CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 9 Illinois shut out Western Michigan, 38-0, on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Gies Memorial Stadium. The Illini extended their winning streak to seven games, tied for the longest active streak in the nation with Ohio State and Memphis.
Illinois (3-0) posted its first shutout of the season and outscored Western Michigan, 28-0, in the second half. On the season, Illinois has outscored opponents 80-9 in the second half.
Luke Altmyer went 17-for-26 passing, completing 11 straight at one point, for 196 yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing score. Â
Hank Beatty once again led Illinois in receiving with six catches for 53 yards and a touchdown, his first receiving touchdown of the season. Ashton Hollins caught his first two passes of the season for 41 yards and his first career touchdown.
Kaden Feagin surpassed 100 yards on the ground, carrying the ball 20 times with a score. Ca'Lil Valentine carried the ball 10 times for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Illinois took a 10-0 lead at the break with Beatty's first receiving touchdown of the season from six yards out and a 28-yard field goal from David Olano. Kenenna Odeluga snuffed out Western Michigan on fourth-and-goal from the one yard line to end the first half.
The Fighting Illini defense forced a three-and-out to begin the second half and on the ensuing Illini drive, Feagin powered into the end zone from three yards out to open the scoring in the second half, 17-0.
Altmyer later scampered in from two yards out near the end of the third quarter for his first rushing touchdown of the season, ballooning the Illinois lead to 24-0. Ashton Hollins would later catch a 6-yard touchdown pass for his first score of the year to surpass the 30-point threshold, 31-0.
Valentine capped the game with a 2-yard touchdown run to give Illinois the 38-0 win. This is the first time since at least 1995 that Illinois has not recorded a turnover through the first three games of the season. Additionally, the Illini defense has not allowed a touchdown at home in their last eight quarters of play.
The No. 9 Fighting Illini return to action on Saturday, Sept. 20, when they hit the road to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on No. 22 Indiana. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC.
HIGHLIGHTS
PRESS CONFERENCES
POSTGAME NOTES
Team Notes:
- Illinois extended its winning streak to seven games.
- The seven-game winning streak is the program's longest winning streak under Bret Bielema.
- Illinois is tied for the longest active streak in the nation.
- The streak is Illinois' longest since winning seven straight from 2010-11 (2010 Texas Bowl + the first six games of 2011).Â
- Illinois is 38-12-2 all-time when ranked among the AP Top 10.
- Illinois started 3-0 with three straight nonconference victories for the second straight season.
- Illinois has won eight straight nonconference games since the 2023 loss at Kansas, including wins over teams from the ACC, Big 12, and SEC.
- Illinois has played 12 of its last 13 games as a ranked team.Â
- The Illini are 9-3 while ranked over the past two seasons (2024-25).
- Illinois is 22-6 all-time against current MAC programs.
- Illinois is 3-0 against MAC programs under head coach Bret Bielema.
- Bret Bielema improved to 31-22 during his Illinois career.
- Among head coaches who have led Illinois to 30+ wins, Bielema's .585 winning percentage is the third-best of all-time, behind only Robert C. Zuppke (.618) and John Mackovic (.663).
- The Illini outscored the Broncos 28-0 in the second half on Saturday.
- Across the team's first three games, Illinois has outscored opponents 80-9 in the second half this season.
- Illinois has now recorded zero turnovers through its first three games of the season.
- The Illini have no turnovers across their first three games for the first time since at least 1995.
- The Illini are one of two Big Ten teams without a turnover through the first three weeks of the season (Rutgers).
- The Illini are one of nine FBS teams without a turnover through the first three weeks of the season (Alabama, Bowling Green, Houston, Illinois, Rutgers, San Diego State, Temple, UConn, UTSA).
- The Illini have not allowed a touchdown at home across the first eight quarters this season.
- Illinois posted its first shutout since recording a 45-0 win against Eastern Illinois on Aug. 29, 2024.
- The official attendance was 60,670, the Illini's first sellout of the season and the 78th in Gies Memorial Stadium history.
- Illinois has won three straight games when selling out Gies Memorial Stadium (2024 Kansas, 2024 Michigan, 2025 Western Michigan).
- Tonight was Illinois' first sellout against a non-Power-4 opponent since Sept. 6, 1986, vs. Louisville.
- Illinois will have at least three consecutive sellouts for the first time since 2008, as the team's next two home games against USC (Sept. 27) and Ohio State (Oct. 11) are also sold out.
- Saturday marked the third home sellout under head coach Bret Bielema.
- The Illini are 3-0 in home sellouts during Bielema's time at Illinois.
Player Notes:
- Hank Beatty led the Illini in receiving with six catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
- Beatty became the first Illini with a rushing TD, receiving TD, and punt return TD in the same season since E.B. Halsey in 2003.
- Has 50+ yards in each of the last four games.
- Hauled in his first receiving score of the season and the second of his career.
- Luke Altmyer went 17-for-26 with 196 yards and three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing).
- Has at least three total touchdowns in each of the first three games of the 2025 season.
- Has a passing touchdown in eight consecutive games, dating back to last season, and in 13 of the last 14.
- Recorded his ninth career rushing score and his first of the season.
- Completed 11 consecutive passes during a stretch between the second and fourth quarters.
- Last 22 games at Illinois (after 4 INT game vs. Penn State in 2023): 390-613 (63.6%), 4,738 yards, 40 passing TDs, 9 interceptions, 6 rushing TDs, and has led Illinois to a 16-6 record
- Kaden Feagin finished the night with 100 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown.
- Earned his second career outing with 100+ yards on the ground and his first since the 2024 season opener vs. Eastern Illinois (16 carries, 108 yards).
- Posted his third rushing touchdown of the season, which came in the third quarter.
- Has a touchdown in all three games this season.
- Ca'Lil Valentine amassed 63 yards on his 10 carries and a rushing score.
- Set a new career-best rushing yardage total, surpassing his previous best of 53 yards.
- Secured the third 50-yard rushing game of his career and his second such outing of the season.
- Tallied the third rushing score of his career and his second of the season.
- Has rushing touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
- Ashton Hollins totaled two catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.
- Hauled in the first touchdown of his collegiate career.
- His 35-yard catch in the fourth quarter marked a new career-long.
- Xavier Scott logged three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups.
- Registered a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Had 2.0 career TFLs entering the contest.
- Leon Lowery Jr. recorded his first sack of the season, which came in the third quarter.
- Malachi Hood and Matthew Bailey led the Illini defense with six tackles apiece.
- David Olano made his one field-goal attempt, a 28-yard kick, while going 5-for-5 on PATs.
- Is now 13-for-14 on field goals inside of 40 yards during his collegiate career.
QUOTES
Head Coach Bret Bielma
Opening Statement:
"I'm super excited to get out with the W. Obviously, it didn't go according to plan the first half. I give a lot of credit to Western Michigan. You know, I said, and watching college football today, they took North Texas to overtime last time, and I think you saw the score, North Texas beat Washington State, I'm assuming, pretty good. It was in the fourth quarter when I last watched. And really good football team did a lot of good things. At halftime, we came in and, you know, kind of had some conversations about where we needed to go, and I thought our guys responded very, very well defensively at the end of the half there to make that stop was huge. And then offensively, I think we scored the next three times we had the ball. What we got to do is find out how to get them rhythm in that first half, I grabbed Luke at the end of the game there and just said, hey, whatever we got to do, however we need to do it. Make sure we get not just the players but the coaches. Let's figure out what we need to do to be better the first half. I think injury wise, I know Xavier, I think he just at the end. Melvin a little bit at the end, but I don't expect anything there. J-Bow, we did lose him in the first half there. So, I don't know exactly where we're at with him. I do think Aidan Laughery and Dylan Rosiak, on Wednesday, we ran them. They just weren't right where we needed to be. And then Thursday, we kind of ruled them out. I do expect to have them back this week, it's Indiana, a Big Ten matchup game. We're super excited to get over there and see where we're at with that."
On Larry Gies:
"Thank you to Larry Gies, we've had a lot of special memories over the last couple days. Just an awesome, awesome person. It sounds crazy; to give $100 million and that's obviously an awesome thing in itself, but what I've just been blown away the things that he gives personally. His time, his mentorship with our players, his care. He says a lot of great things about Josh. I don't think that gift ever happens if it went for Josh Whitman, his relationship with with Larry Gies, and to have $100 million jump on our stadium and everything else that Josh and his crew will put together just speaks volumes of where this program is at."Â
On flipping the switch at halftime and what can be done at practice to avoid that being necessary:
"You know, I think we got to learn from our opportunities. I'm going to take a glass half full over the glass half empty. The good news was we responded really well in the second half. We're 80 to nine in the second half. Obviously, we got to improve on the first half, but I am really excited about our growth at the halftime. And what was, what was that moment and how we responded to it."
On Luke Altmyer's comfort in the RPO and how to continue to unlock with him and within the offense:
"I think a little bit of you have to take what the defense gives you. But on the same account, Luke's a really intelligent player. He's an accurate ball placer. I think you do some things at the line of scrimmage once he's in rhythm. Luke is a rhythm guy, though, so I think that the key is to find that rhythm and get him stay with it. That could be just as important as the play call itself, in my opinion."
On the runnings backs getting into a rhythm:
"Once I knew Aiden wasn't going, we kind of knew offensively he was going to carry the workload. I always, in my career, have always grabbed the running back when he runs that play, and I just grab it when I said, today's your day. I think today will be a day we look back on, and you feel that you could put the team on your back. And it's kind of ironically how it happened in that third and fourth quarter. And, you know, Ca'Lil comes in there and has a nice change of pace. But, Kaden Feagin, I thought this week began to show some things that you'd seen him kind of get close. There was a play last week where he could have just pulled his leg through. And then today, there are several of those. I thought he did. And then he just listen, you got a business decision when you want to make a tackle on him right, you don't know if you're gonna go high or low or jump onto the back or or fall down, but it was a really big, powerful back with a lot of great attitude and really good upside. "
On connecting with Ashton Hollins and how he's looked in practice:
"Consistency, a guy who is the same person everyday, dependable. A guy who has kept his head down and worked and worked, been in this program with coach for a while, a man of great faith, a man of great character. He's rangy, creating a catch radius. He got speed out there, we put him in for that play because of his speed, his ability to run and stride and to make two great back-to-back plays. Nobody was surprised, done it in practice, banged up his two shoulders last year, so it's really cool to see his resiliency and his character stand out. Coolest moment for our whole staff to see the whole night, really excited for him and excited to see where he goes with it"
On the locker room at halftime:
"Extremely frustrated, a whole lot of frustration. We knew this wasn't us, and respected what they were doing. We weren't really unified, somebody each play just not clicking or to play good football it's all of the guys doing the right thing. There's too many times were they miss a drive or it didn't happen, they capitalize on it in the first half, frustration because we know we are better. I got to be better across the whole offense, and we know we will attack our weaknesses, maximizing our strengths is what it's going to be. We are excited man"
On when he felt like he found his rhythm in the second half:
"Yeah the first drive for sure, got the ball, playing fast. We did some things the first half, i think beating them on the attack and being the aggressor in the second half. Playing fast and not giving them a whole lot of time to communicate,our talents are really great, we are able to use our abilities just to get on the ball and roll off, be physical and be fast. A lot of energy. No one was moping around at halftime, if anything it was a wake up call for sure. We were frustrated, we were not upset or sad . We just attacked. We knew that the second half was going to be a good one for us."
On the defensive room after the shutout:
"I mean it's important, we all acknowledge that it's a hard thing to do to keep a team at zero, but they played well. I think that we just did that. We played the game how we wanted to play it, and it's awesome to see that donut on the scoreboard.
On Kenenna's goal line stop:
"I mean that's huge just the awareness of him being on the edge and making that play. I was in there I got a glimpse of it, but it was really cool to see. He's playing great football, and I love to see that."
On what that stop meant for the team:
"I think it's huge. It proves our DNA, you know that toughness factor, like it doesn't matter what happened that we got down into that zone, we just have to make the plays and ultimately, be tough enough, be aware enough. Like I said, get a stop essentially."
On the second half mentality:
"I mean he was saying some words that we needed to hear, essentially, and we all knew that, ultimately we all knew that defensively, we're doing things that were uncharacteristic of us and things that we don't want to put on tape. And so, yeah, I think it really just was reinforcing the things that we were already thinking in our mind. And it's good to see from him that he knows, he knows that we can be better too. He believes in us.Â
On messaging from Coach Bielema that sparked improved second half:
"It's just energy. It really helps the whole team to know we got to get it going, right now. We can execute. We know how to run these plays, but we just have to do our one eleventh. That was a big thing this weekend with our keys of victory because you just have to do your job. That's all it really was. We knew the plays, we knew what were were doing, but just do your job."
On getting going in the second half:
"Yeah it definitely felt good to get going again and get the rhythm going. It's been a long road coming from this injury, so just to have success and go out and have success again feels really good."
On the feeling amongst the team in the halftime locker room:
"I mean very raw. We were all pretty frustrated with the way we performed, but a lot of guys were saying, 'keep your head up because all we got to do is execute'. Just do your job, it's that simple. I mean, we were all ready to get back out there in the second half and do our job like we were all saying."
On 4th and goal at the end of the half:
"You know, going into that, we know that they're on the goal line. That we got to get a stop here or they're going to get a touchdown. We don't want them to get that momentum going into the half. One thing our coach always preaches is double-dipping, and we know that is probably one of their game plans in that moment. So doing everything we can to get them off the field and our 1/11th was everything that was going through my mind."
On what he saw to make the TFL:
"I saw open space, I saw tight end flashing back and just reacting off the ball knowing a split-second matters. It was definitely something that I'm thankful for my coaches putting us in a great call to be able to execute like that. Thank you to my teammates for being able to hold their gaps and do their 1/11th. At the end of the day, I may be the one who made the tackle, but if it wasn't for everyone else, it's not going to be there."
On Coach Bielema's demeanor at halftime:
"He said his hand hurt, that's the biggest thing. But one thing about Coach BÂ is he's always going to try and get us back on the straight and narrow. Try to get us focused on the task at hand and call us out when he thinks we can do better. He tries to squeeze everything out of us. The way that he does it is a way that we respond to well. You want a coach that can be able to push you like that, knowing that you can play much better than you're showing right now. It really speaks to his forward thinking, knowing that we have a tough schedule going on ahead and knowing we need to play better every game."
