CHAMPAIGN -- The Illinois football team ensured it will have a second straight winning season thanks to a superb defensive performance and a balanced run game to defeat Maryland 24-6 on Saturday in front of 56,416 fans at Gies Memorial Stadium.
Luke Altmyer threw two touchdown passes, and the Illini (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) rushed for 201 yards against the Terrapins (4-6, 1-6) in handing Maryland its sixth straight loss.
Illinois also accomplished a feat Saturday it hasn't since the John Mackovic era: winning at least seven games in the regular season in consecutive seasons. The Illini last achieved that in 1989 and 1990, with the 1989 team going 9-2 in the regular season and the 1990 team finishing 7-4 in the regular season.
Altmyer completed 15 of 25 for 172 yards. He now has 56 career touchdown passes with the Illini, tying Juice Williams for second place in school history.
But the Illini quarterback was also effective in the run game, rushing for 62 yards on 11 carries.
Kaden Feagin rushed for a game-high 81 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown, while Ca'Lil Valentine contributed 64 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Illinois will try for its third straight win next Saturday at Wisconsin. The Badgers (3-7, 1-6) lost 31-7 at No. 2 Indiana on Saturday.
***Red zone malpractice, Part II
The Maryland drive: 17 plays, 95 yards, 6:19
The story: Maryland started its drive in the DEEP shadow of the end zone after Illinois turned it over on downs at the 1-yard line. The Terrapins then proceeded to drive 95 yards and ... also turn it over on downs. Neither offense is exactly covering itself in glory right now.
The score: Illini 21, Terrapins 6; 10:12 left 4Q
***
Red zone malpractice
The Illinois drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 7:42
The story: A jet screen to Mario Sanders II got Illinois to the Maryland 1-yard line and gave off real Isaiah Williams vibes (mostly because Williams also wore No. 1). What the Illini did after securing that terrific advantage was basically offensive malpractice. The next four plays:
Ca'Lil Valentine rushed for minus-1 yardCollin Dixon was stopped at the 1-yard line after catching the ball out of the backfieldLuke Altmyer was stopped on a quarterback sneakAltmyer threw an incompletion
Turnover on downs. Not ideal.
The score: Illini 21, Terrapins 6; 1:31 left 3Q
***
Epitome of inefficiency
The Maryland drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 1:37
The story: Malik Washington entered today's game as the least efficient quarterback in the Big Ten, completing 58.4 percent of his passes. His time in Champaign hasn't been any different. After two more incompletions this drive -- deflected by Illinois defensive linemen Curt Neal and Pat Farrell -- Washington is now 18 of 32 for 154 yards. That's a 56 percent success rate when he's put the ball in the air.
The score: Illini 21, Terrapins 6; 9:18 left 3Q
***
No doubt about that one
The Illinois drive: 7 plays, 67 yards, 4:00
The story: Illinois basically lulled Maryland to sleep to start the second half with a run game that actually showed some effectiveness behind Ca'Lil Valentine (and more of what had been working with Luke Altmyer using his feet). Enough success on the ground that Altmyer was able to double pump fake to his way into a 23-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Hudson Clement with Hank Beatty the perfect decoy in the flat.
The score: Illini 21, Terrapins 6; 10:55 left 3Q
***
So much for a triple dip
The Illinois drive: 5 plays, 23 yards, 0:49
The story: Illinois looked like it had some juice on a last-minute drive to end the first half with consecutive completions from Luke Altmyer to Hank Beatty, Cole Rusk and Kaden Feagin. An interception (Maryland's 18th of the year) derailed the drive.
Maryland 's Hail Mary attempt to end the half was basically a pop fly to Miles Scott for his first interception of the season.
The score: Illini 14, Terrapins 6; Halftime
***
Quick and ineffective
The Maryland drive: 6 plays, 34 yards, 0:32
The story: Maryland got into Illinois territory thanks to a couple of 15-yard completions from Malik Washington and then immediately stalled out.
The score: Illini 14, Terrapins 6; 1:00 left 2Q
***
Double dip: Engage
The Illinois drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 4:34
The story: Illinois has a chance, as long as Maryland doesn't score, to pull off Bret Bielema's favorite thing -- a double dip. Kaden Feagin's 3-yard touchdown run capped the Illini's lengthy drive (after it seemed like they had forgotten about their big back this afternoon). Illinois will get the ball to start the third quarter and just need a stop in the final 98 seconds of the first half to put a double dip on the table. The underrated highlight of the drive, though, was when the Illini lined up in what was basically a flat Wishbone, motioned Tanner Arkin and Hank Beatty to their right and picked up a first down with Valentine cutting across the defense to his left.
The score: Illini 14, Terrapins 6; 1:38 left 2Q
***
Didn't take full advantage
The Maryland drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 1:44
The story: A 28-yard punt by Illinois' Keelan Crimmins gave Maryland the ball inside Illini territory, but the Terrapins couldn't fully capitalize. For the second drive in as many quarters, Maryland had to settle for a field goal and Sean O'Haire connected on a 43-yarder.
The score: Illini 7, Terrapins 6; 6:12 left 2Q
***
All Altmyer, all the time
The Illinois drive: 4 plays, 18 yards, 1:05
The story: The Illinois offense is basically just Luke Altmyer at this point, whether he's connecting with one of his receivers or running the ball himself. It's the only thing that's been effective. Until he gets sacked, which happened to end the Illini's latest drive and led to a bad punt by Keelan Crimmins.
The score: Illini 7, Terrapins 3; 7:58 left 2Q
***
Possession changing hands quickly
The Maryland drive: 3 plays, 7 yards, 1:26
The story: Getting off the field on third down has been a long-term issue for the Illinois defense this season. Today? It's not been as difficult. Illini nose tackle Angelo McCullom getting his hands on Maryland quarterback Malik Washington's third-down pass attempt dropped the Terrapins to 1 of 5 on third down this afternoon.
The score: Illini 7, Terrapins 3; 10:30 left 2Q
***
Replay is not Illinois' friend
The Illinois drive: 3 plays, 7 yards, 1:09
The story: What looked like another Illinois first down after a completion from Luke Altmyer to Tanner Arkin was, once again, reversed upon review. The incompletion meant it was a three-and-out for the Illini and yielded another Keelan Crimmins punt.
The score: Illini 7, Terrapins 3; 11:56 left 2Q
***
Starting to get inefficient
The Maryland drive: 6 plays, 20 yards, 1:49
The story: Malik Washington's lone completion on the Terrapins' drive secured a first down. His four incompletions, though, led to another abbreviated possession. Washington also got sacked -- for just the fourth time all season -- by Illinois' Gabe Jacas and Pat Farrell.
The score: Illini 7, Terrapins 3; 13:07 left 2Q
***
Illini on top
The Illinois drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 4:05
The story: To quote former Illini offensive coordinator, Luke Altmyer "is not an oak tree." A designed run by Altmyer, which J.C. Davis landing a mauler of a block on the edge, got Illinois to the Maryland 22-yard line. One play later, Altmyer hit a wide open Hudson Clement in the end zone, and this time the catch held up.
The score: Illini 7, Terrapins 3; 0:01 left 1Q
***
Risk/reward
The Maryland drive: 6 plays, 25 yards, 3:25
The story: Maryland continues to have some success with short passing routes that can exploit the soft spots in Illinois' zone coverage. Just not quite enough to extend its drive this time around. Two run plays on third- and fourth-and-short were snuffed out by the Illinois defense, gifting the Illini possession at midfield.
The score: Terrapins 3, Illini 0; 4:05 left 1Q
***
Unexpected three-and-out
The Illinois drive: 3 plays, 5 yards, 1:54
The story: The Illini looked like they had a first down wrapped up when Luke Altmyer put a serious level of touch on a long pass to Hudson Clement, who got solid separation. Clement was immediately rocked by Maryland without making a move, the ball popped loose upon Clement's contact with the ground and it was ruled an incompletion after official review.
The score: Terrapins 3, Illini 0; 7:30 left 1Q.
***
Just three points
The Maryland drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 5:45
The story: Maryland turned to a quick-hitting offense to start the game, with short passes in the flats the go-to for freshman quarterback Malik Washington. It was successful enough to loosen up the middle of the Illinois defense for some chunk run plays, but the Terrapins ran out of steam in the red zone and had to settle for a 29-yard field goal from Sean O'Haire.
The score: Terrpains 3, Illini 0; 9:15 left in 1Q.
***
Good afternoon from Gies Memorial Stadium where Illinois and Maryland are roughly an hour away from Big Ten action.
It's an overcast, windy day in Champaign, but there's not a hint of snow remaining. The difference a week can make in central Illinois when winter arrives on Monday and fall resumes on the weekend.
Perfect weather -- at least when compared to most mid-November days -- for an important game for Illinois. While the Illini's College Football Playoff hopes were dashed when the lost last month at Washington, another impressive season is still possible.
Win out and it's back-to-back 9-3 regular seasons with a shot at 10 wins in consecutive years for the first time in program history. That's kind of a big deal, as long as Illinois takes care of business this afternoon against Maryland.
Follow along all afternoon for updates from the home stretch of the Illini season.