CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois opened its 2023 campaign in dramatic fashion, using a 29-yard Caleb Griffin field goal with five seconds to play to take down Toledo, 30-28, at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.
Illinois improved to 1-0 following the season-opening victory in front of a home crowd of 48,898, the largest mark for a home opener since 2010.
Pat Bryant recorded the first two-touchdown game of his career, tallying a team-high six catches for 64 yards and two scores. Isaiah Williams and Casey Washington also each registered over 50 yards, with the latter grabbing a fourth-down catch to keep the Illini's hopes alive late in the contest.
Luke Altmyer went 18-26 with 211 passing yards, 69 rushing yards, and two touchdowns in his Illini debut. Reggie Love III and Josh McCray both finished with double-digit carries with 58 and 30 yards, respectively, while McCray also got his first rushing score of the year.
Miles Scott, making his debut on defense, took his first-career interception to the house for a 48-yard pick six in the third quarter.
Thirteen Illini made their debuts for the Orange and Blue, while Illinois improved to 3-0 in season openers under head coach Bret Bielema.
The Illini jumped out to an early lead on the team's first possession of the season. After completions to Tip Reiman and Bryant moved Illinois into Toledo territory, back-to-back strikes to Williams and Reiman moved the hosts into the red zone. An 11-yard rush from Love III moved the Orange and Blue within one yard of the goal line, and McCray punched it in to put the Illini ahead, 7-0, within six minutes.
The Rockets scored 12 unanswered points to take a five-point advantage into the half. Altmyer made plays on the ground and through the air, recording 93 passing yards and 36 rushing yards through the opening 30 minutes.
After Toledo opened the second-half scoring with a touchdown, Illinois responded with a score of its own from its defensive unit. Scott, making his first appearance with the Illini defense after converting from wide receiver in the spring, recorded his first-career interception and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown. The score cut the Illini's deficit to five midway through the third quarter.
The Illini forced their first three-and-out of the evening on the Rockets' ensuing possession, and the Illinois offense took advantage of the good field possession. Starting their drive near midfield, the Illini used three straight plays to Love III to move into the Toledo half of the field. Washington grabbed his first catch of the season to put Illinois into the red zone before a scramble from Altmyer moved the chains inside the 10.
Pat Bryant registered his first touchdown of the season two plays later on a 4-yard completion to put the Illini back ahead, 20-19, late in the third frame.
Illinois forced another three-and-out on Toledo's next possession, and the Orange and Blue went right back to work on offense. A fourth-down conversion from Isaiah Williams and a facemask penalty moved the Illini into the red zone. Two plays later, Illinois found the end zone once again, with Bryant recording his second touchdown of the night, this time from nine yards out, to push the Illini advantage to 27-19 less than two minutes into the final period of play.
After Toledo scored a touchdown with just under three minutes to play to put the visitors ahead by one point, Illinois put together a 12-play, 64-yard drive to set up the game-winning field goal. A 33-yard fourth-down conversion on a pass from Altmyer to Washington kept the Illini's hopes alive, and three straight runs from McCray moved Illinois into a comfortable field-goal range.
With less than 10 seconds on the clock, Griffin drilled his 29-yard field goal through the uprights and secured the 30-28 season-opening victory for the Orange and Blue.
Illinois returns to action away from home on Friday against Kansas, with kickoff slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.
NEXT HOME GAME
HIGHLIGHTS
TEAM NOTES
- Tonight's attendance of 48,898 is the highest for an Illinois home opener since 2010 (52,217 vs. SIU).
- Head coach Bret Bielema is the fifth head coach in Illinois' 134-year-program history to win his first three season openers.
- George Huff (1895, 1896 & 1897), Robert Zuppke (1913, 1914 & 1915), Tim Beckman (2012, 2013 & 2014), Lovie Smith (2016, 2017 & 2018).
- Bielema is now 14-1 in season openers in his 15-year career as a head coach.
- Illinois trailed by as many as 12 points (19-7), marking its largest comeback win since the school-record 25-point come-from-behind win at Michigan State on Nov. 9, 2019.
- Illinois' defense held Toledo to just 57 second-half rushing yards, after the Rockets rushed for 129 yards in the first half.
- Illinois has now recorded an interception in 13 of its last 14 games.
- 13 players made their Illini debut, while six players made their first career start as an Illini.
- Illinois has scored 30 points or more in three-straight season openers for the first time since a streak of five straight openers from 2004 through 2008.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Caleb Griffin kicked a game-winning 29-yard field goal with five seconds remaining.
- It was Illinois' first game-winner since James McCourt made a 47-yarder with :03 in a 23-20 victory at Rutgers (11/14/20).
- It was Illinois' first game-winner at Memorial Stadium since McCourt nailed a 39-yarder at :00 in a 24-23 win over No. 6 Wisconsin (10/19/19).
- QB Luke Altmyer was 18-of-26 passing for 211 yards and two touchdowns in his Illini debut. Altmyer also led the Illini in rushing with 69 yards on nine attempts (7.7 avg).
- Altmyer set career-highs in passing yards and rushing yards, while equaling his career-high mark in passing TDs.
- Altmyer is the first QB to throw for 200+ yards in an Illini debut since Wes Lunt had 285 yards passing against Youngstown State (8/30/14).
- WR Pat Bryant had a game-high six catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns, marking the first two-TD game of his career.
- DB Miles Scott recorded his first-career interception with a 48-yard TD return in the third quarter.
- It was the first pick-6 by an Illini since Sydney Brown's 39-yard TD return at Northwestern (11/22/22).
QUOTES
Bret Bielema
Opening statement:
"I'm just really excited for our team and the fans. I think this is the highest home attendance we've had at Memorial Stadium since 2010. I know that there's a lot of work that went into the season ticket campaign and a lot of things that go beyond just football staff and football players. Josh and his crew in the athletic department did a lot to make tonight happen. It was such a great crowd when we were walking off the field, and it was pretty awesome.
"I'll give credit to Toledo. Coach Candle has a really good football team. We knew that coming in, and then they proved it here tonight. They have a quarterback that can make a difference. I hope they win them all because that's a team that's capable of doing that. I am proud of our team. They grinded and were gritty. I knew they're gonna be an explosive team on offense. We gave too many things away -- at halftime we had nine penalties for 90 yards. That's just not us. The second half, we had just one penalty but it was critical. Those two or three guys hit a person in the first half, and that led to 10 points. You look at the game as it happens -- that's the stuff you can't do and expect to win, especially in our conference.
"I thought Altmyer's presence, demeanor and calmness was very impressive. He's playing with a purpose and had a really good spring and summer and a great fall camp. For him to make that play at the end -- it was a good throw but he went up on it. That was something special to come down with. He gave our whole team a chance to win.
"We've got a couple guys banged up but I don't think anybody is significant and don't have any news on that front. I know that Tyler Strain had a concussion. That's why he couldn't come back with anything else besides soft tissue and cramping. Isaiah had a little knee issue there, but I don't think it's anything too serious."
On the importance on starting the season 1-0:
"Well, there is a lot to be learned. Going into my 15th season I've felt every year we learn more in game one and game two than any other point in the season. You should play yourself in a position to win games in September, which puts you in a position to be special in October and championships in November. We didn't do that a year ago, and it's been a huge push but to win this game here against a very good football team, to taste that and have success is big."
On Luke Altmyer's performance:
"He played really well. I thought he had a great voice and great confidence. I thought Barry had a really good understanding of what the plan was with him. Going into that last series, I talked about where we needed to get to. We were watching to see what there was going to be a field goal to win or a field goal to tie. Obviously, we're just taking a touchdown, and we were played out that way, but I thought just his presence, his demeanor. The whole game was pretty special."
On the offense's performance:
"I thought those three guys -- Isaiah Williams, Casey Washington and Pat Bryant -- are the best three receivers I've had at one time since I've been here. Maybe even in my career. I was really excited to see Henry Boyer get in there and do some things today. He brings a different level. I thought about some of our transfer players, and Clayton Bush and Demetrius Hill combined for one spot on defense that was really really good. I thought Reggie and Josh were pretty special, too."
Luke Altmyer
On being considered a dual-threat quarterback:
"I just try to go play and do what's asked. I've always said, 'Whatever position they put me in, I just want to execute at a high level."
On playing in Memorial Stadium for the first time:
"It was awesome, and the students were great. I didn't really know what to expect, so it was cool just to be in a different place and play in front of those people. Man, they were very energetic. They really helped us out. So thankful for those fans."
On the final drive of the game:
"We practice those moments. Obviously, it didn't go as planned to start off, but at the end of the day, you got one play to go do it. I'm going to play my best mentally, physically and emotionally. I'm gonna make them do my absolute best to execute. All the guys -- all the offensive linemen and running backs, who really showed it for us there at the end -- were incredible. I am so thankful for my teammates, and I knew they had my back."
On the fourth-down pass to Casey Washington:
"I knew that the ball was probably going to Casey, and I trusted him 100%. I mean, we've worked so much in the offseason. He's been incredible as a teammate and a person. The way he encourages and plays for others and the way he believes in me, man, it's a special, special player, special person."
Pat Bryant
On how last season's narrow losses helped the Illini pull out the win over Toledo:
"I've never really been the type to dwell on the past. I always try to keep tunnel vision and stay ahead. We went through a lot last season, but we can't do much but learn from it. It's the same way we will learn from this game. We just have to focus on the next game, try to be successful every week, and go 1-0."
On the sense of relief to start the season 1-0:
"It's always good to start off 1-0, give you a little confidence going into the second week. It's pretty easy to learn off of losses, but it's also easy to learn off wins like this where we go through adversity."
Caleb Griffin
On what went through his head after making the game-winning field goal:
"Honestly, the first thing I wanted to do was just hug Hugh. I couldn't get to Lane quick enough; he had a great snap. Hugh had a perfect hold. We work on this so often, and Hugh and I, we've been through so much together. To experience that with him was one of the coolest moments I've ever had."
On what the opportunity means to him:
"It wasn't my best camp of all time. I didn't feel like I was doing too well, but I finished really strong. Going through the game today, I'm like, 'OK, it might come down to me. OK, it's going to come down to me. OK, you got a 29-yard field goal, so make a kick.' Obviously, that's what I did. It was really cool feeling."
On his approach leading up to the game-winning field goal:
"It's routine. I've been kicking in this stadium since I came to camp when I was 16 years old. I got here on campus when I was 18 years old, and I'm 23 now, so you guys can do the math. I've kicked a lot of field goals on this field. I was out there, and I was kicking in the direction that my parents sit in. They sit in that end zone, and I just felt like that was the coolest thing that I've probably ever done."
Miles Scott
On his transition from receiver to safety:
"It's just blessings on blessings. I just thank God for all the opportunities that I've been given. I'm just trying to take advantage of it as best as I can. I just go out there and play with the guys who are on the field with me. We just have to lock in and win. At the end of the day, all we're trying to do is win."
On his momentum-changing pick six:
"That was big. I was just telling myself, 'Change the game. Make a play, make a play, make a play.' It just ended up manifesting itself, so I was able to go out and get it done."
On the importance of learning from a win:
"Learning from a win, there were still goods and bads, highs and lows in a win, but you're happy that you were able to get past that. Coming off of losses, it definitely feels different. We're just thankful to come out 1-0."
Casey Washington
On his reflection on the game and the team's second-half adjustments:
"We battled some adversity. Toledo, they fought their tails off. They came here, and they punched us in the face a couple of times, but we adjusted. My coaches put me in a position to succeed."
On his 33-yard catch that resulted in a fourth-down conversion:
"I knew that the play had a chance to come to me. We talked about it a couple of drives before. There was a possibility of the ball going somewhere else, but it came to me. Luckily, I could make the play for my team."
On Luke Altmyer's composure on the team's final drive:
"His poise on that last drive was something special. As a young player going forward, I think he's got a bright future."
On his ability to make game-changing plays throughout his career:
"Any time you get to compete, for me, as a competitor going out there, the highest and hardest moments are the ones that you get most rewarding for. Whether it's Toledo or whoever we're playing, in the moments where it's down to the wire and it's time to compete, I'm a competitor, so that's what I do."
