiku Jr., LB Milo Eifler

• Illinois and Connecticut met on the football field for the first time ever. 

• Illinois played in New England for the first time ever. 

• Illinois captains: LB Dele Harding, LB Jake Hansen, P Blake Hayes, OL Doug Kramer, OL Alex Palczewski

INDVIDUAL NOTES

• Junior QB Brandon Peters was 22-for-33 passing for 225 yards and four touchdowns. Peters' four TD passes tied for the seventh-most in Illinois history, along with 21 other instances, and he was the first to throw four TDs since Wes Lunt vs. Kent State 9/5/2015. Peters threw three touchdowns in the first half, all while completing his last 10 passes of the half (10-10, 135 yards, 3 TDs to end the half). His 10 straight completions tied for the 10th-longest completion streak in Illinois history. 

• Junior WR Josh Imatorbhebhe had two touchdown catches, the first two touchdowns of his career.

• Junior RB Ra'Von Bonner caught a 28-yard touchdown in the second quarter, the longest reception of his career.

• Sophomore TE Daniel Barker caught an 18-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, his second of the season. 

• Junior K James McCourt's 53-yard field goal to end the first half tied for the longest field goal on the road in Illinois history (Mike Bass at Syracuse 9/18/1982; Dave Finzer at Purdue 10/15/1977). The 53-yarder, the first of McCourt's career, tied for the fifth-longest field goal in Illinois history. 

• Junior DL Oluwole Betiku, Jr. had 3.5 sacks, tied for the fifth-most sacks in a game in Illinois history. Betiku is the first Illini with 3.0+ sacks in a game since Whitney Mercilus (3.0) at Indiana 10/8/2011. He has 5.0 sacks already in 2019, more than or equal to Illinois' season leader in nine of the last 20 seasons. Betiku also had his first career fumble recovery during the third quarter and two QB hurries. 

• Senior LB Dele Harding had a career-high eight tackles, tied a career high with 1.5 TFLs, and had his first career interception. 

• Junior DB Michael Marchese had his second career interception during the second quarter. 

• Sophomore DL Jamal Woods had his first career forced fumble during the third quarter. 

• Junior RT Alex Palczewski started for the 25th straight game.

• Junior C Doug Kramer started for the 17th straight game.

• Junior LT Vederian Lowe started for the 15th straight game.

• Sophomore LG Kendrick Green started for the 14th straight game.

• Senior RB Reggie Corbin did not play due to an injury.